Phase 5 of the MCU kicked off in early 2023 with the filmAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. With other titles also being released in 2023 likeGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3andSecret Invasions, Phase 5 will continue into 2024 with The Falcon taking over as Cap inCaptain America: Brave New World. With many familiar faces returning to the big screen, some were unfortunately unable to come back.
In March 2022, William Hurt passed away at the age of 71 due to complications from prostate cancer. MCU fans may recognize the Oscar-winning actor from his portrayal of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in 2008’sThe Incredible Hulk, as well as appearances inCaptain America: Civil War(2016) andAvengers: Infinity War(2018). However, Hurt’s character was set to return for the upcomingCaptain Americafilm, so the franchise execs were left with the tough task of recasting an actor who can fill the late talented actor’s shoes.
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Anthony Mackie, who will debut his lead role as Captain America (formerly known as The Falcon), shared a photo of himself on Instagram alongside the new General Thaddeus Ross, played by none other than Harrison Ford. There’s no question that Ford has the talent to be a part of the MCU – having starred in other iconic film franchises likeStar WarsandIndiana Jones. But does that make him the best candidate for the role? This decision could potentially backfire for a number of reasons.
Harrison Ford Could Steal Attention From the Rest of the Cast
Franchise films tend to have a very niche audience, especially after going on for as long as the MCU has. With that, many fans will also gravitate towards other franchises likeStar Warsor the DCEU. So, for those MCU andStar Warsfans, Harrison Ford could possibly take those people in the audience out of the movie because the first thing they’ll see onceFord enters the screen wouldn’t be Thunderbolt Ross, but instead they’ll see the captain of the Millennium Falcon.
For many viewers, though, it’s about time that Ford joins the MCU. His wittiness and agility – even at the age of 80 – still pops on screen as he has proven to still be that action-packed hero that everyone respects and appreciates. But his best qualities as Indy and Han may not be what fans are necessarily looking for in Ross' character.
Ford’s Performance Will Likely Differ Greatly From William Hurt’s
William Hurt, who passed away in 2022, debuted Ross' character inThe Incredible Hulkwhen he was merely an army general. From the start, Ross had sketchy intentions, wanting to weaponize a super soldier by attempting to recreate the serum that transformed Steve Rogers into Captain America. Obviously, things went awryafter his test subject, Bruce Banner, reacted differently to the gamma rays and turned into the Hulk.
From there on, Ross made it his mission to try and control the superheroes of the MCU, most notably inCaptain America: Civil Warwhen he butted heads with Rogers and the other Avengers who rebelled against the Sokovia Accords. To this point in the franchise, Ross hadn’t necessarily been a villain – seeing as though he had good intentions with the Accords – but he wasn’t exactly a hero either. Hurt helped portray Ross' sternness and his very authoritative way about him, something that could be lost with Ford taking over. Making sure Hurt’s portrayal of Thunderbolt Ross stays intact will be the biggest challenge for Ford because he needs to convince viewers that Ross' character will be the same as he always was.
Casting a Big Name Might Be Giving Away the Character’s Future
Many Marvel fans will note thatThunderbolt Ross turns into the Red Hulk– a powerful villain to the Avengers – in the comics. It is still unclear that this transformation will happen inCaptain America: Brave New World, but with Ford being such a prominent actor and taking over as the role, it’s easier to allude to the fact that he’s likely to stick around in the franchise. With theThunderboltsfilm set to release shortly after the newestCaptain Americamovie in 2024, which will follow the antihero squad compiled by Ross himself, fans can further insinuate that Ross will at least survive throughBrave New World.
It’s one thing for Ross to survive his next appearance in the MCU – that’s something that’s equally believable and expected. But to cast such a big name, like Ford, it then becomes easier to assume that his character will most likely be utilized to its fullest potential as it is in the comics, which isn’t particularly a bad thing. Many fans of the comics would be thrilled to see Red Hulk be introduced to the MCU. But knowing Ford will be portraying the character, the film – and future films – may lose that element of surprise once Ross becomes the gamma ray-driven villain.
With that said, previous films may have already been alluding toRoss becoming Red Hulk. Ross has been notorious for abusing his power, having climbed from general to US Secretary of State. Now, Ross has been elected US President, and what he does with this power has yet to be fully explored. All the while, he’s been suffering from health issues, having received multiple heart surgeries. With this sense of power and the desperation to hold onto it without falling to his own ailments, intuitive viewers may have already anticipated the Red Hulk to make his debut.
Captain America: Brave New Worldis set to release July 13, 2025.
