Captain America: Brave New World lit up Comic-Con on Saturday with cast members Anthony Mackie, Tim Blake Nelson, Danny Ramirez and Giancarlo Esposito all in attendance at the San Diego event to promote the superhero sequel. But it was Harrison Ford’s surprise arrival at the screening that made the biggest impact, as the movie icon took the stage to a standing ovation. Footage from the film was shown during the Marvel presentation, confirming that Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross will indeed transform into the Red Hulk in the film. And Ford gave the audience exactly what they wanted, mimicking the Hulk’s powerful roar.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described Brave New World as a return to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which added a touch of suspense and excitement to the action genre popular in the 1970s, while Mackie noted that Marvel fans will see a more “sane” Captain America. Mackie noted that Sam Wilson is “not a macho man” like Steve Rogers, his mentor and the original Captain America.
Esposito also arrived with some news, revealing for the first time that he's playing Sidewinder, the king of the Serpent Society.
The new footage from “Captain America: Brave New World” shown in Hall H begins with Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross, now President of the United States, talking about the final events of “Eternals” at a meeting of world leaders called the Celestial Island Summit. It turns out that Adamantium was discovered in the ruins where a dead Celestial appeared in the ocean and is now the most valuable element on the planet. Ross recruits Sam Wilson/Captain America to build a new Avengers team, but Things don't go according to plan. The biggest reveal of the film was the confirmation that President Ford Ross will be stepping down from the Resolute office to transform into the Red Hulk. The previous trailer confirmed that Red Hulk would be in the film, but now Marvel fans know for sure that Ross is the man behind the muscle.
“When I think my weird life couldn’t get any more complete, I hear Harrison Ford say adamantium,” Feige said at the end of the symposium.
The first trailer, released on July 12, featured an attack on the White House and an assassination attempt on Ross. In a bizarre coincidence, there was a real-life assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump the next day.
Mackie takes over from Steve Rogers, who starred in the previous three “Captain America” films and all four “Avengers” films. At the end of 2019's “Avengers: Endgame,” Steve bids farewell to his fellow superheroes and travels back in time to start a new life with his girlfriend, Peggy Carter. He gives his vibranium shield to Sam, who vows to do right by the patriotic hero.
Captain America: Brave New World will be Mackie’s first return to the Marvel Universe. His Falcon and the Winter Soldier co-stars include Danny Ramirez as the new Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley; Shira Haas as superheroine Sabre; Giancarlo Esposito as the mysterious villain; and Ford, who takes over the role of “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt. The film also features a return to the MCU with the return of Liv Tyler as Betty Ross and Tim Blake Nelson as the Leader from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
Julius Onah is directing Captain America: Brave New World, which was written by Malcolm Spellman, Dallan Mawson, and Matthew Orton. The film is scheduled to hit theaters next year on February 12, 2025.
