What if I told you there’s a way that Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie can connect the worlds of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and Netflix’s street-level heroes, also known as the DefendersVerse. Marvel Studios has had plenty of success with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with other studios trying to replicate what works. After being in limbo, the list of Marvel heroes on Netflix – Daredevil and Punisher, for example – are being officially integrated into the MCU. Sony Pictures continues to build on its Spider-Man adjacent universe with Venom: The Last Dance, and even Deadpool is a part of the MCU following Deadpool & Wolverine. There is a lot riding on Thunderbolts*, but one thing it has the potential to do is connect all three of these worlds.

Thunderbolts* features a ragtag team of anti-heroes headlined by Yelena Belova and Winter Soldier. Numerous iterations of the Thunderbolts in the comics have operated outside the lines, hardly ever being considered traditional heroes like the Avengers. For example, their roots involve the villainous Baron Zemo gathering a group of bad guys and dressing them up as heroes. One era of Thunderbolts comics may have been overlooked by the general public, but it lays the groundwork for how characters from Thunderbolts*, Venom, and Deadpool could all work together on the big screen.

Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts, explained

Back in 2012, Marvel Comics debuted a new publishing initatived titled Marvel NOW! that saw all of its titles starting over with new #1 issues and creative teams. One of those titles was Thunderbolts by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. Instead of being led by Baron Zemo or Norman Osborn, this Thunderbolts team was brought together by Red Hulk to function as a black ops team in a similar manner as X-Force. Red Hulk pulled out his gamma-radiated rolodex to recruit some heavy-hitters to the Thunderbolts: Deadpool, Punisher, Elektra, and Agent Venom (Flash Thompson).

Deadpool was a veteran of working on different X-Force teams, so he was an easy addition to the Thunderbolts. Venom may be seen as a full-fledged hero right now, but even when Flash Thompson was Agent Venom, the missions he underwent would leave you questioning if you really wanted to root for him. As for Punisher and Elektra, they definitely fell under the “morally grey” category. Under Red Hulk’s leadership, the Thunderbolts hit hard and left bodies in their wake, including Hulk nemesis Leader. Samuel Sterns would eventually join the team as Red Leader, with Ghost Rider also coming onboard before the team disbanded.

Since the Thunderbolts were led by Red Hulk, they took on his crimson color scheme. Deadpool and Elektra already wore red, but Agent Venom and Punisher switched out their white for red, making for a stylish upgrade if we do say so ourselves. As you can imagine, there was some tremendous friction on the Thunderbolts, mostly caused by Red Hulk’s machinations. While a romantic relationship formed between Punisher and Elektra, Punisher ultimately turned on the team when he quit and then was the subject of an assassination attempt that he thought was orchestrated by Red Hulk.

Future Thunderbolts* teams can include Deadpool, Venom, Punisher, and Elektra

If Thunderbolts* is a success, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see Marvel Studios greenlighting a sequel. Though we may need an answer as to what the asterik in Thunderbolts* stands for first. In any case, we can cross our fingers and hope there’s a way for the superhero universes from Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures to crossover in a legitimate way. This means Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to appear in a movie next to Tom Hardy’s Venom, or for Venom to run into Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. If these types of meetings eventually take place, then we’re one step closer to Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts moving from the comics to the big and small screens.

Just imagine if we got a Thunderbolts movie starring Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Harrison Ford as Red Hulk, Elodie Yung reprising her Daredevil role as Elektra, and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher? A movie sporting this type of A-list talent could help audiences forget about the Avengers. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have other franchises to help grow the MCU, just like the breakout hit that was the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. 

Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, the ball is in your court.

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Captain America: Brave New World is coming up next year and Marvel Comics might have just hinted at a surprising MCU return with their new title. This week, fans got to see Sam Wilson: Captain America, a limited series featuring the talents of Greg Pak, Evan Narcisse and Eder Messias. Interestingly enough, our hero is tangling with Red Hulk, just like in the upcoming movie. But, there’s another sneaky addition that MCU fans might want to keep an eye on. Taurin Clarke’s dynamite cover for Sam Wilson: Captain America also features Eli Bradley’s Patriot as part of the story. Isaiah Bradley has been confirmed to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie, but there’s been no word of his grandson making a return appearance in the franchise. Could this be the first hint at Eli’s role in the film? 

Back in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, audiences were introduced to Isaiah Bradley, the first Captain America. Also included was his grandson Eli, played by Elijah Richardson. The American government experimented on Bradley and used his blood to try and replicate the Super Soldier serum that gave Steve Rogers his powers. It’s clear that Isaiah still has the raw physical power afforded to him by those experiments, as he’s jumping through windows in the Captain America: Brave New World trailer. But, it was never specified if his grandson inherited some of those powers. Could he be another burgeoning superhero in waiting for the MCU?

In Marvel Comics continuity, there’s a long-running story featuring Eli as the hero Patriot fighting alongside the Young Avengers. As the team’s Captain America surrogate, he helps them navigate the early days of their team-up after being trained by Steve Rogers. Of course, the MCU would probably like to streamline his origin as it gets pretty complicated with Patriots powers originating from a superhuman drug and then later replacing those sketchy abilities through a blood transfusion from Isaiah Bradley later on. With so many other young heroes rumbling about the MCU at the moment, it wouldn’t be too strange to see Eli join-up with the rest of the Young Avengers that Kamala Khan is recruiting right now. We’ll have to wait and see.

Young Avengers Slowly Assembling During All Of These Movies

From the early moments of Phase 4, Marvel fans have been expecting the Young Avengers to form. WandaVision featured Scarlet Witch’s kids Billy and Tommy. From there, more young heroes just kept cropping up. Things came to a head in The Marvels when Kamala Khan got a hold of a SWORD information tablet. With access to their database, she could look up any young superhero on-file and find them. She approached Hawkeye Kate Bishop in the movie’s post-credits scene. Iman Vellani joined ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast to talk about Ms. Marvel. She is looking forward to the Young Avengers assembling like the rest of us.

“I just want to see them interact. I think they’ve left so many of the younger character stories open-ended, and to see fans start shipping people together, it would be something like, I want to see Kamala interact with America,” Vellani shared. “I want to see Kamala interact with Patriot, I don’t know. Just all these random people. And so yeah, I think there’s so many different avenues you could take with this.”

 At the time, it was a little bit curious to see the Ms. Marvel actress mention Patriot as he hasn’t been discussed too much by Marvel Studios since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. To be fair to Vellani, she was probably just listing the Young Avengers lineup that fans know from the comics. But, with Cassie Lang, America Chavez, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel and more already teased for whatever Marvel Studios has cooking, there is room for another couple members of the team. (A lot of MCU fans believe we’re about to get another foundational member really soon in Agatha All Along…) At any case, with Marvel doing more cross-comics synergy than ever before, maybe this new Captain America book is a subtle hint.

Do you think Stan is right about Marvel? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

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cThe main characters in Captain America: Brave New World are going to headline a new Marvel series before the film hits theaters next year. Promotion and marketing for the fourth Captain America movie has centered on Sam Wilson, who is taking over the mantle of Cap from Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, aka Red Hulk. With Captain America: Brave New World on the horizon, you just knew that Marvel would release a comic that at least had Sam Wilson’s Cap in it. This appears to be the case, and Red Hulk and other characters from the film will also make appearances.

Marvel announced Sam Wilson: Captain America, a new limited series by co-writers Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader) and Evan Narcisse (Wakanda), and drawn by artist Eder Messias (Phases of the Moon Knight). Similar to Captain America: Brave New World, the limited series will see Sam Wilson and Red Hulk on opposite sides of this super spy thriller. When Captain America uncovers a nefarious plot parading itself as a new tech venture, he’ll be shocked to find that Red Hulk is running the company’s security. The cover by Taurin Clarke reveals other heroes will also take part in the story, including Isaiah Bradley, Patriot (Eli Bradley), War Machine, and Storm.

Sam Wilson: Captain America creators share excitement for Marvel series

“Working with Evan on this book has been an absolute dream. We’ve spent hours sharing big ideas, finishing each other’s thoughts, and cackling out loud over the story we’re cooking up. Seeing the pages roll in from Eder has been absolutely mind-blowing,” Pak shared.

“It’s going to be a fun, fast, high-octane adventure that also explores what it means to feel locked out of the American Dream. I feel pretty confident in saying Sam’s never flown through skies like these before,” Narcisse said.

Narcisse also gave his thoughts on the character of Sam Wilson: “One of the great things about Sam Wilson is that he straddles the line between everyman and super hero in classic Marvel fashion. The core of “Better Angels” will explore how he navigates that tension and how he and others have expanded the symbolism of the Captain America legacy in a very different way.”

“We’re pulling out all the stops to tell a story that matters, that goes deep into what it means for a Black social worker from Harlem to pick up the shield – and put on those wings! – while delivering massive action and thrills in the grand tradition of Marvel super spy science fiction,” Pak explained. “I particularly love how grounded the book is with characters like Sam’s fast-talking cousin Billie, my new favorite character ever, while taking to the sky in ways you’ve never seen! And yes, that’s a big tease! Don’t you dare miss it!”

What is Sam Wilson: Captain America about?

When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land grants and establish their own farms. But after Sam discovers the organization’s dark underbelly, he’ll have to tangle with its head of security: Red Hulk!

Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 goes on sale in January 2025.

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Esposito announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he is playing the Serpent Society villain Sidewinder. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming next year and some new comments from a Marvel Studios executive should make some fans really excited about the future of the franchise. Asad Ayaz is the chief brand officer for all of Disney now and he joined Fast Company to discuss their whirlwind 2024 projects. During this conversation, the executive looked ahead to 2025 and heralded an accessible slate featuring Captain America: Brave New World, Fantastic Four’s MCU debut and Thunderbolts*. Each one of these has a distinct flavor for the MCU. And, excitingly for some viewers, there’s very minimal preparation to get into the stories and connect with the characters.

“If you’ve seen our first trailer, it’s a very grounded political thriller. It couldn’t be more different [to Deadpool] in every way. When you see our work for Fantastic Four or Thunderbolts, they’re going to feel very unique,” Ayaz explained. “And while, yes, there is a connection between these characters in the same universe, it is creatively very unique, and feels like you could come into any one of these movies.”

Thunderbolts* is still shrouded in mystery and all we know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it’s a period piece. (In fact, Marvel’s First Family could originate in another universe entirely.) So, the barrier to entry is very low. You could pretty easily imagine someone walking into Thunderbolts* because Florence Pugh is doing cool stunts and they like David Harbour from Stranger Things. The same might be true for a Fantastic Four viewer as they might remember the 2000s movies and be intrigued by the retro vibes from a trailer. There’s also the goodwill from Deadpool & Wolverine in a lot of Marvel fans’ minds as well.

Marvel Studios Pulls Back & Reloading After 2023

In the year leading up to 2020, Marvel Studios had marching orders to produce a bunch of content to help Disney+ launch. While a lot of fans enjoyed having a new MCU show to obsess over every other month. Some viewers felt like it was too much too fast. (Although a lot of that pushback can be understood as a reaction to other outside factors that are not as easy to get online and marshall anger at.) So, now, the studio has pulled back a bit. There are less movies coming out and less shows. (But, there are still a bunch of excellent animated programs on the horizon.) ComicBook’s Phase Zero asked Marvel TV executive Brad Winderbaum about the much-ballyhooed pivot. He says that the extra time is already paying dividends.

“I mean, frankly, in all honesty, there was a mandate to kind of create as much as we could for Disney+ as quickly as we could,” Winderbaum told us during the Phase Zero podcast. “And then there was a shift. And all of a sudden, we have to start spreading our release dates out. So, that really accounts for a lot of the delays. 

“Now, we’re using that time. We’re not sitting idle. So, it’s like it stays in the oven. You can bake certain things a little more,” he added. “It’s actually, I think, ultimately, it’s only going to make things better. But, most of it is just frankly shrapnel from the business.” 

It’s a moment of frank honesty from someone entrenched in the MCU’s braintrust. But, it’s also a sign that they think the new approach is already doing good things for the brand. If you look at the recent releases, there hasn’t really been anything the audience vehemently disagreed with since Loki Season 2. X-Men ’97 drew universal acclaim, Echo surprised the fans who gave the series a chance, Deadpool & Wolverine proved to be absolutely massive at the box office in their only 2024 outing. So, there’s a lot of positive momentum behind the MCU right now. Agatha All Along just got rolling and should get a bump as Halloween stretches closer and closer.

Do you like that the movies are being billed as more standalone now? Did you want more connection? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

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The Incredible Hulk star Tim Blake Nelson recently made headlines by revealing how he was “heartbroken when it seemed I wasn’t going to come back as The Leader, but now I’m glad it took 16 years because it’s made the character more interesting.” Years of tangled rights issues with The Hulk franchise kept Marvel Studios from launching the obvious sequel that would’ve brought Nelson’s Leader back for his big debut, stranding his character (and other Incredible Hulk supporting cast) in MCU limbo for years. Now, Tim Blake Nelson is finally making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, where his character, Samuel Sterns, will be revealed as  “The Leader,” one of Marvel’s most nefarious mastermind villains. 

The climax of Incredible Hulk (2008) showed how a sample of Bruce Banner’s gamma-infused blood spilled on Sterns’ head beginning his transformation into a gamma-powered intellect. What Sterns has been up to since then is unknown – and none of the public marketing for Captain America: Brave New World (so far) has provided any insight as to what he looks like now, or what his master plan is for the MCU, and the various factions all vying for power. 

For his part, Nelson has already teased that “The Marvel team has come up with a really interesting explanation—revelation, I should say, as to what he’s been up to for 16 years and why.” Even without knowing the larger plans for The Leader’s MCU arc, it’s already clear that the villain will be putting a well-thought-out plan in motion during Captain America: Brave New World. But to what ultimate end? 

What The Leader’s Role In Captain America: Brave New World Could Mean For the MCU

The details about Captain America 4’s story that we know involve Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) inadvertently helping to kick off a new arms race, when he recovers of the sample of the metal Adamantium from the body of the corpse of the Celestial that died mid-birth in Marvel’s Eternals. As Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross tries to cement his presidency on the foundation of worldly unity and prosperity, an unseen hand begins throwing things into chaos – and that hand most likely belongs to The Leader. 

So far, details of The Leader’s plan arguably include all of the following: 

• Brainwashing former super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumby) into committing an assassination attempt or some kind of disruptive act of terrorism against the government. 
• Injecting President Ross with the gamma-radiation serum that transforms him into Red Hulk. 
• Coordinating with or employing organizations like the Serpent Society to carry out the violent attacks and/or heists associated with his plan. 

That’s a lot of moving pieces – but what’s the end goal? 

What Is The Leader’s Master Plan for the MCU? 

Ever since Captain America 4 was announced, there has been fan speculation that the film will be another game-changing event like Captain America: The Winter Soldier with its reveal of Hydra’s infiltration, and SHIELD’s collapse. This time, however, it’s theorized that The Leader could be trying to formally usher in the era of the “supervillain,” by enhancing or upgrading a targeted list of individuals and/or organizations to help shift the balance of global power. Hence the title of the film. Theories go so far as The Leader creating new gamma and/or super-serum power-players; enhancing the technology of crooks and gangsters to create a new era of street-level supervillains; possibly unleashing some kind of general mutation wave that could ripple into the X-Men franchise’s pond. Given The Leader’s level of intellect, possibly all of the above. 

