Brave New World Misses Its Chance To Set Up Hulk’s MCU Future

WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Captain America: Brave New WorldA very different kind of Captain America movie is punching its way into theaters, with Captain America: Brave New World being the first time Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson gets to lead a movie of his own. After the first three solo movies featured Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers as the star-spangled hero, it’s over to Mackie to take the legacy of Cap into a new era with Captain America: Brave New World.

Whereas the upcoming Thunderbolts* feels like a Captain America and Black Widow hybrid, Brave New World is Captain America meets The Incredible Hulk. While Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk has the honor of being the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s second movie, it’s an often forgotten black sheep of the family. Plans for a sequel fell through, but for the time being, Brave New World is the closest anyone is getting to The Incredible Hulk 2.

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Captain America: Brave New World Is Missing Amadeus Cho

Despite Brave New World‘s marketing spoiling the twist that Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross would become Red Hulk, it wasn’t exactly a surprise for those up on their comics. There’s also the return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, who got a villainous post-credit tease at the end of The Incredible Hulk and finally gets to become the Leader. But aside from a last-minute cameo featuring Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross and some archive footage of Hulk and Abomination tearing through Harlem, the clue is in the name that it’s a Captain America movie.

Even though there is no shortage of Hulks or Hulk-a-likes in the MCU, Brave New World is a Hulk-lite movie. There’s no sign of Tatiana Maslany following her introduction as the titular Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, nor does Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner stop by to give Wilson some advice on how to deal with rampaging Hulks. As for Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky/Abomination, he’s presumably still hiding out with Benedict Wong’s Wong at Kamar-Taj. The pieces are all there for the various Gamma-blasted heroes and villains to come together, but Brave New World stops short of making it happen or even cueing it up.

Frustratingly, there are reports that Brave New World cut one more member of the family. Like the MCU has introduced replacements for legacy heroes including Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart (Iron Man), Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova (Black Widow), Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop (Hawkeye), and even Wilson’s Cap, there are questions about who could take over from Ruffalo’s Hulk. Unlike many of the above being out of action, Bruce Banner still has an important role to play and is expected to be a major part of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday/Secret Wars. Still, there are questions about where Amadeus Cho is.

If that name rings a bell, it’s because Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man recently introduced Amadeus Cho to the MCU-adjacent cartoon. More than just speciation about where Cho could’ve fit into Brave New World, several sources claim he was cut from its runtime. It’s also alleged that Seth Rollins’ cut Serpent Society member and Rosa Salazar’s Diamondback were left on the cutting room floor. There’s no word on how Cho would’ve fitted into things, but given his genius background, it’s not too much of a reach to guess he was the person who told William Mark McCullough’s Dennis Dunphy that Sterns had been dosing President Ross with Gamma radiation. It was also widely reported that Ghostbusters’ Logan Kim had landed the part, with it looking like he was discarded during test screenings.

Introduced in 2005’s Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15, Amadeus Cho goes by the nickname of “The Totally Awesome Hulk”. Cho gains his Hulk powers when he absorbs Hulk’s gamma radiation to stop a nuclear meltdown. Unlike Banner, Cho saw his Hulk persona as a gift rather than a burden. Then again, he was once overwhelmed by his alter ego and eventually became known as Brawn when he regained control. He’s ranked as the seventh smartest person in the Marvel Universe, and while that’s just a bit of a joke, his intelligence is likely only beaten by the likes of Reed Richards and Hank Pym. Given Cho’s prominence in the World War Hulk miniseries, adding him to Brave New World would’ve neatly teased the saga.

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It’s Time For A World War Hulk Movie

Even though some think it’s impossible for the MCU to fix the Incredible Hulk, the long-rumored World War Hulk movie could go some way in redeeming the characters. Elements of it feel like they were already fed into the MCU when an armored Hulk popped up in Thor: Ragnarok as a homage to the Planet Hulk comic, but in terms of fans getting a proper sequel to The Incredible Hulk, World War Hulk can do it all. As well as giving Ruffalo the standalone he deserves, it would bringing together the various threads of Hulks scattered through the franchise and even bring in some new players.

More than just fans keeping their fingers crossed for a return to Sakaar for a faithful adaptation of the 2007 comic miniseries, there’s been plenty of chatter that Mad Max’s George Miller will helm a World War Hulk movie. The MCU is known for its loose adaptations of the source material, and instead of the death of Hulk’s wife triggering his World Breaker persona, the death of his son who was introduced in She-Hulk could be the catalyst. There’s also the fact that Amadeus teams up with Hercules in World War Hulk, which could bring things back to Thor: Love and Thunder’s cliffhanger tease of Brett Goldstein’s famed Olympian. Unfortunately, cutting Cho and a distinct lack of Ruffalo in Brave New World seemingly puts the MCU one step back from a World War Hulk movie.

Universal still owning the rights to the Hulk means a full-blown standalone still can’t happen, but that actually works in World War Hulk’s favor thanks to it being an ensemble. The comic followed the Illuminati banishing Hulk to the planet Sakaar, and with the team of brilliant minds already being introduced (and quickly) dispatched during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, audiences know at least some universes have the Illuminati. Ruffalo himself has responded to She-Hulk teasing a potential World War Hulk story and told Variety:

“I do think that the trip to Sakaar is a good place to start and what that means to the idea of what the fans have been asking for — this idea of Planet Hulk or World War Hulk or just the journey that Banner and Hulk have to make to come to peace with each other. That’s really interesting to me, and I do feel like there is some interest in exploring that down the line.”

Others have suggested Miller for an Immortal Hulk adaptation, while he’s also been mentioned to take over from Taika Waititi for Thor 5. Miller is no stranger to massive set pieces, while bringing him over to the MCU with something like World War Hulk can redeem the crying shame that he never got to complete his vision for Justice League: Mortal. It seems inevitable that something will happen next with the Incredible Hulk and his ever-growing family, while some claim a World War Hulks (yes, Hulk) adaptation of the 2010 comic is making its way into live-action. Either way, the Green Meanie is well overdue for his time to shine and a chance to show what Hulk can really do in the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World

Release Date

February 14, 2025

Director

Julius Onah

Writers

Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman

Prequel(s)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War

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  Anthony Mackie

  Sam Wilson / Captain America

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  Harrison Ford

  Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross / Red Hulk

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  Giancarlo Esposito

  Sidewinder