Summary
The basis for Hulk’s nextMCUstory may finally be laid out byCaptain America: Brave New World. More than a decade and a half after their introduction, Hulk villains Thaddeus Ross and Samuel Sterns will take on their Gamma-powered forms inPhase 5’s upcomingCaptain America: Brave New World, where they will face Captain America instead of the Hulk. Hulk, meanwhile, seems to be taking a long break from fighting, having achieved his tamer Smart Hulk form off-screen some time before the events ofAvengers: Endgame.
Unfortunately for the Jade Giant,Hulk’s movie distribution rights have been owned by Universalfor a long time, which prevents Marvel from earning the full box office gross of Hulk’s solo movies. As a result, Hulk’s MCU journey has been developed through supporting roles and team-up movies. However,Captain America: Brave New Worldis the latest MCU installment to hint at a Hulk-centric event, which could be inspired bythe Marvel Comics storylineWorld War Hulk, where Hulk takes revenge on Earth’s heroes for being exiled to outer space.
Red Hulk’s MCU Arrival Changes Hulk’s Story
Bruce Banner Will No Longer Be The MCU’s Only Rampaging Hulk
As Banner learned how to control the Hulk and use his power for good over the years, Hulk gradually became tamer and more intelligent, until Banner eventually found a way to combine the human with the monster betweenAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. Although Smart Hulk seems to have found peace in his current form, his journey might not be over.President Ross' transformation into the Red Hulkintroduces a new savage monster to the world when there is no heroic counterpart to stop him.
With Red Hulk’s arrival and the possibility of more Gamma monsters being created in the near future, Smart Hulk may need to awaken"the other guy"once again
Despite She-Hulk and Skaar’s superhuman strength, the only Hulk who could go toe-to-toe with Red Hulk might be the original one. Bruce Banner’s efforts to gain full control over his Hulk persona were intended to prevent further destruction. But now, Banner may realize that he has only made it impossible for himself to use Hulk’s strength to stop a similar threat. With Red Hulk’s arrival and the possibility ofmore MCU Hulks being createdin the near future, Smart Hulk may need to awaken"the other guy"once again.
Red Hulk Can Make The World Fear Hulks Again
President Ross' Red Hulk Transformation Can Restore Hulk’s Fear Factor
In 2017,Thor: Ragnarokgave Thor and Hulk a drastic overhaul with a more comedic and lighthearted tone.Avengers: Infinity Warcontinued this trend with Bruce Banner’s comic relief as he tried to bring a reluctant Hulk out, andAvengers: Endgamefully placed the story’s humor on both Smart Hulk and “Fat Thor”. By the timeJennifer Walters became a Gamma-powered hero inShe-Hulk: Attorney At Law, Smart Hulk was already far from the terrifying monster that the original Hulk once was. She-Hulk’s introduction as a comedic character, albeit accurate to the source material, has also distanced the MCU from Hulk’s serious tone.
How Powerful The MCU’s Red Hulk Will Be Compared To Banner’s Hulk
Speculation suggests Marvel Studios will soon debut the Red Hulk, who could be the perfect match for Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner in the MCU.
Red Hulk’s MCU debut inCaptain America: Brave New Worldcomes seven years after the last time a truly savage Hulk appeared on screen. In the comics, Red Hulk is much smarter yet crueler than Bruce Banner’s first Hulk alter ego ever was. Given that Red Hulk might be getting manipulated by Samuel Sterns inCaptain America: Brave New World,the whole world may realize that Hulk and Abomination were only the beginning, and that many other Gamma monsters could start wreaking havoc at any time.
How The MCU Can Now Set Up World War Hulk
All The Pieces Are Laid Out For An MCU World War Hulk Story
While there hasn’t been a direct sequel toThe Incredible Hulkin all sixteen years of MCU history, everything seems to be falling in place for aWorld War HulkorWorld War Hulksevent.Smart Hulk brought Skaar to Earth, Jennifer Walters got her Gamma powers, the Abomination has gotten a new taste for fighting, President Ross can now transform into the Red Hulk, and the Leader is trying to destabilize the world.After the events ofCaptain America: Brave New World, Gamma monsters could replace Super Soldiers as the most sought-after weapon on the planet, capable of destroying whole cities by themselves.
If the MCU adaptsWorld War Hulk, the Thunderbolts could be the ones who attempt to kill or exile a Hulk, to disastrous consequences. If the MCU adaptsWorld War Hulks, then the Leader’s plans might succeed inCaptain America: Brave New World, possibly creating several new Gamma monsters who force Smart Hulk to bring back the original savage Hulk. Either way, the presence of multiple Gamma-powered characters in Phases 4 and 5 doesn’t seem to be a coincidence. Smart Hulk’s peaceful lifestyle may not last too long. After all, very few Hulk variants in the Marvel multiverse ever receive a happy ending to their lifelong suffering.
Captain America: Brave New World
Cast
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titledNew World Order)marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers' successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.After meeting President Thaddeus Ross, Sam is caught in a global crisis. He must expose the mastermind behind a sinister plot before the world descends into turmoil. Captain America: Brave New World marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
