Captain America: New World Order will be something fresh and new. We’ll see Sam Wilson actively fitting in as the new Captain America after he donned the mantle in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres is set to become Sam’s new sidekick and put on Falcon’s wings. Isaiah Bradley, the veteran supersoldier, is said to have a prominent role in the movie. And there’s a new superheroine, Sabra, making her MCU debut. New World Order will progress Sam’s legacy and serve as an introductory chapter for some new characters — many of whom could factor into the ongoing Multiverse Saga.
The fourth Captain America feature is making headlines for an exciting reason. While Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, and Carl Lumbly round up the primary cast, they’ll be joined by some old faces: the ones we first saw in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk. The way the movie’s cast shapes up the ensemble, it seems that Marvel wants to continue a storyline the studio left hanging in the 2008 film.
While no direct story from the comics closely attaches these characters to Sam Wilson’s Captain America, Marvel Studios might revitalize some elements from Hulk comics and merge them with New World Order to ensure these characters find a new place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And that brings us to a theory — Can the fourth Captain America fit into the franchise as The Incredible Hulk sequel? Let’s take a dig at it.
Primary The Incredible Hulk cast returns
The first actor from The Incredible Hulk to be confirmed for Captain America: New World Order. The actor’s return was announced at last year’s D23 Expo. He reprises his role as Dr. Samuel Sterns from The Incredible Hulk. When New World Order releases, it will be 16 years since his teased transformation into Leader was left on a cliffhanger. Now that the actor is back, it’s convincing that Marvel might be picking up on his storyline from thereon in Captain America 4.
Also returning is Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross. There have been no hints or references to her character since her appearance in The Incredible Hulk. While Bruce returned from exile in The Avengers, there’s no telling where Betty has been all this time. And now, Captain America: New World Order is retrofitting her into the continuity. Leader probably ended up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison after The Incredible Hulk, which doesn’t require Marvel to give him a decade-long history, making his comeback feel like an introduction. But with Betty Ross, connections to The Incredible Hulk are far more substantial.
Thaddeus Ross is the final character from the 2008 Hulk’s MCU debut to return for New World Order. After William Hurt’s demise, Harrison Ford took up the role for the fourth Captain America movie. Ross’ character has seen appearances in the MCU, rising in ranks from General to now the President of the United States. Fans have called for years to see Thaddeus transform into Red Hulk, Hulk’s archnemesis. Whether he becomes Red Hulk or not, Ross will interact with the Leader and Betty, making it a fine Incredible Hulk reunion, thus making New World Order a fitting sequel for the film.
Avoiding Hulk’s copyright concerns with Universal Pictures
The most obvious and reasonable reason to continue The Incredible Hulk through Captain America: New World Order could be to avoid the character’s copyright issues with Universal. The studio owns the rights to Hulk since Ang Lee’s 2003 Hulk movie. And that’s why Marvel Studios can’t produce another solo Hulk movie without involving or reaching a new deal with Universal as it has done for Spider-Man with Sony.
Over the years, Marvel has continued Bruce’s story arc through the first two Avengers films, eventually passing through Thor: Ragnarok and ending up in Avengers: Endgame. A new and fresh angle started for Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, which also introduced the character’s son Skaar from the comics.
Meanwhile, the other characters associated with Hulk have yet to see much limelight. With MCU heading toward an imminent face-off with Thanos since The Avengers, Marvel probably couldn’t develop a story incorporating those characters. Captain America: New World Order is an introduction to MCU’s new political front. And it may get these characters the rightful comeback Marvel Studios has been looking for.
Why is Captain America: New World Order the perfect film to merge The Incredible Hulk with?
There are several ways that the connection between New World Order and The Incredible Hulk makes for a good sequel for the latter — and Leader could be the tying link. The Leader could be a perfect villain in New World Order, mainly because he could be the key to Joaquin Torres’ transition into the Falcon. In the comics, Torres is experimentally tortured at the hands of Serpent Society, turning him into an avian hybrid and giving him a psychic link to Redwing. Here, Leader and his telepathic and telekinetic abilities may possibly lead to Torres’ torture, creating Falcon and Sam’s new sidekick. There are rumors of Serpent Society featuring in New World Order, which may hint at an alliance between the villainous team and the Leader.
