"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is already filled to the brim with characters beyond the two titular heroes and it appears that the list can add one more: Anatoli Knyazev aka KGBeast. According to a report from BirthMoviesDeath, Warner Bros. has cast actor Callan Mulvey for the role.
KGBeast has long been confirmed for the film but this is the first time an actual actor's name has been attached to the role. However, according to the report, the character won't be the same as the spandex-wearing super soldier/ Russian spy as seen in the comics.
BirthMoviesDeath says the character is simply referred to as Anatoly Knyazev and is assigned as Lex Luthor's (Jesse Eisenberg) right hand man. It might be a small cameo that only comic book fans will be able identify but it is an interesting Easter egg for those in the know-how.
KGBeast's role might be smaller compared to that of Mercy Graves (Tao Okamoto) but it is possible he may be given a bigger spot in the DCCU films to follow, particularly the Ben Affleck-directed solo "Batman" film which is expected to hit theaters before 2020.
In the comic book source materials, KGBeast is an intelligent KGB agent with enhanced strength and agility who fought the Batman while on a mission to assassinate 10 targets. He even cut off his own hand in order to escape the Batman.
In the CW series "Arrow," Anatoli Knyazev also made an appearance but as an ally to Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) instead of being the crazed super villain from the comic books. In this iteration, he was a prisoner of Anthony Ivo and was later freed with the help of Oliver Queen and Sara Lance.
Actor Callan Mulvey's credits also include "300: Rise of an Empire" as Scyllias, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" as Jack Rollins, and "Zero Dark Thirty" as Saber.
