Quick Links
The trailer forCaptain America: Brave New Worldhas finally arrived and teased an exciting new spy thriller within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans got to see Sam Wilson suited up in his new Captain America-inspired outfit, a hint at the Celestial Tiamut that has left fans wondering sinceEternals, and also Harrison Ford as President Thadeaus Ross, taking over the role from the late William Hurt who passed away in 2022 and originated the role back in 2008’sThe Incredible Hulk.
Yet the most significant moment in the trailer was the reveal of The Red Hulk. The character is so vital to the marketing ofCaptain America: Brave New World. The character’s hand is around the Captain America shield in the film’s teaser poster, showcasing how big a deal it is. While audiences already knew Red Hulk would be in this film thanks to theMcDonald’s Happy Meal toys spoiling ita year before the film came out, the first hint at the Red Hulk got fans very excited.
Red Hulk’s origins are so tied to the MCU that it felt like only a matter of time before the character joined. Here is everything to know about The Red Hulk and why fans are excited to see him join the MCU.
Who Is The Red Hulk
The Red Hulk is, as the name sounds, a Red colored version of the Hulk. Unlikeother color variants in the comics, like Grey Hulk, Red Hulk is not another identity of Bruce Banner. Instead,the Red Hulk is a different person altogether. The Red Hulk persona was introduced inHulkVol. 2 #1 in January 2008 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness. Part of the reason behind the character’s creation was marketing to increase interest in the Hulk comics ahead of therelease ofThe Incredible Hulk, the second installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Therefore,Red Hulk’s creation is tied to the origins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself, making his arrival feel monumental.
While Red Hulk was introduced in 2008, his identity would remain a mystery for two years, when it was finally revealed inHulkVol. 2 #23 in June 2010. It was in that issue thatRed Hulk was revealed to be none other than General Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross, a Hulk foe that had been around since the character’s very first issues. Ross’s Red Hulk powers are very similar to that of The Hulk, with one major addition that is both a strength and a weakness:temperature.
Instead of his strength increasing, the angrier he gets like the Hulk, Red Hulk’s body temperature rises with his anger, and he emits heat that can melt or burn objects. Due to his body lacking a cooling mechanism to deal with the excess heat he builds up, this can often be a major weakness for him that can be exploited by enemies.
Red Hulk’s Role in the MCU
General Ross was first introduced in the MCU inThe Incredible Hulkin 2008, played by William Hurt. He reprised the role in 2016’sCaptain America: Civil War, where it was revealed Ross was now the Secretary of State and a major figure in the Sokovia Accords, 2018’sAvengers: Infinity War, 2019’sAvengers: Endgame, and 2020’sBlack Widow. FollowingWilliam Hurt’s passing in March 2022,Harrison Ford signed on to play Rossin the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ford is playing Ross inCaptain America: Brave New WorldandThunderbolts*, which opens three months later.
In the trailer forCaptain America: Brave New World, Ross is shown as the President of the United States, replacing President Ritson fromSecret Invasion.Ross wants to make Captain America an official part of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, the CinemaCon footage revealed that Ross wants Sam Wilson to reform The Avengers. Later in the trailer, Ross becomes the target of an assassination by Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), the former Black soldier who was given the super soldier serum and locked up as a political prisoner, and his record was lost to history until Sam Wilson had him made an installation at the Captain America museum in Washington.
Isiah looks to be under the control of the film’s main villain, Samuel Sterns/The Leader, played by Tim Blake Nelson. The Leader is another Hulk villain and is one that fans have been waiting for sinceThe Incredible Hulkteased him, meaning his role here will be paying off a tease 17 years in the making. In the comics, The Leader is part of a group that transforms Ross into The Red Hulk.
While that group’s organization,Intelligencia, was already usedas an incel-run hate group inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the idea of a secret group of scientists looking to create a super soldier. WithCaptain America: Brave New Worlddrawing heavily from conspiracy thrillers of the 1990s, it is entirely possible Ross is in on the plan, and it was all an attempt to get the public behind him turning into a super-powered being of his own.The movie could be a political thriller about Ross trying to become the Red Hulk, turning himself into a superhero when he feels the others won’t get in line.