Moreover, a villain like Leader makes Captain America: New World Order a more “superheroic” adventure. The first three Captain America films trod upon genres like war, spy thriller, and political thriller. New World Order, with a villain like Leader, offers a different kind of Captain America film, giving Sam Wilson a fresh and distinct individuality as the eponymous superhero.
In both scenarios, the Leader from The Incredible Hulk also gets a prominent place in the MCU, making way for a legacy sequel for The Incredible Hulk.
Captain America 4 is also perfect for giving Thaddeus Ross a more permanent place in the MCU. Over the years, special appearances from William Hurt have referenced his character. Still, he has yet to appear in anything more than a cameo since The Incredible Hulk. Now that Ross is President, it puts him in an important position in the MCU. With decision-making power over the world’s most powerful nation post-Blip, Ross may have endless resources to execute his twisted wisdom. And there is an added rumor of him becoming Red Hulk, making Captain America 4 more of a Hulk sequel. Harrison Ford is said to have a more prominent role in the movie, which makes him another adversary to Sam besides Leader. Diving into his obsession with the super soldier experiments, he may become another rage-ridden monster.
There are still wraps on Betty’s role in the film, but she has to be someone important given her experience as a scientist. Over the years, Darcy has gone on to get a Ph.D., Jane Foster was considered for a Nobel Prize before she got cancer, and Hope Van Dyne is a leading expert on Quantum Physics research. Betty might be involved with the government, S.H.I.E.L.D., or D.O.D.C., for that matter. But, interestingly, Betty takes on the mantle of Red She-Hulk in the comics. It’s unlikely for her to become a superheroine for now. Still, even a hint would mean a significant direction for New World Order linking to an Incredible Hulk follow-up.
Given Captain America: New World Order will blend genres of politics, superhero, and sci-fi — and the traits of characters reprising their roles from The Incredible Hulk — this is a fitting MCU entry to be an acting follow-up to the latter.
Can Mark Ruffalo feature in Captain America: New World Order?
While every other The Incredible Hulk character is getting a sequel with Captain America: New World Order, Bruce Banner is a no-show. It would be something to see Bruce reunite with Betty. There was a moment in Infinity War where he could have reunited with Thaddeus over a hologram meeting, but the writers and directors didn’t play on it. As most of The Incredible Hulk cast returns in New World Order, Mark Ruffalo is not there. But does he have a role to play?
It’s a far-fetched thought, but things in New World Order can lead to a potential World War Hulk adaptation. The Leader, Thaddeus, and Betty are critical in Hulk’s storyline in the comics. With Skaar, Hulk’s son, also joining the MCU, World War Hulk isn’t much of a shot in the dark.
However, if Hulk appears in the film, Sam Wilson might lose value on-screen. Having Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner fighting his nemesis in New World Order would make the movie about Hulk and not about Captain America. There may be hints and crumbs that Marvel leaves about Banner. Still, it’s better to have Sam in the limelight and fight off the threat in Cap’s style, donning the shield and the wings as he did in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Ruffalo already has his arc in a decently progressive place in the continuity. Avoiding copyright issues, Marvel has given Hulk a potential story arc. And now, after, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, it’s almost confirmed he will return, further solidifying his place in the franchise. It would be just too crowded if he also appeared in New World Order. Even Marvel Studios would be clever enough to keep the emphasis on Sam Wilson in the movie. Julius Onah, the film’s director, has further clarified his intentions to pit Leader against Sam Wilson in the film, making Ruffalo’s entry into New World Order unlikely.
Captain America: New World Order is a significant film in the franchise. Marvel has the responsibility to make a convincing transfer of Captain America’s mantle and make it appealing to fans. And it must have the same grandeur impact as Captain America: The First Avenger. After all, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson will be the MCU’s star-capped hero from now on and must have the same importance as Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers. Moreover, The Incredible Hulk’s characters getting a continuing arc here adds pressure on writers to establish their potential future in the MCU. Hence, it’s vital for New World Order to be both an appealing and visually compelling entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Lately, Marvel films are feeling the need to catch up in recreating the old charisma and success critically and commercially. Marvel will release several other MCU productions before Captain America: New World Order hits theaters; however, the movie will be a deciding factor in Sam Wilson’s expansion in the franchise.