Take the following with a pinch of salt, but some images that showed up recently on Reddit claim to reveal Red Hulk will indeed show up in Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World.” The unverified image seems to include what is most likely a crew wrap gift jacket (A common practice that cast/crew are gifted a memento for their time working on the production) with a giant monstrous red hand grabbing the iconic hero’s shield and could confirm the character is in the fourth installment. The anti-hero Hulk persona is best known as connected to Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in both comics and the animated series “Agents of S.M.A.S.H.,” who is now played by Harrison Ford after taking over the role from the late William Hurt.

Red Hulk showing up in these upcoming movies isn’t some new revelation, surprise, or even considered a spoiler as Thunderbolt Ross, expected to be President Ross in both “Captain America 4” and “Thunderbolts,” nearly transformed into the red hulking brute in “Captain America: Civil War” as The Russo Brothers have mentioned that was an unused idea that was kicking around back when Hurt was still in the role. So, in theory, it was only a matter of time before Red Hulk would be showing up (An official set photo seen above teased Ross’ tattered clothing from a transformation) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because that’s how these things work now. Ross is only one of many “Incredible Hulk” characters making their return such as Dr. Samuel Sterns and his daughter Betty, so having a Hulk underpinning story element is far from shocking. Ford stepped into the Thunderbolt Ross part, and there had been a longstanding expectation that they were bringing Ross back to ultimately make his jump to Red Hulk, a version of the Hulk where Ross has more control of his powers similar to Smart/Professor Hulk and Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk. Basically, giving Ross what he’s been ultimately pursuing with a military application of Dr. Bruce Banner’s power-set.

Also, it should be clear that if the Red Hulk nod is indeed part of a crew wrap gift Marvel Studios would have known this would have made its way online and likely wouldn’t be much of a spoiler as it’ll be all over promotional materials. Even if this would be earlier than they likely would have wanted. It’s worth mentioning there has been chatter that “Brave New World” is expected to be undergoing extensive reshoots, and all this could change depending on those new scenes being rewritten by Matthew Orton (“Moon Knight,” “Operation Finale”).

From a narrative standpoint, in the comics, there had been a bit of an arms race with various villains including The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) and HYDRA (Serpent Society potentially replacing them as Madame Hydra’s other villainess persona Viper was part of that group) trying to weaponize the Hulk’s powers. The two baddies getting their hands on the Hulk tech is something I’ve been bringing up for years as a potential angle for their involvement in the film.

Then again, Thunderbolt Ross isn’t the only Red Hulk persona as his daughter Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) also obtains Hulk abilities and Betty ends up using the name Red She-Hulk, getting her own run of comics at Marvel.

Julius Onah directs with a cast that includes Anthony Mackie, Ford, Carl Lumbly, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Rosa Salazar, wrestler Seth Rollins, Xosha Roquemore, Liv Tyler back as Betty Ross, and the aforementioned Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role as Gamma-boosted super-villain The Leader. The new sequel will see Mackie’s Sam Wilson taking on the cinematic Captain America mantle from Steve Rogers after the events of “The Falcon & The Winter Soldier” and the U.S. government’s failed attempt to replace him with Wyatt Russell‘s U.S. Agent. “Captain America: Brave New World” has a release date of February 14, 2025, and would mean that a trailer isn’t likely coming anytime soon with “Deadpool 3” being their main film project coming out in 2024.

SOURCE: REDDIT