Summary
I’m even more excited forCaptain America: Brave New Worldafter learning that the upcomingMCUmovie will finally break a shocking 13-year-old Hulk trend. Anthony Mackie will be making his big-screen debut as the Star-Spangled Man-with-a-Plan in 2025, but his evolution into theMCU’s new Captain Americawon’t be the only focus ofBrave New World. After 16 years, I’m interested to see several plot threads from 2008’sThe Incredible Hulkget addressed inCaptain America: Brave New World.
WhileThe Incredible Hulkfirst introduced Bruce Banner’s Hulk - then portrayed by Edward Norton,Captain America: Brave New Worldis set to debut a brand-new Hulk in live-action. Following the late William Hurt’s passing in 2022,Harrison Ford was cast as Thaddeus Rossahead of his debut as the President of the United States inBrave New World. Ross also first appeared inThe Incredible Hulk, butBrave New Worldwill mark his major transition into theMCU’s Red Hulk- and I can’t wait for him to break a disappointing Hulk trend.
Bruce Banner Hasn’t Transformed Into The Hulk On-Screen Since 2012’s The Avengers
I Can’t Believe Bruce Banner Hasn’t Become The Hulk On-Screen In Almost 13 Years
While Bruce Banner has made live-action appearances in a total of ten MCU projects on the big and small screen, one major part of his character will have been missing for 13 years by the timeCaptain America: Brave New Worldreleases in February 2025. Thetransformation from Bruce Banner to the Hulkis an essential part of Banner’s narrative, but we haven’t seen this on-screen since 2012’sThe Avengers.I loved Banner’s"I’m always angry"moment inThe Avengers, hinting at some control of his abilities, but we’ve been robbed of this in the years since.
SinceThe Avengers, Bruce Banner has become the Hulk on many occasions, but we haven’t actually witnessed the physical transformation on-screen.We saw Banner become the Hulk several times inAvengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: RagnarokandShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but always off-screen. Even his biggest transformation into Smart Hulk happened in the unseen five-year-long Blip. Perhaps the absence of this transformation has contributed tocriticisms aimed at the Hulklately, butCaptain America: Brave New Worldcan finally solve this problem.
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I Can’t Wait For The Red Hulk’s Transformation In Captain America: Brave New World
Harrison Ford’s President Ross Will Become The Red Hulk In Captain America: Brave New World
While we won’t have seen Bruce Banner become the Hulk on-screen in 13 years whenCaptain America: Brave New Worldreleases next year, the Phase 5 movie will see another character undergo this transformation. Marvel Studios releasednew footage fromCaptain America:Brave New Worldat this year’s SDCC and D23 presentations, which showed Harrison Ford’s President Ross becoming the Red Hulk during an official speech.While this full transformation wasn’t seen in the footage, it’s very likely we’ll get a glimpse of it in the movie itself.
The fact thatCaptain America: Brave New Worldis expected to break this disappointing 13-year-old trend has me hugely excited for the upcoming sequel. Thephysical horror aspect of the Hulkhas always been one of my favorite elements of the character, but Marvel Studios hasn’t put this to good enough use in the MCU’s history. I’ve loved seeing Marvel take more risks lately, soperhaps President Ross' transformation into the Red Hulk could be even more gruesome, grounded and shocking than any of Bruce Banner’s.
4 Major MCU Loose Ends Are Wrapped Up Perfectly In Explosive Captain America 4 Theory
A new MCU theory suggests that Captain America: Brave New World could introduce the perfect way for Phase 4’s annoying loose ends to be resolved.
How Captain America: Brave New World Has Become A Secret MCU Hulk Movie
Several Characters From The Hulk’s MCU History Are Returning In Captain America: Brave New World
I’ve speculated thatMark Ruffalo will return inCaptain America: Brave New Worldas Bruce Banner’s Hulk, though neither Ruffalo nor Marvel Studios has confirmed whether this is true. Even so, theHulk’s MCU history will be addressed directly inBrave New World, with many characters fromThe IncredibleHulkreturning in Phase 5- some of whom have surprised me. While Thaddeus Ross' return makes sense, given that he’s now the President of the United States and Captain America is an innately political hero, other returning characters are more curious.
Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, last seen in the final moments ofThe Incredible Hulk, will make his return as the Leader inCaptain America: Brave New World.It’s unclear what the Leader wants, but I enjoy theories suggesting he’ll have a hand in transforming Ross into the Red Hulk. Ross' daughter,Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross, will also be coming back after 16 years, with speculation suggesting she’ll appear during a funeral. This has made me think President Ross might not surviveCaptain America: Brave New World, but not before we see him break this long-running Hulk pattern.