That’s about all we can glean from speculation at this point; answering what The Leader hopes to gain from this level of scheming and world-shifting is hard to know – especially in the context of an MCU “Multiverse Saga” storyline. There is some evidence that whatever happens in Brave New World leads directly into Thunderbolts; that film’s preview footage has hinted at the group having to pull off a mission at a facility that could be hiding an even greater game-changing superpower coming to the MCU. If that’s also part of The Leader’s larger plan, we could quickly start to see the villain taking up the role of a “big bad,” whose presence touches multiple movie and TV projects. 

Captain America: Brave New World Cast & Crew

Captain America: Brave New World will star Howard Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/ alcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito will play Seth Voelker/Sidewinder recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Tim Blake Nelson will finally return to the role of The Leader in Captain America: Brave New World, more than fifteen years after he originated the part in The Incredible Hulk. Following on the heels of Ang Lee’s eccentric Hulk, The Incredible Hulk sought to bring the character into a more mainstream action role — and also to provide the first building blocks for what would eventually be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) making an appearance in the post-credits sequence. After the modest success of The Incredible Hulk, though, Marvel Studios never returned to the character for another solo outing, and all the teasing they did for the future of Nelson’s role looked likt iw ould never come to pass.

That was a bummer for Nelson, who said he was heartbroken at the time, but that with hindsight (and a chance to continue the role in a radically different Marvel Cinematic Universe), he is glad it happened the way it did.

“I learned from the actress Lois Smith, at a really good time in my career, that for character actors – and I am decidedly a character actor, and proudly a character actor – that it ultimately isn’t about one movie or achieving one particular accomplishment,” Nelson told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s more about the accumulation of characters, what I like to call my rogues gallery of dysfunctional weirdos that I’ve been allowed to play. The movies need those people to make the leading actors look good, and I’m happy to play that role. They’re often the most interesting characters in a movie. Being brought back into the MCU by [Marvel producers] Kevin [Feige] and Nate [Moore] and Kyana [F. Davidson] to be a villain alongside Giancarlo [Esposito] against Anthony Mackie has been a great honor. It’s been a really interesting adventure. I was heartbroken when it seemed I wasn’t going to come back as The Leader, but now I’m glad it took 16 years because it’s made the character more interesting. And I’ve gotten to do a lot of other great stuff during those 16 years that maybe wouldn’t have come my way if I had played the lead villain character in a Hulk sequel two years after Edward Norton’s Hulk. I loved working with Edward and got to direct Edward in a movie right after that [2009’s Leaves of Grass], so not to take a panglossian attitude toward all this, I still do think it all happened in the best possible way, even though there was a lot of despair associated with the intervening years.”

Captain America: Brave New World will star Howard Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/ alcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito will play Seth Voelker/Sidewinder recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Marvel Studios has put forth a lot of renewed effort this year, trying to assure its fanbase (and Disney shareholders) that the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise still has promising years ahead of it. Numerous reports broke alleging widespread trouble behind the scenes of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, while fans and insiders both seemed to agree that the franchise had begun putting out too much quantity, at the high cost of quality. Then there have been real-life events like celebrity scandals (Jonathan Majors) and Hollywood politics (Actors and Writers strikes), which have forced Marvel to make big pivots with production timetables and the overarching story of the current MCU Multiverse Saga.

But now, big changes have been made. Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped back in; the entire content strategy for franchises like the MCU or Star Wars is changing back to ‘quality over quantity’. Marvel Studios has started to have major PR successes with its previews for upcoming 2025 projects like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, or Daredevil: Born Again, but there still so many unanswered questions facing the franchise, moving forward. One of the biggest questions is, without a doubt: Can the MCU Multiverse Saga land this nose-diving plane? 

The End Is Nigh

Let’s take a look at how much runway we have left: 

Phase Five of the MCU will conclude next year, following the releases of Agatha All Along, Captain America: Brave New World, Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts* and Ironheart (in that order). 

Phase Six of the MCU will end the Multiverse Saga, and is currently scheduled to run 2026-2027. Confirmed projects in that phase include Fantastic Four: First Steps and Blade (in 2025); Avengers: Doomsday and the Vision Quest Disney+ series (in 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. 

There is room in that schedule for other projects to be added, like the Wonder Man Disney+ series already in development, or any number of Marvel Special Presentation features. However, there’s not a lot of runway between now (Fall 2024 at the time of writing this) and the summer of 2027, when the Multiverse Saga will end. Given how many characters and storylines will have been introduced in MCU Phases 4 – 6, it feels nearly impossible that this Multiverse Saga can pull off a massive, well-earned climax like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame did; or that the franchise can even find a way to make the Multiverse Saga feel like a tight, interconnected story like the Infinity Saga (mostly) was.

Why The Multiverse Saga Ending Will Be A FAIL

It’s hard to see how the Multiverse Saga can do little more than pull together many of the characters that were introduced in Phases 4 – 6, but that will (in many cases) be only the second (third, tops) time we see those characters operating in the MCU. We haven’t had multiple projects featuring Shang-Chi, Shuri/Black Panther II, or The Eternals; meanwhile, veteran franchises like Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man have seen massive status quo shifts that haven’t been addressed, while the Fantastic Four will be a very new set of characters and mythos in the MCU. 

Equally unsure are the relevance and importance of the Disney+ series and their characters. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America are obvious sure bets for the climatic Secret Wars event – but Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Hawkeye, and Kate Bishop, She-Hulk, Peggy Carter or even Daredevil are far less certain to make an appearance. Even if they do, again, it will be only the second time dedicated fans see many of those characters onscreen – and it will be a first introduction for all those fans who only watch movies and skip the TV shows. 

…That’s not even counting Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and the work needed to re-introduce the Multiverse Saga’s main antagonist and replace Jonathan Majors’ Kang. 

Can Marvel Studios bring the Multiverse Saga to an end by Summer 2027? Certainly. And frankly, the sooner the franchise moves past this quagmire of character variants and alternate timelines, the better. But the ending is most likely going to feel rushed and the larger interconnect story will likely still look riddled with plot holes, logical inconsistencies, and dangling plot threads for individual franchises that are not sufficiently answered – and a soft reboot into Phase 7 will look more like an escape hatch, rather than another hard-earned win. 

The next MCU release will be the Agatha All Along Disney+ series on September 19th. 

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Thunderbolts* made a brief appearance during Marvel’s 85th anniversary video release yesterday. The entire team was sitting in an elevator waiting for whatever’s on the other side of those doors to complete their mission. However, Sebastian Stan’s long hair is also back and Marvel fans are thrilled about it. Last time we saw Bucky, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, His hair was cropped close as he was helping Sam Wilson adjust to the mantle of Captain America. It’s been a while though, and that means he’s back to the shaggy cut he had while catching Steve Rogers’ shield menacingly.

It’s pretty clear that Stan is thrilled to be back in the Marvel fold and has missed being around the MCU over the last few years. He hasn’t so much as made an appearance in a post-credits scene lately. But, that’s all poised to change when Thunderbolts* hits theaters next year. Stan told Variety that this re-entry is something that he’s been looking forward to for a while.

“I’m excited. I’m going to go back basically in a month or so. I’ve missed it. It’s a great cast,” Stan in a new profile from Variety. “The batting average is so high that it’s difficult to always land everything right away. It’s always been a great experience. With this one in particular, I think there’s a lot of good things.”

Why Is This Movie Called Thunderbolts*?

One of the big questions surrounding Thunderbolts* is: What’s with that asterisk? Well, we’ll get answers closer to the release date of this movie. At CinemaCon this year, MCU architect Kevin Feige couldn’t help teasing it. “Yes, you’ll notice the asterisk on Thunderbolts*,” Feige told he capacity crowd. “That is the official title of Thunderbolts* and we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out.” So, we’re obviously still waiting. A lot of the other Marvel releases surrounding it on the calendar provide some clues.

Back when the Phase 4, 5, and 6 slate were revealed at San Diego Comic-Con years ago, people theorized that Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* will be linked. Well, the next Captain America trailer is out and there’s no direct links. But, there are some other hints. We know Cap 4 involved Tiamut the Celestial and something with the United States government. In addition, we can assume that the same authority sent Bucky and his team into whatever death trap they’re waiting for in that elevator. So, fans have basically accepted that Thunderbolts* might be a stealth Dark Avengers movie.

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie managed to make one fan’s day. On Reddit, user Difficult-Season3600 shared an amazing story of how the Marvel star provided a once-in-a lifetime experience for his nephew. The valet described meeting Anthony Mackie outside of a nightclub in Atlanta. He had immigrated to the United States from Turkey and was feeling a bit lonely. Luckily, the Captain America star was in the mood for a quick conversation. Mackie mentioned that he’d been to Turkey and really enjoyed himself.

When asked for a picture with the fan, Mackie politely declined. But, he made an effort to make it up to this guy. Seeing as how he wanted a picture for his nephew, the Captain America actor resolved to bring him something back. In an awesome moment, about a week later, Mackie showed up at the valet station with a signed photo for the young fan. (Who’s name is Yigit, which means Hero in Turkish.) He would share this on social media because he believed Mackie deserved credit for this act of kindness.

The Redditor wrote, “In these times, when I’m far from my family, home, and friends, trying to build a life in America with dreams and aspirations, he reminded me that life is full of coincidences and surprises. The thoughtfulness and effort he showed… I don’t know what to say. If by any chance he sees this post somewhere… Thank you, Mackie. I have a very rich native language and am fluent in it, but I can’t find the words to express my gratitude and admiration for your humanity.”

Anthony Mackie’s Captain America Steps Up

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with Anthony Mackie’s Avenger assuming the mantle of Captain America. His speech to the elected officials after stopping The Flag Smashers was one of the key moments in the entire series. Variety ended up asking him about Sam Wilson’s monologue and how it speaks to the core themes for his Captain America. At his core, this character is a caretaker of people who cannot fight for themselves.

“This is the moment where he becomes Captain America, so what’s his Captain America going to stand for?” Mackie explained. “Because he was a soldier, he was a caretaker of soldiers, a counselor, he’s not the guy who’s going to bust his way through problems.

“The humanitarian side of him was something that I feel is his superpower, his ability to have empathy and sympathy for those around him is your superpower,” he added. “So that monologue was about him showing that if one of us is mistreated, we’re all to blame. And that’s the overall theme of the the new Captain America, not that not Black Cap, or Cap for the people, he’s Captain America for all.”

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Marvel Studios has officially begun a comeback campaign with Deadpool & Wolverine’s success – but that’s just one step forward. The Marvel Cinematic Universe still has a lot to prove its upcoming TV and movie projects, which currently include the new Disney+ series Agatha All Along this fall, and a packed 2025 slate that includes pivotal releases like Daredevil: Born Again, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps. 

As more information and promotional material for the upcoming MCU slate continues to roll out, we’re getting exciting new details about what these new films and TV shows will be all about. 

See for yourself, below! 

Agatha All Along

Release Date: September 18, 2024

Synopsis: When a new series of tragedies strike the city of Westview, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power when a suspicious goth teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road.

Wandavision writer Jac Schaeffer returns as showrunner for Agatha All Along, with Schaeffer, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum and Mary Livanos serving as executive producers for the series, with Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg, and Gandja Montiero all serving as directors for Agatha All Along. 

The cast of Agatha All Along features Kathryn Hahn returning as Agatha Harkness, leading a cast that includes Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili and Debra Jo Rupp.

Agatha All Along will stream on Disney+. 

Captain America: Brave New World

Release Date: February 14, 2025 

Synopsis: Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident.

The cast of Captain America: Brave New World includes Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, Shira Haas as Sabra, and Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder. 

Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Daredevil: Born Again

Release Date: March 2025

Synopsis: A reboot of the Daredevil Netflix series set within the MCU.

Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock / Daredevil and he’ll be joined by Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk / Kingpin), Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle / Punisher), Wilson Bethel (Benjamin Poindexter / Bullseye), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Fisk), Margarita Levieva, Michael Gandolfini, Genneya Walton, and Arty Froushan. 

Thunderbolts*

Release Dates: May 2, 2025

Synopsis: A Group of antiheroes goes on missions for the American government – so far, that’s the only official synopsis for Thunderbolts*, but teasers have hinted at the team going on a mission involving The Sentry (Lewis Pullman), one of Marvel’s most powerful (and dangerous) characters. 

Jake Schreier (Paper Towns, Beef) is directing Thunderbolts* from a script by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow), Lee Sung Jin (Beef), and Joanna Calo (Bojack Horseman). Harbour is joined in the film by Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr / Ghost), Wyatt Russell (John Walker / US Agent), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster), Lewis Pullman (Bob), Gerladine Viswanathan (Mel).

Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release Date: July 25, 2025

Synopsis: This MCU reboot of The Fantastic Four is set in an alternate timeline where the world has developed into a retro-futuristic vision. A family/team of scientists ends up getting transformed by cosmic forces and must use their powers and smarts to defend Earth against a world-consuming entity (Galactus). 

Fantastic Four: First Steps will star Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman; Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) as Ben Grimm/The Thing; and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Julia Garner will appear in the film as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer, with Ralph Ineson as Galactus. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne will appear in as-yet-unannounced roles. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the movie.

Ironheart

Release Date: 2025 (TBD) 

Synopsis: In Ironheart, the teenage super-genius who created the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man “returns from MIT to her hometown of Chicago and begins to unravel threads that bring danger and adventure right to her doorstep.”

Dominique Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams, after first appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart will also star  Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) as Parker Robbins, a.k.a. the mystical misfit known as The Hood. Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) will play Joe McGillicuddy, a (supposedly) new character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, serves as executive producer on the series via his Proximity Media banner. Chinaka Hodge, a writer on TNT’s Snowpiercer and Netflix’s The Midnight Club, is Ironheart’s head writer and series creator. The show is based on the Marvel Comics character created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato.

Avengers: Doomsday

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Synopsis: Avengers: Doomsday will be the beginning of the end for the Marvel Multiverse Saga, and will feature Robert Downey Jr.’s return, as the titular Doctor Doom. 

Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo will also be returning to direct Doomsday, from a script by Michael Waldron (Loki) and Stephen McFeely (Endgame). No word yet on which MCU characters and actors will be featured in the film. 

Avengers: Secret Wars

Release Date: May 7, 2027

Synopsis: The culminating event of the MCU Multiverse Saga, based on the comic book storylines that saw different Marvel realties pulled together for a massive battle royale. 

No word yet on the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars. Like Avengers: Doomsday it will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, from a script by Michael Waldron (Loki) and Stephen McFeely (Endgame)

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Marvel fans now have an official look at what Harrison Ford’s transformation into the massive Red Hulk will look like in Captain America: Brave New World. The upcoming fourth film in the Captain America film series will have Anthony Mackie in the starring role as Sam Wilson / Captain America. Harrison Ford joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who fans of the comics know as Red Hulk. Trailers for Captain America: Brave New World gave a tease of Red Hulk, but a new video celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary features the character in all his red glory.

The final moments of the “Celebrating 85 Years of Marvel” video features Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross, who is President of the United States in the MCU, in front of a podium on the White House lawn. We then see him slowly turning into the Red Hulk, as his size begins to hover over the podium. The CGI appears to be the same used for Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, with Harrison Ford’s face perfectly crafted on the CGI Red Hulk. Once his transformation is complete, Red Hulk lets out a familiar Hulk roar as the video concludes.