Why Is Marvel Now Bringing in The Red Hulk
With Red Hulk first appearing the same year that Marvel Cinematic Universe started, one would wonder why bringing the character to the big screen has taken so long. He seems like one of Marvel’s first characters created with the idea of future films and television roles in mind as a villain for a future Hulk movie. Due to the complicated film rights involving The Hulk with Universal Pictures,Disney has opted out of making a solo Hulk movieand instead featured him as a major supporting character while giving She-Hulk the solo Hulk treatment. So, while Red Hulk and The Leader would, on paper, be better suited for a Hulk sequel, that just hasn’t been an option Marvel Studios wanted to do.
Yet withCaptain America: Brave New World, they found a story that Red Hulk is perfect for. With Ross having been established as both a military and government presence, the road to the White House within the MCU reality doesn’t seem that far out of place.The Captain America projects have always had a political edge to them, and now the new Captain America finds himself wondering what his place in the world is. Is he an extension of the United States government, or is he a hero of the people? Making a movie where Captain America will both have to protect and later fight the President is a strong hook, particularly one coming a few months after a Presidential election.
The Agatha All Along Trailer Just Teased a New Avenger
Agatha All Along is more than just a WandaVision continuation, as the teaser trailer seems to confirm a major role for a popular Young Avenger.
Plus, a foe like the Red Hulk really gives Sam Wilson’s Captain America a chance to prove himself.Sam Wilson has no superpowers. Without a super soldier serum, many fans have discounted Sam Wilson and wonder what chance he stands against someone with the powers of a Hulk.Pitting Sam Wilson against a foe that, on the surface, seems to outclass him in power in every way only to overcome it is a great way to sell to audiences why Sam Wilson is more than worthy of being Captain America, even without the powers.
How Red Hulk’s Involvement Impacts the Future of the MCU
As mentioned before, Ford will appear not only as Ross inCaptain America: Brave New Worldbut also inThunderbolts*. Despite all the release date changes,Thunderbolts*always seems to have been intended for release afterCaptain America: Brave New World, so the film’s events will likely play into it. Given his popular nickname of “Thunderbolt” Ross, the Thunderbolts could be named after him.The asterisk added to the film titlealso has many speculating the film is going to be The Dark Avengers, a team who in the comics were a government-sanctioned Avengers team composed of former villains that sounds like what Ross is looking for.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Multiverse Saga has primarily been split up into three sections: cosmic stories, multiverse stories, and more grounded Earth-based stories.Captain America: Brave New Worldbuilds off the Earth-based storylines inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier,Black Widow, andBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. The inclusion of Tiamut ties it with thecosmic-based story ofEternals, and featuring Hulk characters could connect it toShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law.Captain America: Brave New WorldandThunderbolts*seem like climaxes to the Earth-based stories before the massive multiverse events forAvengers 5andAvengers: Secret Wars.
The Winter Soldier at 10: How It Set a New Standard for the MCU
The second Captain America film was the ninth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it set a completely new bar for the blockbuster franchise.
Ross’s presidency might also be reflected in the seriesDaredevil: Born Again, which is rumored to feature Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Nofrio) running for mayor and taking a bigstance against costumed vigilanteslike Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Echo. Combine that with Ross’s presidency being about making his own Avengers team while also possibly turning into Red Hulk and losing the support of the American people, which could suggest a future where civilians turn on superpowered beings.
Marvel Studios might be setting up their adaptation of the 2009 publishing initiative “Dark Reign,” which saw the villains of the Marvel Universe in key positions of power with support for superheroes at an all-time low. They could pave the way for the Marvel Universe to be at its weakest point before a multiverse invasion in whateverAvengers 5decides to be about.
By the timeCaptain America: Brave New Worldarrives in theaters, it will have been 17 years since Red Hulk first debuted in Marvel Comics. Not only is he finally making the leap to the big screen, played by a legendary actor like Harrison Ford, but his role is likely going to be a big one not only for the movie but also have lasting impacts on the entire MCU moving forward.
Watch the trailer forCaptain America: Brave New Worldbelow and see the movie in theaters on June 01, 2025.
