Key Takeaways
- Captain America: Brave New World features The Leader as a villain, not just Red Hulk, giving fans a surprise.
- Funko Pop figures reveal The Leader’s appearance is different from the comic version, possibly hinting at a film change.
- Marvel Studios may alter The Leader’s look for the MCU, so fans should be open-minded about the character’s presentation.
Captain America: Brave New World villain Red Hulk isn’t the film’s only antagonist. There’s another sinister force who has been largely kept out of the film’s promo material, but Funko Pop has once again given fans a sneak peek.
Captain America: Brave New World will mark the return of Tim Blake Nelson’s The Leader. The villain was first teased in the MCU toward the end of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk when Nelson’s character Samuel Sterns is last seen being exposed to a substance that starts transforming him into The Leader fans recognize from the comics. However, Captain America: Brave New World‘s marketing has focused on the confrontation between Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Red Hulk, the alter-ego of President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. So far, the best glimpse fans have gotten at The Leader was the back of his head in the first Captain America 4 trailer.
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Now, Funko Pop has unveiled its Captain America: Brave New World figures, giving fans the best look at The Leader, to date. If The Leader’s Funko Pop design is anything like the film version, the character will have one notable difference from his comic book counterpart. While the comic book version of The Leader has an enlarged head, the Funk Pop version’s head isn’t nearly as pronounced. The Funko Pop version of The Leader is green, like the comic book character, but his clothes are ordinary compared to his counterpart’s outfit. While it’s possible The Leader will look more comic-accurate in Captain America: Brave New World, the Funko Pop figures for the other characters (Sam Wilson/Captain America, Joaquin Torres/The Falcon, Ruth/Sabra, and Red Hulk) seemingly match their appearance in the film, so The Leader’s movie design may also be similar.
It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Marvel Studios to tone down The Leader’s design for the MCU. While Marvel Studios generally gives its characters comic-accurate costumes, they have taken creative liberties with outfits or looks that might look ridiculous when translated from the page to the big screen. Hawkeye didn’t get a comic-accurate costume until his solo Disney Plus series, roughly a decade after his MCU in Thor (and even then the purple suit was toned down).
So, if fans are upset about The Leader’s design, perhaps they should keep an open mind. What works for the comics doesn’t always work on film. Besides, Nelson has proven to be a tremendous actor on several occasions, so his performance as The Leader will undoubtedly be worth the long wait.
Captain America: Brave New World will be released in theaters on February 14, 2025.
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New 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.
- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
- Director
- Julius Onah
- Cast
- Harrison Ford , Liv Tyler , Giancarlo Esposito , Rosa Salazar , Takehiro Hira , Anthony Mackie , Tim Blake Nelson , shira haas , Carl Lumbly , Danny Ramirez , Rachael Markarian , Jacqueline Loucks , Tony Mareno , Zo’Anne Mckinstry , Phuong Kubacki , Colby Lopez , Xosha Roquemore
- Main Genre
- Superhero
- Writers
- Dalan Musson , Malcolm Spellman
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- prequel(s)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier , Captain America: Civil War , Avengers: Infinity War
- Character(s)
- Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross / Red Hulk , Betty Ross , Sidewinder , Rachel Leighton / Diamondback , Prime Minister Ozaki , Sam Wilson / Captain America , Samuel Sterns / The Leader , Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra , Isaiah Bradley , Joaquin Torres / Falcon , Presidential Aide , Secret Service Agent #2 , Navy Seal , White House Press
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Source: Funko Pop News