Harrison Ford reveals why he joined MCU

Harrison Ford was recently a guest on The Official Marvel Podcast, where he discussed his reasoning for joining the MCU. According to Ford, it had to do with other actors speaking positively about their experiences with Marvel Studios. While Ford is a veteran of big time franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones, he is making sure to enjoy himself while joining the MCU full-time. 

“I had watched other actors, brilliant actors have a wonderful time,” Ford began. “I’m not a brilliant actor, but I thought I might have a good time. I’m delighted by what we’ve done. The movie’s gonna… kick a**. 

Giancarlo Esposito is playing Sidewinder in Brave New World as well, and is also excited about taking on this new role. “To do something new,” Esposito responded when asked about his reasons for joining the MCU. “To take a character that’s iconic from the comics and create something new is always special to me.

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Some of Marvel Studio’s upcoming projects are the focus of a new trailer celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary. For fans in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con and Disney’s D23, much of the footage from projects such as Thunderbolts*, Captain America: Brave New World, and Daredevil: Born Again won’t be new to them. However, if you weren’t at these fan events, then you’ll be pleased to get a better look at what Marvel Studios has lined up for 2025 and beyond. There’s renewed anticipation for Marvel’s upcoming slate, especially after the announcements of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and the retitled Avengers: Doomsday. Now, let’s take a look at what else is to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Footage from the Marvel video hosted by Entertainment Weekly features the first official looks at footage from Thunderbolts*, as well as Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk from Captain America: Brave New World. Also, Charlie Cox is back as the defender of Hell’s Kitchen in Daredevil: Born Again. Ironheart, the upcoming series for Disney+ that brings Dominique Thorne back as Riri Williams, can also be seen, along with the next Disney+ series Agatha All Along.

Thunderbolts* trailer description from SDCC

ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast was in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con, and has your breakdown of the Thunderbolts* footage that was shown. You can read a description of the footage below:

Yelena knocks on Alexei’s door. He is slobbing it up on the couch and tries to spruce up the place and himself before opening the door but it’s still very, very messy. He claims to be taking steps with a lot of work and being fulfilled, clearly lying. He asks what brings her here. “There is something wrong with me,” she said. 

Bucky enters a courtroom. US Agent looks at news articles about himsel. Yelena has a hallway fight reminiscent of Black Widow’s in Iron Man 2. She investigates a room, finds charts, and gets shot at by US Agent. Ghost comes to her aid while another enemy helps US Agent. “Bob” enters the room wearing a hospital gown. The room locks down its doors. 

Yelena explains she is a contract killer and has surmised that someone wants all of them dead. The room turns into a furnace. At a part with Loki’s scepter in a glass case, Bucky is not happy to see Valentina. He puts on his Vibranium arm.

Music makes the whole movie feel a bit delirious. Dark color tones make the movie feel gritty. There is a scene in what might be Avengers Tower.

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie had to admit that Tom Holland was right recently. On Instagram, the Sam Wilson actor reflected on a busy San Diego Comic-Con where the trailer for his new movie played in front of a packed Hall H audience. Looking up at his own face with his co-stars really put things in perspective for Mackie. He credits Tom Holland’s previous joking about having your own movie being an entirely different experience for the epiphany. So, Captain America: Brave New World draws even closer as this “feud” intensifies.

“I had to take time and let the scope of what happened sink in,” Mackie posted. “You were right @tomholland2013, it is different when you go with your own movie! #bravenewworld @isaia @marvelstudios @comic_con.”

This playful rivalry actually goes back ages. In 2018, Holland joked that Mackie didn’t have his own movie during a convention panel and it just spiraled out from there. It’s become a great back-and-forth between the two Avengers. Mackie got a great score on Spider-Man’s ride at Avengers Campus and bragged about it to Holland. Then, he had to joke about the situation in an interview with ComicBookMovie.

“Listen, I love Anthony Mackie. If there’s a Spider-Man/Captain America team-up down the line, then we should absolutely make that happen,” Holland smirked. “You know, he can brag about beating me on my own ride – which I haven’t actually ridden yet – but until he’s got his own ride, he’s got nothing. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

How Does Captain America 4 Move This World Forward?

Marvel and the new Captain America haven’t been shy about hyping Anthony Mackie’s next MCU appearance. When the first teasers for Captain America: Brave New World began making the rounds, the actor talked to Entertainment Weekly about how this movie serves as a new launching pad for the MCU’s storylines on Earth. Yes, fans are still barreling towards Avengers: Secret Wars and all that Multiverse drama. But, something big is brewing on the homefront as well.

“This movie is a clear reset. It really reestablishes the idea of what this universe is and what this universe is going to be,” Mackie mused. “I think with these movies, you’re getting a clear, new branding of what Marvel is headed towards the same way they did with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

“The title implies that there’s a new, bigger enemy now; there’s a new frontier that we have to conquer,” Mackie continued. “From Captain America: The First Avenger to Endgame, the enemy was always good versus bad. Now that we’ve conquered that, where do we go from here? When the bad guys reappear, in what form are they reappearing? It is a new storyline with new characters, with new beliefs, and it creates a new idea of this new world that we’re going into.”

Would you like to see Spider-Man and Captain America crossover before the next Avengers movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World Star Harrison Ford explained why he decided to join the Marvel Studios movie. The Official Marvel Podcast got a second with the actor after a big weekend at D23. Ford’s biggest reason for joining up was the experience other established actors had in this massive franchise. The Indiana Jones star tried to play it humble and say that even though he wasn’t a brilliant actor, he could have a good time in the MCU. His role in Captain America: Brave New World is poised to be one of the biggest entries for this franchise in a long time. In that regard, he’ll fit right in.

“I had watched other actors, brilliant actors have a wonderful time,” Ford began. “I’m not a brilliant actor, but I thought I might have a good time. I’m delighted by what we’ve done. The movie’s gonna… kick a**. 

Amazingly, our prospective Red Hulk isn’t the only high-profile debut in the oncoming Captain America movie. Giancarlo Esposito is playing Sidewinder in Brave New World as well. He’s excited to begin his journey as well! “To do something new,” Esposito responded when asked about his reasons for joining the MCU. “To take a character that’s iconic from the comics and create something new is always special to me. 

Ford Continues A Legendary Career

Despite all that modesty, it’s been a busy few weeks for Harrison Ford. In the midst of trotting out Captain America: Brave New World at Disney’s D23 fan event, he also got a massive honor from the company. Ford joined the ranks of other Disney Legends in the 2024 class during that weekend. In fact, his new friend Anthony Mackie was the one to introduce him in front of the packed crowd on Sunday. The 82-year-old is pretty much seen and done everything, but he did seem a bit moved by all the love.

“Dear Harrison Ford, I started my career with you in a small role in a very large movie,” Mackie told his co-star. “And now, I have the opportunity to sit on set with you every day, as not only my mentor, but my co-star. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to have you teach me every day. And show me what it meant to be a leading man. Even though it was my movie, you told me what it meant to carry a crew, to carry a cast, and to be the lead. I thank you for that.”

“The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor our company bestows,” Disney CEO Bob Iger told the ecstatic audience. “It’s presented as a celebration of talent, a recognition of achievement, and, above all, a sincere expression of our deep gratitude. Disney Legends are bound by the special place they have earned in our history for their tremendous contributions in service of entertaining and delighting fans around the globe.”

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Captain America: Brave New World’s villain is already being teased by Tim Blake Nelson. Coming out of San Diego Comic-Con, The Official Marvel Podcast asked the actor about what was coming up for The Leader. Nelson quipped that he’s been on ice for about 16 years since The Incredible Hulk. Captain America: Brave New World is actually going to take us into that big green brain. Nelson began, “I always like the challenge of presenting a villain’s point of view. He’s been on ice, shall we say, for about 16 years. But, he comes back with a vengeance.” So, there have been some machinations behind the scenes while our favorite Avengers have been saving the world from a variety of threats.

A lot of Marvel fans are going to get stuck on that “been on ice” comment before anything else. The MCU itself has a bit of a preoccupation with some of the characters becoming stuck in cryogenic stasis. Notably Captain America, but also The Winter Soldier, and probably a couple more. Could that present the way that Marvel Studios will explain The Leader’s extended absence since The Incredible Hulk? Possibly! But, it is much more likely that Samuel Stearns has been lurking in the shadows this entire time. The villain has probably been waiting for the moment that the universe is the most vulnerable to enact some master plan that puts all of the heroes on notice. For now, we have to wait.

The Leader Has Been Busy

There are a ton of dramatic Marvel returns in Captain America: Brave New World. But, the biggest one, arguably, is The Leader. While Nelson was teasing the reason for his extended absence up above, the actor has also been open about wanting the MCU villain to be as practical as possible in the upcoming movie. Talking to ComicBook at San Diego Comic-Con, Nelson said that keeping things grounded was his biggest ask in order to return. After all, The Incredible Hulk only teased his final form and its a bit of an open slate. Early teases have been promising, but the star thinks comics fans will be happy with what Marvel came up with.

“When I was asked to come back and play this character, one of my stipulations was — although, I have to admit, if they’d said no, I still would have done it…but pretending I could have a stipulation was, I begged, could you guys please let me do this practically?” Nelson told ComicBook. “I don’t want to wear dots. I’d like to have the appliance. I wanted to feel the weight of it; I wanted to look in the mirror and see myself that way, and I wanted the actors on set with whom I was interacting to see me that way. It just deepens it.”

What do you think The Leader has been up to? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie previewed what Sam Wilson’s been up to since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This week on The Official Marvel Podcast, the new Captain America took a second to talk after those big San Diego Comic-Con reveals. Mackie addressed the upcoming return of Sam Wilson and found time to take a shot at Tom Holland again. Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t hit theaters until early next year. But, Marvel is doing its best to get both Mackie and Harrison Ford out there to tease the incoming tussle between the MCU hero and a Red Hulk. Luckily for Sam, he’s got at least some backup in the form of a new Falcon. Check out what he had to say right here.

“Well, he’s Cap. Finally,” Mackie laughed. “Now we see him running missions on his own and trying to figure out where he fits into the whole world. This is way better than any of Tom Holland’s movies. And, I have Harrison Ford!”

Mackie had some nice words to say about his Falcon and the Winter Soldier ally Danny Ramirez returning as Joaquin Torrez. He teased the new Falcon, “The stuff that he’s doing with his character and what he brings. The flavor, the beauty, the joy he brings to that character. I feel like it brings a whole new energy to the Marvel Universe.” In addition, Ramirez is hyped to put those wings on. “It’s a beautiful generational baton passing… To put that on and to feel how I felt. To have to do some stuff and feel, ‘Oh, this is the movie we’re making.’ I was finally able to see what it was like for Anthony [Mackie] to put on the suit.”

Harrison Ford Is Thunderbolt Ross

But, of course, we have to talk about Harrison Ford becoming President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Yes, Captain America: Brave New World brings the Star Wars legend into the MCU. During San Diego Comic-Con, Ford said that he was happy to be stepping into the role. He’s gained an appreciation for these actors and a really fun chemistry with Mackie in particular. It’s a fun-loving side of his public persona that has delighted social media in a lot of ways. Ford is absolutely crushing the early days and everyone is excited to see Red Hulk tangle with Captain America.

“This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill, who played the character previously,” Ford previously explained. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action… I’m very proud to be in this film. I think it has turned out to be fantastic,

How do you think Captain America will fit with the MCU’s future? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World star Tim Blake Nelson says that the Marvel sequel could end up being like one of Wolverine’s best movies. Variety spoke to the actor recently ahead of his big MCU return. He plays Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, in Anthony Mackie’s big big screen debut as Captain America. This summer, James Mangold’s Logan has been the talk of the town, as it features heavily in Deadpool & Wolverine. That grounded movie feel is something that film fans have said they want on social media. Nelson argues that Captain America: Brave New World is about to give those MCU die-hards something that they’ve been missing for a while now.

“Marvel is an unheard of phenomenon in the movie industry. Kevin Feige and his studio created dozens of connected movies that exist in one Cinematic Universe, to use their term. There’s no comparable achievement. So no –  I don’t think it’s over,” Nelson argued. He would also go on to mention that Captain America’s trilogy of movies are among the “most grounded” of the MCU franchises. Then, the Samuel Sterns actor brought up Logan and it’s popular place as a comic book movie high-point. “This is going to be a wonderful movie,” he argued.

“I deeply, deeply grieved over the prospect of not being able to come back into the MCU. all I wanted to do, as an actor, was to figure out what happens to this guy. 18 years later I got to do it and I wasn’t disappointed,” Nelson added. ” It was a great challenge and I was guided beautifully by Julius Onah, who’s an indie director. These are real directors who want to work with real actors and give them opportunities to play outlandish characters. Marvel supports that.”

Some New Faces In Captain America: Brave New World

A whole bunch of big names have come aboard Captain America: Brave New World. Harrison Ford is the largest among them. (Possibly in a literal sense with the actor transforming into the Red Hulk. Variety spoke to the Thunderbolt Ross actor at San Diego Comic Con, and they were wondering what it would take for him to get into the spirit of being a Red Hulk. As always, the ever entertaining for had an answer that took the Internet by storm. Sometimes, you gotta Hulk out like no one’s watching.

“What did it take? it took not caring. it took being an idiot for money, which I’ve done before,” Ford quipped. “I don’t mean to disparage it. I’m just saying you have to do certain things that  normally Your mother would not want you to do –  or your acting coach, if you had one. But it’s fun, and I enjoyed it. I had a great time and I’m delighted at the response that we got with the trailer.”

Do you think Captain America 4 could end up being a top-tier comic book movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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We’re in the Endgame now. By that, we mean the end of the major conventions of the year, where juggernauts of the industry like Disney (Marvel) debut some of their coolest stuff to come. Fresh off SDCC, we have another event in D23. So far, the information filtering out is just starting to shake the market, with the full effects playing out this week. Next week’s list will show the full impact of Disney and Marvel’s big day, but until then, check out what’s shaking the market on this week’s Top Ten!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 08/12/24

1: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 – JIM LEE – HIDDEN GEM (1:50) | MARVEL | AUGUST 2024 : New X-Men run, new X-Men! That’s right; we have a new team of sorts in the Outliers, consisting of teenage mutants Deathdream, Ransom, Jitter, and Calico. Led by Rogue, this variant cover from Jim Lee is quite fitting! The fandom loves Lee’s work, especially thanks to the nostalgia factor from his fantastic work on the 90’s X-Men run. When he delivers a rendition of Rogue like this, fans line up in a hurry to secure a copy! We tracked it at a high sale of $133 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $83.

2: THE UNCANNY X-MEN VOL.1 #251 | MARVEL | NOVEMBER 1989 : *POTENTIAL SPOILERS* : If you know, you know. Of course, this classic Mark Silvestri cover was brought back to the forefront thanks to that scene in Deadpool and Wolverine. Despite the push that brought on, this book was heating up for weeks before it was released. Part of that was the rumors swirling regarding its association with the film, but the flip side was the sheer mass of people discovering it for the first time. It has a “got to have it” effect on fans, as it’s just that good! We tracked it at a high sale of $314 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current FN raw of $35.

