“Captain America: Brave New World” made a huge impact at Comic-Con with cast members Anthony Mackie, Tim Blake Nelson, Danny Ramirez and Giancarlo Esposito in attendance. Harrison Ford was a late panel surprise as he took the Hall H stage to massive applause. Footage from the movie was screened during the panel and confirmed that Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross will be transforming into the Red Hulk in the film.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige called “Brave New World” a return to the gritty action of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” while Mackie teased that Marvel fans will be seeing a version of Captain America that is more “cerebral.” Mackie noted that Sam Wilson is “not so much a muscle bound guy” like Steve Rogers was.
Esposito also arrived with a bit of news, revealing for the first time that he is playing Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society.
The new footage from “Captain America: Brave New World” that played in Hall H began with Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross, who is now the U.S. president, addressing the ending events of “Eternals” at an event with world leaders that’s called the Celestial Island Summit. It turns out Adamantium has been discovered in the ruins of where a dead Celestial appeared in the ocean and is now the most valuable element on the planet. Ross is recruiting Sam Wilson/Captain America to build a new Avengers team, but not all will go according to plan. By the far the biggest reveal of the footage was confirmation that Ford will be transforming into the Red Hulk. The previous trailer confirmed the Red Hulk’s appearance in the movie, but now Marvel fans know for sure that it’s Ross.
“Just when I think my nerdy life can’t get more complete, I hear Harrison Ford say Adamantium,” Feige said at the end of the panel.
The first trailer, released on July 12, featured an attack at the White House and an assassination attempt on Harrison Ford’s President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. In an eerie coincidence, there was a real-life assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump the next day.
Mackie takes the mantle over from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, who starred in the previous three “Captain America” movies and the four “Avengers” movies. At the end of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Steve bids farewell to his fellow superheroes and goes back in time to spend a new life with his beloved Peggy Carter. He gives his vibranium shield to Sam, who vows to do right by the hero.
“Captain America: Brave New World” will be the first time Mackie returns to the Marvel universe. The cast includes his “Falcon and Winter Soldier” co-stars Danny Ramirez, as the new Falcon, and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley; Shira Haas as the superhero Sabra; Giancarlo Esposito as a mysterious villain; and Ford taking over the role of “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt. The movie also includes an MCU throwback by bringing back Liv Tyler, as Betty Ross, and Tim Blake Nelson, as the Leader, from the “Incredible Hulk” movie.
Julius Onah directs “Captain America: Brave New World,” which was written by Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton. The film hits theaters next year on Feb. 12, 2025.
Source Agencies
