Captain America: Brave New World, the fourth installment in the Marvel franchise and the first to feature Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as the lead, unexpectedly serves as a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. This isn't just a continuation of the Captain America storyline; it directly addresses unresolved plot points from the earlier film.
The film brings back key characters from The Incredible Hulk, effectively making it an Incredible Hulk sequel in all but name. Let's examine these returning characters and their significance:
Captain America: Brave New World Debut Trailer Images
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Tim Blake Nelson's The Leader: The Incredible Hulk introduced Samuel Sterns, played by Tim Blake Nelson, hinting at his future transformation into The Leader. Sterns, initially an ally to Bruce Banner, becomes obsessed with gamma research, displaying questionable ethics. A crucial scene shows gamma-irradiated blood entering an open wound on his forehead, initiating his transformation. Brave New World finally delivers on this long-awaited development. The Leader's whereabouts since The Incredible Hulk are explained in the MCU-canon comic, The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week, revealing his capture by S.H.I.E.L.D. His escape and involvement in the film's central conspiracy, potentially linked to President Ross's transformation and the introduction of adamantium, are key plot points.
Liv Tyler's Betty Ross: Liv Tyler returns as Betty Ross, Bruce Banner's former love interest and daughter of Thunderbolt Ross. Their relationship, strained by Ross's obsession with Banner, is revisited. Betty's involvement in Project Gamma Pulse and her subsequent life, including her temporary erasure by Thanos, are relevant to her role in Brave New World. Her potential role in the film's conspiracy and her expertise in gamma radiation remain unclear, raising questions about her relationship with her father and the possibility of her becoming Red She-Hulk.
Harrison Ford's President Ross/Red Hulk: Harrison Ford takes over the role of Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, significantly impacting the film's narrative. Ross's history, from his antagonism towards Banner in The Incredible Hulk to his role in Captain America: Civil War and Black Widow, shapes his current position as President of the United States. The film explores his transformation into Red Hulk, a development likely connected to The Leader's actions and the introduction of adamantium. The film portrays a more nuanced Ross, seeking reconciliation with his daughter and cooperation with the Avengers, while still grappling with his past actions.
The Absence of Hulk: The notable absence of Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk is the only element preventing Brave New World from being a direct sequel to The Incredible Hulk. While a cameo isn't entirely ruled out, Banner's current circumstances, including his family of Hulks (Jen Walters and Skaar), offer a plausible explanation for his absence.
The film's plot revolves around a conspiracy involving President Ross's transformation into Red Hulk, The Leader's return, and the introduction of adamantium, creating a compelling narrative that directly builds upon the events of The Incredible Hulk. The question remains: will Captain America successfully thwart this conspiracy? And will we see a Hulk appearance, however brief?