3: THE POWER FANTASY #1 – CASPAR WIJNGAARD – CHASE | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : It wasn’t long before word got out about this highly anticipated new series receiving a Chase variant. Chase variants typically urge collectors to “chase” after a rarer version of the original release. Think of it as a ratio variant without the ratio. Most are familiar with Funko, who creates a line of Spider-Man Funko pops that all look similar. However, they quietly release a variant or chase version that may have a different coloring, an extra accessory, pose, or something to differentiate it from the original or normal version. Naturally, being a “rarer” version causes those on the hunt for it to either pay up to secure it or keep on hunting even harder. In comics, it’s not a regular occurrence, so when word began to spread, fans took notice and kept their eyes peeled. Some who succeeded at finding a copy were quick to list it online, causing an aftermarket surge and letting those who missed out get a shot. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $16. 

4: HULK #1 – ED MCGUINNESS – REGULAR | MARVEL | MARCH 2008 : We got our first hint of Red Hulk a few weeks ago when the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World finally dropped. Well, those who attended D23 got another sneak peek at Red Hulk in action. The videos quickly leaked online, and for those who saw them before, they were scrubbed from the internet and online was awash with conversation. If the market is any indication, it’s good conversation, as the first appearance of Red Hulk has been changing hands in droves. We tracked it at a high sale of $305 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $90. 

5: THE AVENGERS VOL.1 #25 | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 1966 : We don’t know what capacity Robert Downey Jr. will be in the Doom role he was recently announced to be playing. There are just too many variables that make it difficult to predict. But, some information has helped fans formulate strong opinions. One is that the Russo brothers will be returning to direct future Avengers films. Considering they directed the highest-grossing and most beloved Avengers films to date, it makes some believe we have an Avengers VS Doom battle in store. That may come to pass, or it may not, but that hasn’t stopped fans from securing the first battle between the two entities in comics. And for a 12-cent early Avengers book, pricing isn’t half bad! We tracked it at a high sale of $796 for a CGC 8.5 copy and a current VG raw of $85.

6: DEADPOOL #31 | MARVEL | JULY 2014 : Ellie Camacho isn’t a household name, but she’s getting there. As the daughter of Deadpool, she has big shoes to fill. She will be getting her chance in October when she is set to become the new Deadpool in issue #7. As the product of a one-night stand, which was later abandoned by the goofball Wade Wilson, there are bound to be some major moments coming up for the character. With her new role on the horizon, fans were quick to secure her first appearance. We tracked it at a high sale of $160 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $23.

7: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS VOL.1 #10 – DIRECT | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 1985 : Doom. Doom. Doom. We can hardly escape the iconic villain, but that’s the point. Doom plays heavily into future Disney/Marvel plans, considering the fact the actor they attached to the character is Robert Downey Jr. His iconic covers have been on a tear, and this book is no different. One of Dr. Doom’s most iconic covers hails from Mike Zeck and has been a fan favorite for years. However, some who attended D23 believe that the plan Marvel is enacting may involve Doom, Battleworld, and the Future Foundation. Things will be clarified over time as more information is released. But, the current unsubstantiated “evidence” is starting to narrow the path for collectors in a big way. We tracked it at a high sale of $275 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current VF raw of $26. 

8: IRON MAN VOL. 2 #11 | Marvel | September 1997 : A classic cover from Whilce Portacio put this book on the map recently. Thanks to the events at Hall H, Dr. Doom/Iron Man covers have been on fire. Outside of that, this book has a ton going on within! It’s a ton of timey wimey wibbly wobbly stuff, but it has Iron Man and Dr. Doom working together before finding all new respect for each other. Still, it’s a cheap 90’s book that’s plentiful and scratching the itch for collectors until more information is known. We tracked it at a high sale of $25 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $3.

9: THE POWER FANTASY #1 – CASPAR WIJNGAARD – THANK YOU | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : Thank You variants have seen an uptick in frequency in the past few years, typically enjoying a healthy aftermarket when they do drop. The hype for the series was already building before it was released. Some fans were after the “chase” variant, while others were in search of this one. It quickly separated itself from the rest of the pack as the variant to secure! We tracked it at a high sale of $118 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $86.

10: TRANSFORMERS #11 – JAMES HARREN – THANK YOU | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : This book hasn’t even dropped yet but is already experiencing some heat! It’s a major Transformers issue that already has tons of fans interested. Then, Image delivered a “Thank You” variant from the incredible James Harren cover, swiping (or homaging) his amazing work on Ultramega #1. On top of that, Ultramega is returning later this year, which fans have been dying for. This book scratches all the itches but will be difficult to find with a substantial price tag. Good luck, collectors! We tracked it at a high sale of $130 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $93.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Deadpool, Secret Wars, and The Power Fantasy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anthony Mackie is saluting his Captain America: Brave New World co-star Harrison Ford. The iconic Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor — who makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a.k.a. Red Hulk, in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie — was inducted into the 2024 class of Disney Legends at the D23 fan event over the weekend. Ford, 82, was among 14 honorees recognized during Sunday’s ceremony, which celebrates artists and visionaries who have significantly contributed to the company’s 101-year legacy.

“The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor our company bestows,” Disney CEO BobIger said. “It’s presented as a celebration of talent, a recognition ofachievement, and, above all, a sincere expression of our deep gratitude.Disney Legends are bound by the special place they have earned in ourhistory for their tremendous contributions in service of entertainingand delighting fans around the globe.”

Calling the Indiana Jones and Han Solo actor “the definition of a leading man, who stands alone in a category all his own,” Iger introduced a star-studded tribute video honoring Ford with appearances by Mackie alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Indiana Jones series director Steven Spielberg and producer Frank Marshall, Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s Karen Allen, Temple of Doom‘s Ke Huy Quan, Dial of Destiny’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, The Force Awakens co-stars Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley, and fellow Disney Legend George Lucas.

“I started my career with you in a small role in a very large movie,” Mackie, referring to 2003’s Hollywood Homicide, says in a segment of the video posted online. “And now I have the opportunity to sit on set with you every day — as not only my mentor, but my co-star. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to have you teach me every day, and show me what it meant to be a leading man. Even though it was my movie.”

“You taught me what it meant to carry a crew, to carry a cast, and to be the lead,” Mackie continued. “I thank you for that.”

When accepting the award, an emotional Ford said he’s “so very grateful” to be part of the 37-year tradition naming him a Disney Legend.

“I love the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Nobody does anything in this business alone,” Ford said. “We work in collaboration, no matter who we are or what we’re doing. We’re working on an idea. I have the privilege of being a storyteller — an assisted storyteller. I have my part of the story to tell. But so does everyone else.”

“The stories are for you, about you, about us. Our common humanity,” Ford continued. “And to be able to work in that area is a privilege. We have a bond between us that’s based on the quality of the product, and Disney produces great product.”  As part of Disney’s Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Marvel franchises, Ford added he’s “very honored” to be in the company of the 2024 class of Disney Legends.

Among this year’s honorees are Oscar-nominated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actress Angela Bassett, Avatar filmmaker James Cameron, The Simpsons series co-creator James L. Brooks, Star Wars and Muppets puppeteer Frank Oz, and Indiana Jones and Star Wars composer John Williams. Marvel artist Steve Ditko, who co-created Spider-Man and Doctor Strange with Stan Lee, was recognized posthumously.

The 2024 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony is available to stream now on Disney+. Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World — starring Mackie and Ford with Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with GiancarloEsposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson — opens in theaters February 14th, 2025.

The post D23: Harrison Ford Honored by Marvel Co-Star Anthony Mackie at 2024 Disney Legends Awards appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World made a big impact at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, and there was certainly a spotlight on Harrison Ford and his role in the film. Ford will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the new Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (replacing the late William Hurt), and the character will be getting a pivotal new transformation into the Red Hulk. 

Ford generated headlines during SDCC 2024 when he gave the crowd his best “Hulk-Out” while on stage in Hall H during Marvel’s Captain America 4 panel. The footage shown at the panel also revealed a full look at Red Hulk, which got mixed reactions from fans when it came to the look of the facial-capture design that puts Ford’s face on Red Hulk. 

In an interview with Variety at Comic-Con, Ford (jokingly) explained what it took to get him to do the motion-capture performance to create Red Hulk: “What did it take? It took not caring. It took being an idiot for money, which I’ve done before.”

The actor was conscious of how those comments could be taken, because he quickly added that, “I don’t mean to disparage it. I’m just saying you have to do certain things that normally your mother would not want you to do — or your acting coach, if you had one. But it’s fun, and I enjoyed it. I had a great time, and I’m delighted at the response that we got with the trailer.”

During the Hall H panel, Ford was unabashedly happy with his choice to do Captain America: Brave New World – no matter how silly the process may have been: 

“This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill [Hurt], who played the character previously,” Ford said. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action. I’m very proud to be in this film. I think it has turned out to be fantastic,” 

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito as the leader of the Serpent Society. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America 4 Comic-Con Footage Described

ComicBook’s Phase Zero host Brandon Davis was in Hall H, and describes the footage as such:

In the footage, Harrison Ford’s President Ross, explains how, “When the Celestial mass emerged from the Indian Ocean,” humans squabbled over it and tried to export its resources. He explains the “new element belongs to all of us.” Moments later, the President and Sam talk about past disagreements being overshadowed by Sam’s recent accomplishments and the desire to “rebuild the Avengers.” They discuss what will happen when they disagree on how to manage a situation. Sam gets a new suit in the next clip, leading to a sizzle reel. 

Sidewinder locks and loads and calls out “standby for proof of death” before shooting at Sam. Tense footage leads to Sam barging into a board room to talk to the President. He explains that his inner circle has been compromised but Ross wants to put the entire thing “to bed.” Sam isn’t happy with that. Cut to an action scene, then Sam flying, and rockets chasing him around Tiamut. Sam walks with Joaquin in his full green Falcon suit. A sizzle rounds out the trailer with action clips leading to the President becoming the Red Hulk at a podium in front of the White House and roaring.

Captain America: Brave New World opens only in theaters on February 14th, 2025.

The post Captain America 4: Harrison Ford on Red Hulk Acting, “It Took Being an Idiot for Money” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The ComicBook Nation crew gives a spoiler-free review of Deadpool & Wolverine, and then dips into all of the breaking news from San Diego Comic-Con so far! We also review Kite Man: Hell Yeah! And then talk Transformers, Joker 2, Absolute Power, and comics, along with a preview of this year’s Gen Con!

PLUS: Two Bonus Episodes – one LIVE from Comic-Con! ComicBook Nation host Kofi Outlaw teams with Phase Zero hosts Brandon Davis and Jenna Anderson, and ComicBook.com’s Chris Killian to break down the biggest reveals, wild happenings, and crazy behind-the-scenes stories from Thursday and Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! 

A second BONUS episode reunites ComicBook Nation hosts Kofi Outlaw, Janell Wheeler and Matt Aguilar summon their energy reserves to recap SDCC after the convention is done. Tune in for it all! 

Deadpool & Wolverine Review 

Phase Zero host Jenna Anderson said this in her 4.5. out of 5-star Deadpool & Wolverine Review: 

Amid the never-ending conversation around superhero fatigue, too many spoilers, and not enough effective storytelling, it feels rare to be truly surprised by a new superhero adaptation. Deadpool & Wolverine is such a pleasant surprise – both in its jaw-dropping elements and in the sentimental reason for those elements even existing – that it almost feels like a miracle. The movie’s handful of flaws are outweighed by its pure blockbuster storytelling and the gleeful rapport of its two protagonists. Through its no-holds-barred execution and the wildly entertaining performances of its ensemble cast, Deadpool & Wolverine serves as the most unlikely reminder of why we care about superhero movies in the first place.

Comic-Con Recap

ComicBook Nation is here to wrap up all the biggest news from Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! The Boys season 5 news and a Soldier Boy spin off! A new Lord of the Rings Rings of Power Season 2 Trailer! Huge anime updates for One Piece and much, much more!

 ComicBook Nation is bringing you ALL the big news, huge reveals, and major returns cough* Robert Downey Jr * cough from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

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Details surrounding Thunderbolts* remain close to the vest. The basic premise of the upcoming ensemble is that it is seemingly a conglomeration of the Avengers and DC’s Suicide Squad, as the government-mandated team is a cast of characters ranging from anti-heroes to full-blown villains. It is known that the on-screen squad will feature Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell’s US Agent, Hannah-John Kamen’s Ghost, and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster. These six characters all have varying levels of experience in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Pugh’s Yelena has appeared in two total projects while Stan’s Bucky has a total of eight MCU appearances.

Introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Bucky begins as a soldier serving the United States in World War II. His run in with Hydra leads to him becoming an ageless assassin named The Winter Soldier, carrying out covert missions for the quietly-resurrecting evil entity. After being absolved of his mind control in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Bucky heads to Wakanda to begin to heal and eventually acclimates himself back into the real world in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). 

Bucky Barnes Joins Congress in Thunderbolts*

After his atoning efforts in his streaming series, Bucky Barnes is taking on a new government role.

Speaking to ComicBook at San Diego Comic-Con, Thunderbolts* stars Sebastian Stan and Wyatt Russell responded to questions based on the film footage shown to the Hall H crowd. When asked about Bucky using his dishwasher to clean his vibranium arm, Stan joked that its “efficient.”

“One has to at some point make sure that things do get clean, and so that’s a very efficient way of doing it fast,” Stan joked. “He uses a lot less water too, a lot less waterin the dishwasher.”

Russell chimed in briefly after that, sharing something notable.

“He’s a congressman,” Russell responded.

This reveals that Bucky will find himself with an official government role in Thunderbolts*. This position is an appropriate next step for the former Winter Soldier, as his new team’s namesake Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) is confirmed to be the President of the United States come the events of Captain America: Brave New World. Having Bucky, the likely leader of this team, sitting on President Ross’s Congress would allow for an extra synergetic relationship between the two.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2nd, 2025.

The post SDCC 2024: Bucky Barnes’s New Government Role in Thunderbolts* Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios returned to San Diego Comic-Con this weekend and in their first major presentation in two years, they naturally brought down the house again. Up first in the Marvel Comic-Con panel was a fresh look at Captain America: Brave New World, which delivered new footage and even brought out cast members Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, and Danny Ramirez on stage. Speaking with ComicBook on the press line at San Diego Comic-Con after Marvel Studios’ panel in Hall H, we asked Ramirez about getting into his new Falcon costume and the action in the film.

“I know, I’m the Falcon. It’s crazy,” Ramirez said, revealing that the tease of his Falcon suit in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was even longer for him. “It was months of developing it. And so as we were doing the run up to film, it was like, all right, Danny, try this on. All right, try this on. And at the same time I was training and so the suit kept changing and changing and changing. And by the time that it was ready to, for me to wear on set, I just remember looking at it and be like, oh that’s it. Holy s**t, okay. And then when I put it on finally and I was like, oh this is what it feels like and then just like figuring it out. It was, it was amazing.”

In our interview Ramirez reflected on the response that the Captain America: Brave New World footage got from the Comic-Con crowd in Hall H, noting that it made him think differently about specific moments during filming and reshape his memories of the project.

“To hear the energy in the hall just explode or like, oh my, it’s like it feels and it colors different moments that I think on the day were incredibly important to get right. But then to see the payoff and the excitement, I think there’s nothing I could replace that.”

Finally, we asked Ramirez about the action in Captain America: Brave New World, which harkens back to the look of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in terms of its grounded and gritty look. Ramirez noted that the action scenes in the film are both “badass” and “real.”

“We had some of the best stunt choreographers,” he added. “I worked with my trainer Nic Shimonek who, he trains like NFL athletes. And so I was like, bro, let’s get there. Let’s do it. I had some fight choreography stuff to get to uh through a couple of months and so to go on the day and understand the movie we’re making and the tone we’re making it, it gives a little bit of that gritty, like dirty um fight choreography that like, I think like you can’t cheat that on, on in the frame. And so seeing like veins bulge and like really training. I think it makes a world of a difference.”

Directed by Julius Onah, Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquín Torres/Falcon, Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder, and Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross (replacing the late William Hurt). The Incredible Hulk stars Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson return as Betsy Ross and The Leader, respectively.

Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

Captain America: Brave New World opens only in theaters February 14th, 2025.  

The post SDCC 2024: Marvel’s Danny Ramirez Teases “Badass” Action, New Falcon Suit in Captain America 4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“What is a Red Hulk?” That’s how Harrison Ford, who plays U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, responded when asked about his then-rumored Marvel role as Red Hulk in a 2023 interview with ComicBook. One year later, the iconic Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor hulked out onstage in Comic-Con’s Hall H after a just-released trailer showed the Red Hulk smashing through the White House before being engaged by Anthony Mackie’s vibranium-winged Captain America.

Ford, 82, takes over the late William Hurt’s role as the mustached Thaddeus Ross from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. “I would have grown a mustache if I’d been asked,” Ford said as Mackie interjected with: “Tell Tom Holland I’ve got Harrison f—ing Ford,” referring to his long-running “feud” with the Spider-Man star.

“This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill, who played the character previously,” Ford said. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action.”

“I’m very proud to be in this film. I think it has turned out to befantastic,” Ford added of the Julius Onah-directed fourquel that alsostars Danny Ramirez as the new Falcon, Shira Haas as former Black WidowRuth Bat-Seraph, Giancarlo Esposito as the Serpent Society’s Sidewinder, and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/the Leader.

While there were rumors that Ford would reprise his role as the recast Ross in both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed during a panel for the latter that Ford’s character isn’t in that film (which hits theaters May 2025). Feige also revealed that the government-backed Thunderbolts team isn’t named after the former Army general-turned-president. 

Footage screened for the convention crowd included references to the new Avengers, the half-risen Celestial Tiamut from 2021’s Eternals, and adamantium, the virtually indestructible steel alloy that is found in Captain America’s shield and which is fused to Wolverine’s skeleton by the government’s Weapon X program. 

Feige ended the Captain America 4 segment of the presentation by saying: “Just when I think my dream of a nerdy life can’t get any more complete, I hear Harrison Ford say ‘adamantium.'”

Captain America: Brave New World opens only in theaters February 14th, 2025.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com’s Comic-Con hub for the latest news and updates out of SDCC 2024.

The post SDCC 2024: Harrison Ford Is “Proud” to Join the MCU as Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Now that Deadpool & Wolverine is in theaters, Captain America: Brave New World is the next movie out from Marvel Studios. As such, the Anthony Mackie vehicle was promoted heavily at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend. Plenty of reveals where had, including the fact that Giancarlo Esposito is appearing as Sidewinder, the leader of the Serpent Society. Not just that, but Mackie himself made a pretty sizable unveiling about the film’s plot.

According to Mackie, Sam Wilson won’t be getting the Super Soldier Serum in the picture, choosing to stay his human, non-powered self.

Wilson choosing not to have the Super Soldier Serum is a major point to his character, something Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore has said is paramount to character’s development.

“I think, he’s not Steve Rogers and I think that’s a good thing,” Moore said on ComicBook Phase Zero podcast in 2021. “Because to me, this new Cap is Rocky. He’s going to be the underdog in any situation. He’s not a super soldier. He’s not a hundred years old. He doesn’t have the Avengers. What happens with this guy who announces publicly kind of, without the support, ‘I’m new Captain America.’ What happens next? I think is fascinating because he’s a guy. He’s a guy with wings and a shield, but he is a guy. So, we’re going to put him through the wringer and make him earn it, and see what happens when he is outweighed, outclassed, out-everything. What makes somebody Captain America? I’m going to argue it’s not being a super soldier. And I think we’re going to prove that with Mackie and Sam Wilson.”

Joining Mackie (Sam Wilson / Captain America) in the film are Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres / Falcon), Shira Haas (Ruth Bat-Seraph), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), Giancarlo Esposito (Seth Volker / Sidewinder), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns / The Leader), and Harrison Ford (Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk). Seth Rollins and Rosa Salazar have also been cast in the film in undisclosed roles.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World is dated for February 14, 2025. The upcoming Marvel Studios slate includes Thunderbolts* (May 5, 2025), The Fantastic Four (July 25, 2025), Blade (November 7, 2025), Avengers: Doomsday (May 1, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027).

The post SDCC 2024: Anthony Mackie Confirms Major Captain America: Brave New World Plot Point appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Tim Blake Nelson will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Brave New World, reviving his villainous character of The Leader. The character debuted in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk — just the second film in the Marvel movie canon — and hasn’t been seen since. In the trailer for Brave New World, fans noticed a figure that looked suspiciously like Nelson, and guessed that The Leader would be the secret puppet master pulling the strings. Whether he’s with, or against, President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross and his hulking alter ego is anybody’s guess, but either way, he’s a pretty formidable villain and Nelson has been teasing his return for a while.

One thing Nelson wanted, when he learned that the character would get a more comics-accurate look this time around, was to wear a prosthetic head rather than having The Leader’s enormous melon added on during post-production. We asked him about it at San Diego Comic Con last night.

“When I was asked to come back and play this character, one of my stipulations was — although, I have to admit, if they’d said no, I still would have done it…but pretending I could have a stipulation was, I begged, could you guys please let me do this practically?” Nelson told ComicBook. “I don’t want to wear dots. I’d like to have the appliance. I wanted to feel the weight of it; I wanted to look in the mirror and see myself that way, and I wanted the actors on set with whom I was interacting to see me that way. It just deepens it.”

The character is one of the only Hulk-adjacent MCU characters who didn’t show up in the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series, so bringing him back while they introduce the Red Hulk is an intersting move — and one that likely raises questions about what’s next for the Hulk corner of the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World will star Howard Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/ alcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito will play Seth Voelker/Sidewinder recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

The post SDCC 2024: Tim Blake Nelson “Begged” Marvel for Practical The Leader Makeup in Captain America 4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fanfare plays from Deadpool & Wolverine. A choir performs Like a Prayer while a bunch of Deadpool cosplayers dance in the aisles.

Feige and Rob Delaney are on stage. Feige hypes the box office performance of Deadpool & Wolverine and the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World cast — Tim Blake Nelson, Danny Ramirez, Giancarlo, and Mackie. Mackie teases Tom Holland about finally having his own movie. Feige confirms the film is a return to Winder Soldier levels of grounded. Sam is surrounded by characters who help make up for his lack of superpowers. Nelson can’t say much about The Leader returning. Feige is so happy he’s back after so many years away. Ramirez is happy to don the wings, jokes he thought they would come with knee braces. Esposito calls joining the MCU a dream come true, confirms he is playing Sidewinder. Mackie says the shield is a lot of responsibility. Onah not here because he has COVID.

A new trailer plays. Ross leads a summit about the Celestial in the ocean, which contains the rare metal adamantium. Ross wants Sam to reform the Avengers. Lots of action with Sam and Torres as Falcon. Sidewinder tries to assassinate Sam. It ends with Ross hulking out at the presidential podium.

“Mr. President”, Harrison Ford, shows up and makes fun of Anthony Mackie for swearing. Ford gets emotional talking about stepping into the history of Ross. He wanted to join the MCU and thinks the film is fantastic.

Thunderbolts, cast and crew, Harbour in costume. Why isn’t Ross in the movie? Feige says, “Sometimes, in 85 years of comic history, writers and artists use the same name.” The asterisk will make sense once we see the movie. Stan praises Pugh, who says the team does not get along. Pullman leans into the “Bob” name, basically confirms he’s playing Sentry. John-Karen is excited to be back, Val wants power, Harbour jokes he bought his costume from Etsy. Russell says everyone’s going to “f-cking love” US Agent. Stan says the best part of playing Bucky is having nine lives — but how many are left? He was terrified to be in Hall H for Winter Soldier. Harbour praises the cast, but says Pugh is his favorite. Pugh does some of her own stunts but praises her doubles for making her look cooler.

Footage plays. Yelena visits Red Guardian in his dumpy apartment. New costumes for basically everyone. Ghost has a bow and arrow. John Walker has a kid but laments the loss of his glory days. Bucky is at congress, and later washes his metal arm in the dishwasher. Yelena, US Agent, and Ghost all meet “Bob”, who is dangerous. Someone is targeting the Thunderbolts, so they need to team up. Val is tickled by their team-up.

Fantastic Four will be released next July, begins filming on Tuesday. Director Matt Shakman wanted to be true to the comics, down to going out into the desert to find the best rock to make The Thing. He prioritized authenticity with retro futuristic 1960s New York, particularly Sid Mead.

Animatics and early test footage play. It is gleefully 1960s with so many vibrant blues and oranges. Reed appears on a fake science show teaching kids about explosions. The Thing is on a Dating Game-esque game show. Flying cars, retro futuristic aesthetic everywhere, lots of laughs. The Fantastic Four prepare for their space flight, bonding in the process.

The full title is The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Michael Giacchino is doing the score. The cast are introduced. Quinn is amazed by his super suit. Pascal is excited about joining a new family. He and Shakman have known each other for years, and almost became roommates decades ago. Kirby and Quinn are going to go to a pub to form their sisterly bond. Bachrach got advice from Mark Ruffalo about motion capture. Quinn says they’re going to bring the family dynamic. Kirby has laughed so much while rehearsing with everyone, wanted to convey the joy of the comics.

Feige confirms the Fantastic Four and many of the other characters we’ve seen are in Avengers 5 and 6. He teases who the directors will be: Joe and Anthony Russo. A sizzle reel plays of their past Marvel work. The Russos are onstage and joke about committing to this. They thought Endgame was the end of the road for their MCU work.

Secret Wars will need another movie before it to introduce a pivotal new character: Doctor Doom. Avengers 5 is now Avengers: Doomsday. A number of masked Doom soldiers show up onstage. Only one actor could play the MCU Victor Von Doom, in a way that shows the power of the Marvel multiverse. It’s Robert Downey Jr.

Avengers: Doomsday will be released in May 2026, followed by Secret Wars in May 2027.

The post Comic-Con 2024: Marvel Studios Hall H Panel Recap appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Giancarlo Esposito is slithering into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian actor has been teasing his unexpected mystery role in Captain America: Brave New World, boarding the Anthony Mackie-fronted Marvel Studios movie as it underwent additional photography in May. The just-released first trailer offered the first look at Esposito’s gun-toting villain — along with glimpses of Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns/the Leader, reprising his role for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk — but the secret role has remained under wraps until now.

“When your dreams come true, and you get the call, you walk through the door. I have a great deal of gratitude for all the fans who really had this dream come true, because fan casting has linked us together, and we started to talk,” the Emmy-nominated actor said when joining co-stars Mackie, Nelson, and Danny Ramirez on stage at Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con panel in Hall H on Saturday. “Everyone wanted me to be one thing or another thing. There’s been a lot of guessing going about who I really am. But to be with this cast — especially Anthony Mackie, who brings it every single time in every way he possibly can — can I say it?”

After looking to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige for the go-ahead, Esposito confirmed his MCU role: “I am the king of the Serpent Society,” the actor announced, revealing his role as Seth Voelker, a.k.a. Sidewinder, leader of the snake-themed supervillain team.

Introduced in 1985’s Captain America #310, the Serpent Society has included such serpent supervillains as Anaconda, Cottonmouth, Black Mamba, Cobra, Death Adder, Princess Python, Rattler, Bushmaster, Asp, and Diamondback, a mercenary-turned-ally of the Steve Rogers Captain America.

In the comics, Captain America villains Viper, Cobra, and the Eel formed the short-lived Serpent Squad, which took control of Roxxon Oil corporation president Hugh Jones with the Serpent Crown: an ancient artifact tethered to the snake god Set. Sidewinder eventually reformed the Serpent Squad as the Serpent Society,using his cloak with the power of teleportation to battle Captain America, Elektra, and the X-Men.

“In my other life, I’m a real badass, and you’ve seen me play alittle bit of that intellectually as Gus Fring [in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul],” Esposito teased in a recent interview. “But when you see me inthe MCU, you’re going to see a badass, and I’m excited for that. Acting is using every part of your body, your emotions, your senses,your feelings, to portray something. But you haven’t seen me use my bodyin a way that I’ll be using it.”

The Julius Onah-directed Captain America 4 soars into theaters February 14th, 2025, as part of the MCU Phase 5.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com’s Comic-Con hub for the latest news and updates out of SDCC 2024.

The post SDCC 2024: Giancarlo Esposito’s Marvel Role in Captain America 4 Revealed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel is hitting San Diego Comic-Con hard this year to the surprise of now. Marvel Studios is riding high thanks to the popularity of Deadpool & Wolverine but the merry mutants aren’t the only ones that will be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future. Captain America: Brave New World brings back Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and pits him against a conspiracy and a certain fiery behemoth who is none other than the Red Hulk. San Diego Comic-Con has revealed that Brave New World will not only focus on the fallen Celestial but will introduce Adamantium to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time.

Our own Brandon Davis is attending the Hall H Panel and the new footage confirms that the Celestial that fell in the finale of the Eternals is a contested location. Said location also is apparently fit to bursting with Adamantium, the unbreakable material that lines Wolverine’s skeleton and made up Captain America’s shield in the comics. 

Brave New World Footage Described

Brandon describes the footage as such, “In the footage, Harrison Ford’s President Ross, explains how, “When the Celestial mass emerged from the Indian Ocean,” humans squabbled over it and tried to export its resources. He explains the “new element belongs to all of us.” Moments later, the President and Sam talk about past disagreements being overshadowed by Sam’s recent accomplishments and the desire to “rebuild the Avengers.” They discuss what will happen when they disagree on how to manage a situation. Sam gets a new suit in the next clip, leading to a sizzle reel. Sidewinder locks and loads and calls out “standby for proof of death” before shooting at Sam. Tense footage leads to Sam barging into a board room to talk to the President. He explains that his inner circle has been compromised but Ross wants to put the entire thing “to bed.” Sam isn’t happy with that. Cut to an action scene, then Sam flying, and rockets chasing him around Tiamut. Sam walks with Joaquin in his full green Falcon suit. A sizzle rounds out the trailer with action clips leading to the President becoming the Red Hulk at a podium in front of the White House and roaring.”

When last we saw Sam Wilson, he was teaming up with Bucky to stop a worldwide conspiracy in Disney+’s television series Falcon And The Winter Soldier. In the final episode of the mini-series, Sam stepped into the role of Captain America, donning a new costume and taking up Steve Rogers’ shield. Brave New World will act as the first movie headed by Anthony Mackie and it has already demonstrated that Sam is going to have his hands full. 

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito as the leader of the Serpent Society. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

The post SDCC 2024: Captain America: Brave New World’s New Footage Introduces Adamantium, Revisits The Eternals appeared first on ComicBook.com.

What a week for Marvel! They have completely taken over our top 10 list. Deadpool & Wolverine’s release at the end of the week is the biggest catalyst of books. The film has directly caused an uptick in interest for 6 of the 10 books listed this week! One of these is due to a huge character reveal in the latest trailer! The Captain America: Brave New World trailer is still causing big hype for Red Hulk and his recently released variant. Doom holds strong with his solo series and tribute to late rapper MF Doom. Finally, a Marvel newcomer hits the top ten after Kevin Feige announced a television show in development for this intergalactic character. Find out who it is below!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 07/22/24

1: DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #7 | MARVEL | JANUARY 2010: The hype for Lady Deadpool is taking over! What started with a tease of her boots has slowly worked its way up to show the entire character in the latest trailer. The character looks great, looking as if she was ripped straight out of the comic book. The only question that remains is, who is behind that mask? Some diehard fans still maintain the theory that it is Taylor Swift. Others have jumped over to Blake Lively. Meanwhile, other fans are hoping that it is a comedic take of just Ryan Reynolds in a blonde wig. We don’t have to wait much longer to find out! We tracked it at a high sale of $400 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $139.

2: WOLVERINE #88 – DIRECT EDITION – DELUXE – $1.95 PRICE | MARVEL | DECEMBER 1994: With only a few days left before the debut of Deadpool & Wolverine, we’re seeing fans make one last big push for iconic books. This one marks the first meeting of Wolverine and Deadpool and their first fight. While this week’s fight won’t be the first time Reynold’s Deadpool has met Jackman’s Wolverine… we don’t count X-Men Origins. Therefore, fans are picking up this book in anticipation of the “real” first-time battle between the two mutants! We tracked it at a high sale of $405 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $67.

3: THE INCREDIBLE HULK #181 | MARVEL | JULY 1974: While none of the trailers have shown the green behemoth, there are rumors that a brief scene might show Wolverine vs The Hulk. It would be every fan’s dream to see this comic cover appear in live-action. However, this book’s significance is more than the book. It is also the much-debated first appearance of Wolverine. With so many rumors surrounding Wolverine’s staying power in the MCU, fans are picking this book up just in case this is not a one-off appearance! We tracked it at a high sale of $9,330 for a CGC 9.4 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $2,031.

4: THE NEW MUTANTS VOL.1 #98 – ROB LIEFELD – REGULAR | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 1991: Here is another book that is getting ramped up right before the debut of Deadpool & Wolverine. Deadpool is set to have a significant impact on the MCU. Kevin Feige himself has ranked the film just under Infinity War and Endgame in terms of how drastically it will change the MCU. There are also rumors that Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds will return for Secret Wars. This upcoming week will be a HUGE one for comics… not only is the film debuting, but we also have SDCC packed to the brim with rumored announcements. We tracked it at a high sale of $1,100 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $388.

5: DOOM #1 – SANFORD GREENE – REGULAR | MARVEL | MAY 2024: Doom continues to trend this week! This book was an instant hit, thanks to the villain’s popularity. However, what kept the book on the top lists was the subtle tribute to the late rapper MF Doom. The first lines of this comic book are lyrics from one of the rapper’s tracks. We tracked it at a high sale of $175 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV of $31.

6: NYX VOL.1 #3 | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 2004: ***SPOILERS***: The latest trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine revealed a massive spoiler for the film. It was long rumored that X-23 would return to the film. This trailer has confirmed that Logan’s X-23 is back, with the same actress, Dafne Keen, portraying the character. This huge reveal sent collectors back on the hunt for X-23’s first appearance! We tracked it at a high sale of $1,300 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $559. 

7: ANNIHILATION 2099 #3 – PETE WOODS – FIRST APPEARANCE (1:25) | MARVEL | JULY 2024: Red Hulk hype is running rampant! Red Hulk books have seen an uptick since Red Hulk was confirmed in a trailer for the Captain America: Brave New World film. This past week, Marvel revealed the first appearance of a Red Hulk 2099. Not only that, but they used the 1:25 retailer incentive cover to reveal the character in a tribute to the classic cover of INCREDIBLE HULK #1. We tracked it at a high sale of $95 for an NM copy and a current NM raw FMV at $88. 

8: NOVA VOL.1 #1 | MARVEL | SEPTEMBER 1976: We haven’t started SDCC ’24, and we’re already getting some great info on rumored projects! Kevin Feige himself has confirmed that Nova is heading to a TV series featuring Richard Rider as the hero. With such little news surrounding this project, this announcement made a huge splash with the fandom. This book is back on everyone’s radar as they try to secure a copy before more news is revealed! We tracked 13 copies sold, at a 7-day growth trend of 30%, with a high sale of $589 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current VF raw FMV at $40.

9: DEADPOOL VOL.1 #1 | MARVEL | JANUARY 1997: Deadpool & Wolverine is right around the corner, and fans are still chasing keys! This book marks the first solo series of the merc-with-a-mouth. Deadpool’s first appearance might be out of reach for most collectors. However, this book is much more affordable and easier to track down. If you’re looking for a fun key to add to your Deadpool collection, this should be an easy but awesome grab! We tracked it at a high sale of $270 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $38.

10: HULK #1 – ED MCGUINNESS – REGULAR | MARVEL | MARCH 2008: Captain America: Brave New World released its first trailer a little over a week ago. A lot of rumors were confirmed, the biggest of which was related to the Red Hulk’s appearance in the MCU! While absent for most of the trailer, Red Hulk briefly appears in the final seconds. Not much information was given about Thaddeus Ross’ journey to the red behemoth, but the tease was enough to reignite the hype. Red Hulk’s first appearance is once again trending. We tracked it at a high sale of $400 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $93.

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After an incredibly long wait, we finally got the Captain America: Brave New World trailer, and it’s shaking the market! Another trailer in Agatha All Along propelled another book, while plans for another series adaptation bring Barbaric to the forefront of collectors’ attention. Doom reigns supreme in not one spot but two, and what would this list be without a Deadpool book or two? It’s all there on this week’s Top Ten!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 07/15/24

1: HULK #1 – ED MCGUINNESS – REGULAR | MARVEL | 2008: Surprise, surprise. Wait, no, it’s not! After years of waiting, the fanbase FINALLY got a trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. It did not disappoint. Action, espionage, civil strife, the trailer had it all. Oh, and a one-second clip and roar from the long-awaited Red Hulk. Fans immediately scoured the internet searching for a copy of his first appearance, as up until this point, the community had no solid confirmation he would appear. We still don’t know the scale, if he is a hero or foe, etc. Much can be inferred, but now we know he’s coming, and does he sound angry? We tracked it at a high sale of $246 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $96. 

2: FANTASTIC FOUR #94 | MARVEL | 1970: WandaVision debuted over THREE years ago. It laid the groundwork for Agatha Harkness, who first appeared in this book, to take the spotlight in a future series. That was the plan. Well, plans typically never go according to plan, and after numerous reshoots, title changes, etc, we finally got a trailer for the Agatha series promised to the community years ago. The first trailer dropped last week and is full of wacky, off-the-wall shenanigans. But there is a deeper connection for which many fans will be tuning in. This book also features the first mention of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four. Agatha played babysitter to the young fella, and fans feel like we’re watching the connections to future Marvel projects sprout in real time. Only time will tell, but until then, fans are taking another look at Agatha’s first appearance! We tracked it at a high sale of $204 for a CGC 8.5 copy and a current VF raw FMV at $65.

3: DOOM #1 – SANFORD GREENE – REGULAR | MARVEL | 2024: Occasionally, we see books that just have that “IT” factor. This book is one of them. Despite not being the launch of a major event or first appearance, it’s dominating. That’s what happens when solid writing, art, and references come together to form a book like this. It’s been hot since it dropped and hasn’t cooled down since. With the second print virgin variant right around the corner, many collectors opted to secure a copy of this book to slap on the wall right next to it. We tracked it at a high sale of $132 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $35.

4: HULK #2 | MARVEL | 2008: While issue #1 from this run receives the majority of the attention due to featuring the Red Hulk front and center on the cover and being marked as his first appearance, this book shouldn’t be forgotten. It’s the first appearance of Red Hulk in the story, as opposed to a cover shot. It also features a dynamic cover that encapsulates the fear characters felt when Red Hulk started popping off. While it says issue #2 on the cover, it often works with issue #1 as a “1A-1B” situation. With the recent trailer featuring the shot of Red Hulk, fans have been hot on the trail of associated key books, including this one. We tracked it at a high sale of $125 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $37.

5: THE NEW MUTANTS #98 – ROB LIEFELD – REGULAR | MARVEL | 1991: As of this writing, there are 11 days until Deadpool and Wolverine drop. To say people aren’t excited would be hyperbole. Momentum has continued to build for months, and a lot is riding on the film. The marketing has Deadpool EVERYWHERE, and it’s paid off. Some may have felt the urge was too strong to ignore and had to add a copy of the first appearance of Deadpool to their PCs. We tracked it at a high sale of $2,200 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $295.

6: BARBARIC #1 – NATHAN GOODEN – REGULAR | VAULT | 2021: Some may look at the title and think, “What, I just picked up Barbaric #1 a month and some change ago!” Well, you’re close. The recent Barbaric run focuses on Owen as a child, a Barbarian cursed to wander the lands doing good with his enchanted battle axe in this series. A little confusing, but look at the recent run as a prequel. Why that’s important is that it was recently announced that A+E television greenlit a Barbaric series, with Sam Claflin and Patrick Stewart in lead roles and Michael Bay potentially attached; for those who have read the comics and know of Patrick Stewart, the mind games begin immediately on just how hilarious that could get. But whenever there’s news of a series being optioned, it typically sees a boost on the aftermarket. We tracked it at a high sale of $45 for a CGC 9.6 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $17.

7: X-FORCE #1 | MARVEL | 1991: X-Force has been pretty hot lately thanks to Cable’s appearances in X-Men ’97, the new Deadpool movie about to drop, and now for an all-new reason. Thanks to the Captain America: New World Order trailer the internet is in full-on sleuth mode. The reason is Giancarlo Esposito was spotted in the trailer doing some damage. But, no one knows who the heck he’s playing. He even came out and teased, “No one has guessed the role yet,” which is quite intriguing. Said internet sleuths have been working overtime and appear to be zeroing in on him playing a version of G.W. Bridge, who first appeared in this book. We’ll have to wait a little longer to know for sure, but the aftermarket isn’t waiting to find out. We tracked it at a high sale of $50 for a CGC 9.6 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $7.

8: WOLVERINE #88 – DIRECT EDITION – DELUXE – $1.95 PRICE | MARVEL | 1994: When Deadpool and Wolverine were first announced, this book was on fire. It maintained that heat for some time before cooling dramatically, but now that we’re in the final stretch before release, it’s heating up again. This book marks the first direct meeting and battle between the two titular characters, and if the marketing is any indication, we’re in for some serious battles in less than two weeks. The fanbase is returning to the beginning before we see the inevitable “end” on the big screen. We tracked it at a high sale of $410 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $55.

9: CAPTAIN AMERICA  #25 | MARVEL | 2014: The mantle of Captain America is a big deal. It’s a heavy burden, and Captain is often who the people and fellow heroes turn to for leadership in times of crises. When the time came for the mantle to be passed on, it was a huge deal. Well, in this issue, it was revealed Sam Wilson would take up the mantle. He’s served well during his time as Captain in comics, and the fanbase is preparing themselves for Sam to do the same on the big screen. While we got Sam in the Stars and Stripes attire back in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he had just stepped into the role. This film marks the first time he’ll be portrayed as Captain America. Of course, the first time he appears as the character is seeing some heat now that a trailer finally dropped showing off Sam kicking keister and taking names. We tracked it at a high sale of $85 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $15.

10: DOOM #1 – SANFORD GREENE – 2ND PRINT – VIRGIN (1:25) | MARVEL | 2024: While the first print version of this book was going gangbusters, it appears Marvel took notes when they green-lit a second print. The cover was universally praised, and somehow, they improved it. Releasing a virgin ratio variant as a second print is a bold strategy, but it’s been paying off if the aftermarket is any indication. We tracked it at a high sale of $80 for an NM copy and a current NM raw FMV at $61.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Hulk, Deadpool, and Barbaric appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The biggest — literally and figuratively — reveal in the new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World was the first appearance of the Red Hulk. On the one hand, the Red Hulk is exactly what it sounds like — The Incredible Hulk, but red — but on the other, there’s quite a bit of backstory to get us there. First appearing in 2008’s Hulk #1, the character was created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Well, kinda. In reality, the mysterious Red Hulk’s alter ego was Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a celebrated general who had become increasingly unhinged due to his obsession with capturing the Incredible Hulk.

In that first issue, and for almost two years, Thunderbolt Ross appeared in Hulk while Bruce Banner, Doc Samson, and the rest of the cast worked to figure out what a mysterious new Red Hulk’s deal was. In Hulk #23, the cast (and readers) learned that the Ross they had been dealing with was a Life Model Decoy, and that the real Ross was the Red Hulk.

While The Hulk becomes stronger and larger the angrier he becomes, the Red Hulk’s physical appearance is largely static, but as he gets angrier, he runs hotter, eventually becoming a risk to those around him as he radiates heat and even fire. He can also absorb energy attacks, making him functionally immune to many such attacks and making a straight-up fight with a very powerful being the most reliable way to take him down.

Like Banner, Red Hulk has super-strength, stamina and durability, and he has a healing factor that allows him to recover from most injuries within minutes.

In Captain America: Brave New World, Harrison Ford will play Thunderbolt Ross (a character previously played by the late William Hurt). In the movie, Ross is the President of the United States, and in the trailer, we see that there’s a Red Hulk. While we don’t see a transformation or a direct look at the character’s face, you can see that the Red Hulk is wearing what looks like dress pants, and has gray/salt and pepper hair. It appears likely the character’s backstory will change a little, but that his alter ego as General (now President) Ross will remain in place.

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

The post Captain America: Brave New World: Who Is Red Hulk? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A big part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s success has been the fandom the franchise has created, with virtually every film and television release from the studio seemingly reaching the levels of a cultural phenomenon. With that comes plenty of speculation as fans try to poke through Marvel Studios’ sizable shroud of secrecy. Case in point, Giancarlo Esposito has been added to the cast of Captain America: Brave New World, and nobody knows who he is. That much, of course, is courtesy of Esposito himself, who took to a recent convention appearance to say “nobody” has guessed the identity of his mysterious Marvel character.

“The character I’m playing is a badass. That always excites me. For me to develop that character in line with the character’s inception is a fascinating art for me,” Esposito said at the con (via ComicBookMovie). “I had an incredible time shooting it. I’m not telling you who I’m playing…people are trying to guess and no one has guessed correctly yet.”

So, who is Giancarlo Esposito playing in Captain America 4?

One popular theory is that Esposito is playing G.W. Bridge, a gun-toting character created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld for inclusion in their X-Force series in 1991. In the grand scheme of things, the character is quite a small callback, especially since Esposito said Captain America 4 wouldn’t be the only thing he’d be appearing in.

“The fans really started the Professor X rumor and I loved it. I went along for the ride because I love the fans,” Esposito shared with ComicBook in response to his Captain America casting likely preventing him from becoming Professor X. “I started thinking about Professor X, because I feel like that could be a character that I would really excel at, and really be great in. They also talked about Magneto, they also talked about [DC’s Mr.] Freeze, all of those things. I am so happy to be in the MCU. I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

Captain America: Brave New World will follow the new adventures of Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) following the events of The Falcon and Winter Soldier. The film will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Seth Rollins, and Rosa Salazar have been cast in currently undisclosed roles.

Captain America: Brave New World is set for release on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World is finally hitting theaters next year, and the film’s first trailer hit the Internet earlier today. The footage shows Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson suiting up as the new Captain America while Star Wars and Indiana Jones legend Harrison Ford takes over as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross who is now the President of the United States. You can also glimpse Giancarlo Esposito in the trailer as a villain who was added to the production during reshoots. While some believe the Breaking Bad alum is playing George Washington “G.W.” Bridge, his role has not been officially confirmed. However, Esposito did take to Twitter today to celebrate the trailer release.

“Honored to be part of the MCU, let’s go! ,” Esposito wrote in response to the trailer. You can view the tweet below:

What Is Captain America: Brave New World About?

Captain America: Brave New World will follow the new adventures of Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) following the events of The Falcon and Winter Soldier. The film will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Seth Rollins, and Rosa Salazar have been cast in currently undisclosed roles. Giancarlo Esposito was also added to the cast as an unknown villain during reshoots.

Captain America: Brave New World wrapped principal photography before the WGA and SAG strikes last year, but the film’s post-production was delayed. In December, Matthew Orton (Moon Knight) was hired to work on the new pages. Though reshoots once meant a film was performing poorly in test screenings, Marvel Studios has always scheduled additional photography to clarify questions that come up with test audiences.

“‘Reshoots’ was a bad word. ‘Oh this movie’s in reshoots, there must be a problem,'” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously said of the process.

However, it’s not exactly common for a film to add a new villain played by a big actor this late in the process. It seems likely that Esposito is eventually getting his own series, but is being introduced in Cap 4. We can only hope this is a positive for the production.

Stay tuned for more updates about Captain America: Brave New World, which is currently scheduled to be released on February 14, 2025. 

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Captain America: Brave New World released its first official teaser trailer on Friday morning, drumming up quite a response from Marvel fans looking forward to the next adventure with Sam Wilson. As exciting as the new trailer is, offering a gritty, grounded tone which is immediately reminiscent of the widely acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there is more footage which Marvel Studios has shown off which was removed from this trailer. Yes, an entire movie’s worth of footage exists, but Marvel previously rolled out more footage from the fourth Cap movie and it only makes today’s trailer that much more exciting. 

Much of the footage in the first teaser trailer was featured at CinemaCon. However, much of what was featured at CinemaCon was not featured in the teaser. The biggest change is the removal of a line of dialogue from Harrison Ford’s President Ross. In his meeting with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. the President of the United States tells him, “I want Captain America to help me rebuild the Avengers.” This leads to a dialogue similar to that seen in the trailer, where Sam questions what will happen if he doesn’t agree with the President’s orders. 

The footage at CinemaCon went on to see the President address a room full of soldiers and world leaders. During his speech, music started to play which triggered a Winter Soldier-like brainwashing to activate Isaiah Bradley as an assassin. A shortened version of the moment is featured in the teaser trailer. This leads to a shootout and brawl, culminating in Isaiah tossing a table across a room with ease and leaping out of the building through a glass window. Essentially, the footage shown as CinemaCon was from the same scenes as many early sequences in the now-released teaser trailer but thoroughly extended versions with almost entire scenes playing out rather than quickly edited bits for the trailer. The tone of the CinemaCon footage was similar to that of the teaser trailer.

The teaser trailer, however, did feature several new pieces of footage and reveals which were not included or hinted at back in April’s CinemaCon presentation from Marvel Studios and Disney. Not only was the Red Hulk revealed for the first time in the final moments of the teaser trailer but the footage showed a major connection to 2021’s Eternals movie. Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres, now officially suited up as the Falcon to fulfill his comic book destiny, are seen flying over the Indian Ocean. More specifically, they are engaged in a battle around the partially emerged corpse a Tiamut, the Celestial being which had its apocalyptic birth halted in Eternals. Furthermore, all of the clips with Giancarlo Esposito’s new and mysterious character were not featured during CinemaCon, as his addition to the film is a product of reshoot efforts throughout 2024.

Are you happy to see major a story element from the events of Eternals coming into play for Captain America: Brave New World? What did you think of the first official look at Captain America: Brave New World? Join the conversation on Phase Zero, which recorded an Immediate Reaction podcast episode to discuss the Captain America: Brave New World trailer on Friday morning. Subscribe to the Phase Zero channel on YouTube or any major podcast platform to stay up to date on all major Marvel news and theories!

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After years of Marvel fans and critics alike wondering if Tiamut’s emergence in the middle of the ocean was ever going to be more than a digital blurb on a computer screen in an episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the answer is finally, “Yes!” The first official teaser trailer for Captain America: Brave New World tied Sam Wilson’s first solo outing to the major moment from the climax of Eternals which the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has largely ignored. Rumors have long floated around social media that the fourth Captain America movie would incorporate the unborn Celestial with footage now revealing the being’s partially-emerged corpse to truly be featured. 

Late in the first official teaser for Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres are seen flying over the Indian Ocean. This is where Tiamut, the Celestial which was growing inside of the Earth until the Eternals prevented his world-ending emergence, has his rocky corpses sticking out of the ocean. Anthony Mackie’s Sam and Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin are seen zipping through the air around parts of Tiamut’s corpse, seemingly engaged in some sort of dog fight in the air. It is unclear what type of material Tiamut turned into when life left the Celestial’s body but an entire colony was made out of just the head of Celestial in space in the form of Knowhere. It is safe to assume there is a chance this material is highly valiuable.

If the makeup of Tiamut’s body itself is not of great value, the body might also serve as a new landmass. Countries might be trying to literally plant flags in this new mass, especially as politics are playing a part in the new Cap movie and Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross is not only the Red Hulk but also the President of the United States. 

Tiamut was mentioned in the corner of a website seen on Jen Walters’ computer screen in an episode of She-Hulk. Other than that, this is the first time a Marvel Studios project has acknowledged the massive dead Celestial since Eternals released in November of 2021. 

Are you happy to see major a story element from the events of Eternals coming into play for Captain America: Brave New World? What did you think of the first official look at Captain America: Brave New World? Join the conversation on Phase Zero, which recorded an Immediate Reaction podcast episode to discuss the Captain America: Brave New World trailer on Friday morning. Subscribe to the Phase Zero channel on YouTube or any major podcast platform to stay up to date on all major Marvel news and theories!

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The first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World introduces fans to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Falcon. The mantle of Falcon was previously held by Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), but as the ending of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier displayed, Sam Wilson is officially Captain America, replacing the retired Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). Of course, this means the role of Falcon is up for grabs, but though fans may not have realized it at the time, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier already introduced the character who will pick up Sam Wilson’s wings. Now, we get to see the Falcon soar with Captain America in the Brave New World trailer.

In the final moments of the Captain America: Brave New World trailer, Sam Wilson is shown in an aerial battle with some army jets. After he takes one out and passes through a set of clouds, he comes through the clouds next to another hero with matching wings. Though this person’s identity is not revealed, we can assume that it’s Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), who helped Sam out in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. If that isn’t proof enough, Marvel has also officially confirmed Ramirez as Falcon in the Captain America: Brave New World synopsis.

“The trailer also features a few familiar faces: Danny Ramirez returns as former Air Force lieutenant Joaquin Torres, who’s picked up Sam’s old wings and taken on the role of Falcon,” the synopsis reads.

Captain America: Brave New World trailer reveals Red Hulk

After the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World wrapped up, the stinger showed off Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk. All we see is a look at Red Hulk from the ground up, with his upper body and legs exposed through ripped clothing. Red Hulk appears to either swat Captain America’s shield to the ground, or grab it mid-air and sling it to the ground. It’s an impressive display for sure, and teases an inevitable confrontation between Red Hulk and Captain America.

“What is the Red Hulk?” Ford asked ComicBook during a chat in support of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023. After a brief explainer, Ford turned it around on his co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, blaming her for not telling him about the character’s history. When asked if fans can expect to see Red Hulk’s first live-action appearance in Brave New World, Ford added that “it may or it may not” be included.

Who Stars in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

“I am so happy to be in the MCU,” Esposito told ComicBook in a recent exclusive interview. “I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World has a slick new trailer and the true villain of this movie may finally have emerged. While the Internet at large is dissecting that tease of Red Hulk, The Leader creeps into the light. Samuel Sterns is back after appearing in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Tim Blake Nelson is back to bring the villain’s machinations into clear view. Sam Wilson is firmly Captain America and dealing with changing times. (Also, some butting heads with President Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross, played by Harrison Ford.) While Cap is busy with all that, it seems like The Leader is pulling the strings from behind-the-curtain. Quite literally in the new trailer, Nelson’s baddie is watching some of the action through a window. 

Some eagle-eyed fans have noticed The Leader’s presence in other portions of the Captain America: Brave New World trailer. Outside of the big meeting that President Ross set up, a telltale set of green hands holds a camera to capture that dramatic frenzy as Isaiah Bradley goes rogue. A bit of Nelson’s voice over says, “Global power is shifting, you’re just a pawn.” But, a lot of folks are wondering, is he talking to Sam Wilson or to the President? There’s a bunch of table-setting going on here and with San Diego Comic-Con mere weeks away, maybe some answers are forthcoming.

Earlier this summer, ScreenRant asked Nelson about The Leader and he teased a good explanation about what Samuel Sterns has been up to. “Very excited about it,” the actor teased. “I’m headed to Atlanta tomorrow to continue working on that. It’s been very exciting to bring back a character from 16 years ago and imagine how he has aged with me and how that has manifested. The Marvel team has come up with a really interesting explanation—revelation, I should say, as to what he’s been up to for 16 years and why.”

Captain America: Brave New World Resets The Table For The MCU

The Multiverse Saga has meant a lot of changes for the MCU. Anthony Mackie says that Captain America: Brave New World reshuffles the board for our Earth-based heroes. While Deadpool & Wolverine joyride around the timeline, Sam Wilson and other street-level heroes are going to have their hands full. Mackie told EW that there are major hints about the future direction of those storylines in this movie. A lot of the world powers are getting antsy and that’s not usually a good thing.

“This movie is a clear reset. It really reestablishes the idea of what this universe is and what this universe is going to be,” Mackie told the outlet. “I think with these movies, you’re getting a clear, new branding of what Marvel is headed towards the same way they did with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

“The title implies that there’s a new, bigger enemy now; there’s a new frontier that we have to conquer,” Mackie shared. “From Captain America: The First Avenger to Endgame, the enemy was always good versus bad. Now that we’ve conquered that, where do we go from here? When the bad guys reappear, in what form are they reappearing? It is a new storyline with new characters, with new beliefs, and it creates a new idea of this new world that we’re going into.”

Do you think The Leader is the true villain of Captain America: Brave New World? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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With the release of the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, audiences got confirmation that Shira Haas had joined the cast as Ruth Bat-Seraph, better known in the comics as the Israeli superhero Sabra. According to Marvel, the Ruth in Captain America: Brave New World will be a former Black Widow, and now a high-ranking U.S. government official who has the trust of President Ross (Harrison Ford). The trailer provided fans with a first look at Sabra, although there’s not much context for what her role is in the movie.

Created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, Sabra first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #250, where she actually squared off with the big green guy (something that might have relevance given her close relationship to the Red Hulk in the movie). You can see a first-look screenshot below (via Cosmic Marvel):

How much of her comic book persona will carry over to the film is hard to say. Certainly as a first-look, it seems like she is mostly a government officer, rather than a superhero, although given that the President himself is hiding super powers in the movie, it seems pretty likely other members of his staff could do the same. In the comics, she is a member of the Israeli super-soldier program, giving her more or less the same power set as Captain America.

It is also unclear how or if Marvel and Disney will tackle the first appearance of a Mossad-trained Israeli super-soldier with a key role in U.S. government in their huge tentpole blockbuster. There were rumors that the character had been cut from the movie to avoid any controversy related to the ongoing conflict in Palestine, but obviously that isn’t true.

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World‘s trailer is finally out in the open and fans are letting their feelings about the clip be known on social media. Although, the new footage is only a teaser, there’s a ton of details to sift through. However one topic takes the cake over all others: the Red Hulk. Yes, Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross really does become the rogue rage monster in the upcoming MCU film. You get a small glimpse of the Marvel villain at the last second of this trailer as he catches Captain America’s shield\ and embeds it in the ground. That small inclusion alone seems to have ignited the fan base and instilled some much-needed excitement around Captain America: Brave New World.

Another big plot point that has the fans talking is the inclusion of Giancarlo Esposito’s mystery villain in Captain America: Brave New World. When he was announced to be joining the project, people ran to their computers to start speculating about who he could be playing. Wow we haven’t gotten an official announcement from Marvel studios about which bad guy he’s playing, it’s clear that the fans are excited to see one of their favorite actors playing a villain once again. Poor Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has a lot to fight against in the upcoming blockbuster. The stakes may be high, but Captain America rises to the occasion. Check out the new trailer up above for more and scroll through some of the fan reactions down below for how the fans are feeling after the first clip premiered.

Does this trailer make you more hype? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

Exactly the tone they were hoping for

It’s been an upswing for the MCU lately, just solid singles with Deadpool & Wolverine ready to take the roof off of things. @ZeM6108 sounds like a lot of the fandom. They typed, “MARVEL is back in action! This trailer looks absolutely amazing, and the serious tone is exactly what I’ve been craving in a superhero movie right now. THE RED HULK #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld”

White House down?

Even some skeptics are down for the ride. @Masked_saiyan101 commented: “White House down type shhh WITH RED HULK. Looks pretty solid ngl.” That building probably takes the biggest beating in the entire trailer. Where’s Damage Control when you need them?

Winter Soldier vibes anyone?

Over on other parts of social media, the spy thriller angle is doing numbers. As an MCU favorite, anything that echoes Winter Soldier is going to attract some attention. @Shinobi602 is locked in “Ok ok ok,” they began. “Been a while since I’ve been hype for a Marvel movie, but this is hitting me in those pre-Phase 4 feels! Sam looks great, loving Ford as Ross, Giancarlo , RED HULK!? Spy thriller/Winter Soldier vibes.” 

Red Hulk is finally here

Red Hulk fever is already spreading online. Along with a more “gritty tone,” seeing that quick tease of the Hulk villain at the end ensured some people would be interested. You can count Austin Burke in for more. “You know what? Not a bad trailer at all,” they posted. “Everything surrounding this movie has been worrisome, but that’ll all be okay if it kicks as much ass as this first look. It has me intrigued, and the red hulk tease was exciting! Okay MCU, I see you.”

A promising start

For some fans, this clip got them more amped than they would have been otherwise. Milkias Samuel on Twitter loved seeing Giancarlo Esposito blowing stuff up. He says, “Ngl this looks pretty sick! I like the political thriller tone their taking with the movie. Love seeing Gus in the MCU. Can’t wait to finally see The Leader and Red Hulk debut in the MCU (though I do wish they could’ve been used in a Hulk movie instead)”

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Marvel’s recasting of Thunderbolt Ross is addressed in the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. Harrison Ford is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, taking over for the late William Hurt. Ross is one of the central figures in Captain America: Brave New World, acting opposite Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. But what’s at the top of everyone’s mind is getting a look at Red Hulk, and while the Captain America: Brave New World teaser trailer does show Red Hulk, it also addresses the recasting that took place.

One of the opening scenes in the Captain America: Brave New World trailer features Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson speaking to Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross. “I have to admit, I’m still getting used to the new look,” Sam says, to which Thaddeus replies, “They said lose the mustache or lose the election.” The new look that Sam is referring to is Harrison Ford taking on the role of the General, who is the current President of the United States. This isn’t the first time the MCU has cheekily addressed a recasting, with one example being Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard as James “Rhodey” Rhodes.

Captain America: Brave New World trailer reveals Red Hulk

After the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World wrapped up, the stinger showed off Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk. All we see is a look at Red Hulk from the ground up, with his upper body and legs exposed through ripped clothing. Red Hulk appears to either swat Captain America’s shield to the ground, or grab it mid-air and sling it to the ground. It’s an impressive display for sure, and teases an inevitable confrontation between Red Hulk and Captain America.

“What is the Red Hulk?” Ford asked ComicBook during a chat in support of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023. After a brief explainer, Ford turned it around on his co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, blaming her for not telling him about the character’s history. When asked if fans can expect to see Red Hulk’s first live-action appearance in Brave New World, Ford added that “it may or it may not” be included.

Who Stars in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

“I am so happy to be in the MCU,” Esposito told ComicBook in a recent exclusive interview. “I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World is bringing the Marvel Cinematic Universe together like its the Infinity Saga. The first teaser trailer for the Anthony Mackie-led fourquel showcases the aforementioned leading man in his star-spangled suit, as Mackie’s Sam Wilson has embraced the stars and stripes since 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Wilson now has to deal with a familiar face with a “new look,” Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Ross and Wilson previously butted heads during Captain America: Civil War, as Ross pushed for the Sokovia Accords while Wilson took the side of Steve Rogers. In Brave New World, Ross is attempting to get on the same page as Wilson again by integrating Captain America back into the military.

Chaos ensues from there, as the White House is attacked and flashes of action follow. Among those quick glimpses is Wilson soaring past a massive rocky structure, which eagle-eyed MCU fans while recognize as a major monument.

Captain America 4 Brings in Eternals’s Tiamut

The half-risen Celestial has finally been acknowledged.

The Captain America: Brave New World teaser poster features the first glimpse of Tiamut since the Earth-born Celestial erupted out of the Earth’s surface in 2021’s Eternals. Beyond that, this is the first big screen acknowledgement of the events of Eternals outside of the Eternals film itself.

The long-running rumor about Captain America: Brave New World is that Tiamut will be a point of contention for global superpowers, as countries from across the world will attempt to claim it and its resources. Among those resources will supposedly be adamantium, the fictional metal from Marvel Comics that makes up Wolverine’s skeleton.

In Eternals, the Celestial known as Arishem the Judge revealed that planets within the Marvel Cinematic Universe are essentially cocoons for Celestials themselves, and life helps them be born. Following the repopulation that Earth experienced after Avengers: Endgame brought back the missing half of the universe, Arishem declared that Earth was ready to give birth to its Celestial, Tiamut. Tiamut began to break out from the Earth’s crust but the Eternals stopped the birth before it could be complete, resulting in Tiamut’s giant hand and face being the only things visible. 

In the many MCU films since Eternals, none had acknowledged that a massive hand and face had grown out of the Earth. Now, it appears that Tiamut and the events of Eternals will be a central plot point for Wilson’s first feature film adventure as the star-spangled man.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14th, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World represents a lot of firsts. It is the first installment in the Captain America franchise since 2016. It is the first Captain America movie without Chris Evans’s Steve Rogers. It is Anthony Mackie’s first time leading a Marvel Studios feature film. It is also the first time Harrison Ford will appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following the passing of William Hurt, Marvel Studios cast Ford in the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Hurt had played the role in five MCU films. Marvel Studios had big plans for Ross going into the post-Infinity Saga which is what prompted the recast, and the long rumored endgame for the character was to bring his red rage monster to life.

New Captain America 4 Poster Teases Red Hulk

Red Hulk is coming.

Paired with its official teaser trailer, Marvel Studios has unveiled the first teaser poster for Captain America: Brave New World. The poster features the classic Captain America shield alongside a massive red hand encasing it. This hand belongs to Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross’s (Harrison Ford) red rage monster alter ego, the Red Hulk.

You can check out the poster below…

“I thought, ‘Everybody else seems to be having a great time.’ I watch all these terrific actors having a good time,” Ford said when asked what prompted him to join the MCU. “I like doing something different to what I’ve ever done and pleasing people with it. So I’ll try a piece of that.”

Captain America: Brave New World follows up on the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. That series, the second live-action Marvel Studios television production, told the tale of Sam Wilson’s assimilation into the Captain America mantle, one which was rockier than the ending of Avengers: Endgame suggested. Despite Steve Rogers enthusiastically handing Wilson the shield, Wilson resisted the role, turning over the vibranium frisbee to the government and remaining in his role as the Falcon. 

The government immediately turned and brought a new face in to take on the mantle, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, a move that left Wilson shocked and betrayed. As all parties attempted to take down the villainous Flag Smashers, Walker’s true colors would be revealed, as he brought dishonor to the Stars and Stripes by using Cap’s shield as a weapon. From that moment, Wilson decided to step up, embracing the shield and donning a new vibranium-weave suit as he and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) took the fight to the Flag Smashers in New York City.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14th, 2025.

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Red Hulk has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. The first Captain America film starring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the Sentinel of Liberty lands in theaters next year, but Marvel Studios is giving fans an early look at the blockbuster movie. Harrison Ford steps into the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk, taking over for the late William Hurt. There’s been an expectation that Ford’s Ross would be transformed into Red Hulk in Brave New World, but aside from merchandise and marketing, fans haven’t seen what Red Hulk will look like. Thankfully, the final moments of the trailer gave fans a quick look.

After the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World wrapped up, the stinger showed off Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk. All we see is a look at Red Hulk from the ground up, with his upper body and legs exposed through ripped clothing. Red Hulk appears to either swat Captain America’s shield to the ground, or grab it mid-air and sling it to the ground. It’s an impressive display for sure, and teases an inevitable confrontation between Red Hulk and Captain America.

Who Stars in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

“I am so happy to be in the MCU,” Esposito told ComicBook in a recent exclusive interview. “I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America is about to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On Thursday, Marvel Studios released the first teaser trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, the next live-action film in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brave New World is centered around Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who officially became Captain America at the very end of the first season of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Now, Brave New World will follow Sam on his first cinematic solo adventure as Captain America, which is sure to travel down some interesting paths.

“It kind of brought my Marvel experience full circle because we shot in D.C. at the same hotel that we shot ‘Winter Soldier’ at,” Mackie said of the film in a previous interview with The Wrap. “One of my first Marvel scenes was me sitting at a table talking to the senator and me and Chris [Evans] and Scarlett [ Johansson] kidnapping him and we go back and we stay at the same hotel and we shot at that same area. So in that regard, it was really emotional to think how far my character has come and where he is now after the 10 years that I’ve been in the MCU.”

Who Stars in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

“I am so happy to be in the MCU,” Esposito told ComicBook in a recent exclusive interview. “I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World is finally hitting theaters next year, and the film is set to star Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) passed the Cap torch to Sam at the end of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, and Mackie officially suited up as the hero in Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Solider back in 2021. In honor of Independence Day, Mackie has taken to social media to share a new photo from Captain America: Brave New World. July 4th may be Steve Rogers’ birthday, but we’re excited to spend the holiday celebrating the newest onscreen Cap.

“Happy Birthday America! Have a great 4th, see you soon…,” Mackie captioned the post. You can view the image he shared below:

“It kind of brought my Marvel experience full circle because we shot in D.C. at the same hotel that we shot Winter Soldier at,” Mackie said of the film in a previous interview with The Wrap. “One of my first Marvel scenes was me sitting at a table talking to the senator and me and Chris [Evans] and Scarlett [ Johansson] kidnapping him and we go back and we stay at the same hotel and we shot at that same area. So, in that regard, it was really emotional to think how far my character has come and where he is now after the 10 years that I’ve been in the MCU.”

What Is Captain America: Brave New World About?

Captain America: Brave New World will follow the new adventures of Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) following the events of The Falcon and Winter Soldier. The film will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Seth Rollins, and Rosa Salazar have been cast in currently undisclosed roles. Giancarlo Esposito was also added to the cast as an unknown villain during reshoots.

Captain America: Brave New World wrapped principal photography before the WGA and SAG strikes last year, but the film’s post-production was delayed. In December, Matthew Orton (Moon Knight) was hired to work on the new pages. Though reshoots once meant a film was performing poorly in test screenings, Marvel Studios has always scheduled additional photography to clarify questions that come up with test audiences.

“‘Reshoots’ was a bad word. ‘Oh this movie’s in reshoots, there must be a problem,'” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously said of the process.

However, it’s not exactly common for a film to add a new villain played by a big actor this late in the process. It seems likely that Esposito is eventually getting his own series, but is being introduced in Cap 4. We can only hope this is a positive for the production.

Stay tuned for more updates about Captain America: Brave New World, which is currently scheduled to be released on February 14, 2025. 

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Thanks to his breakout role in Breaking Bad as Gus Fring, actor Giancarlo Esposito has not only earned a number of exciting roles in the years since that series concluded, but he’s also become a figure that fans regularly speculate about as the best choice for various other iconic figures. Esposito is confirmed to be appearing in Captain America: Brave New World as an unidentified character, despite having spent years endorsing the idea of playing a character like the X-Men’s Professor X, though Esposito admitted those endorsements were merely his way of showing love to fans. Esposito can next be seen in MaXXXine, which hits theaters on July 5th.

“The fans really started the Professor X rumor and I loved it. I went along for the ride because I love the fans,” Esposito shared with ComicBook in response to his Captain America casting likely preventing him from becoming Professor X in support of MaXXXine. “I started thinking about Professor X, because I feel like that could be a character that I would really excel at, and really be great in. They also talked about Magneto, they also talked about [DC’s Mr.] Freeze, all of those things. I am so happy to be in the MCU. I’m happy that you don’t know what I’m doing there and I’m happy that I probably don’t know what I’m doing there, but I’m happy to be there and you’re going to see it soon.”

With MaXXXine being the third entry in Ti West’s series of horror films that started with X, Esposito also shared his excitement that he knows fans of this series will feel, detailing, “Look, I love the fans. And I think the fans are going to love this movie. And the fan connection to these three movies have us realizing a lot. Thank goodness for A24, that they were able to take Ti’s ideas and bring all this together.”

Given that Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t release in theaters until February 14, 2025, it could be quite some time before audiences learn what character Esposito will be playing.

MaXXXine is described, “In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.” Starring in the movie are Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Halsey, Lily Collins, Michelle Monaghan, and Moses Sumney.

Stay tuned for updates on Captain America: Brave New World and see MaXXXine in theaters on July 5th.  

Are you looking forward to seeing Esposito’s MCU debut? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror! 

The post Captain America 4’s Giancarlo Esposito Responds to X-Men Casting Rumors (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios is coming to San Diego Comic-Con 2024 with something to prove. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been stumbling since Avengers: Endgame ended the Infinity Saga in 2019 – and honestly, the MCU presentations in SDCC’s famous Hall H have stumbled along with the franchise. 

However, Marvel Studios has made some very public re-orientation moves to get the franchise back to its former great heights, and for many fans, Marvel’s Hall H Presentation at SDCC 2024 will be the place to prove those changes are working. 

With those kinds of stakes on the table, Marvel needs to put out a lot of PR fires, on a lot of fronts. Let’s break down what they need to show fans during the Hall H presentation, in order to do it: 

Deadpool & Wolverine

San Diego Comic-Con 2024 takes place from Thursday, July 25th – Sunday, July 28th, with Marvel typically doing Hall H on Saturday night. Deadpool & Wolverine will be released in theaters on Friday, July 26th; if you think these two events will not be related, you’re crazy. 

Expect Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and the Deadpool & Wolverine team to be working the crowds at SDCC – culminating in some kind of major fan-screening event, which is a proud Comic-Con tradition. Since Deadpool 3 will be out, and its MCU changes will be flooding the Internet, Marvel Studios could come to Hall H with some very important announcements for a new MCU franchise… 

Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World will supposedly be a game-changing chapter of the MCU – a la Captain America: The Winter Soldier. With the movie largely in the can by now, and the fact that footage was already shown at CinemaCon 2024, we can pretty much bank on the fact that Captain America 4 will be a big part of Marvel’s Hall H presentation. 

A new trailer + SDCC-exclusive sizzle reel footage are the traditional offerings for fans – and we can probably expect the all-star ensemble cast (which includes Anthony Mackie, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, wrestler Seth Rollins, and Harrison Ford) to attend and entertain the Hall H crowd. 

Official first looks at Mackie’s new Captain America costume; Nelson’s design as Marvel villain “The Leader,” or teases of Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross becoming Red Hulk would all go viral. 

Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* will hit theaters in the summer of 2025, and will reportedly serve as a companion piece to Captain America: Brave New World. Thunderbolts* is also currently finished production, making a Hall H trailer and/or sizzle reel a sure bet. 

With its eclectic ensemble of characters (Val, Ghost, Red Guardian, Black Widow II, Winter Soldier, US Agent, and Taskmaster), played by a fun collection of actors (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, and Olga Kurylenko), a Thunderbolts* panel with all of the principal cast seems like a no-brainer for Marvel Studios. Like Fantastic Four, the real selling point of Thunderbolts* will be seeing this oddball team of characters interacting – a concept the cast can demonstrate first-hand to a Hall H crowd. 

BONUS POINTS if Harrison Ford does some kind of bit about his transition between the Captain America 4 and Thunderbolts* panels, since he appears in both films. 

Fantastic Four

The saga of the MCU Fantastic Four is going to be worth a whole book when all is said and done. One of the first big comic book movies of the 2000s has been on a long, hard, road to winning fan approval and box office success. 

Marvel Studios needs to turn all the bad stigma about the Fantastic Four around – and Hall H is the place to start doing it. F4 hasn’t started filming yet, so no footage is expected; however, early concept art (See above) has gotten fans buzzing, so more reveals of Fantastic Four’s 1960s period piece setting, characters, and story arc would be a big deal. More importantly: introducing the core cast of the film and having fans enjoy seeing them banter together onstage would be a big PR win for Marvel Studios. 

Fantastic Four could also cause major uproar and generate headlines if director Matt Shakman and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige reveal the actor who will play the MCU Doctor Doom on the Hall H stage during the panel. 

Blade

The other MCU project that has a lot of negative stigma attached to it is the MCU reboot of Blade. The project has red-hot stars like multi-Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali and horror queen Mia Goth (X, Pearl, Maxxxine) attached – and yet, reports of wild story concepts, multiple writer/script changes, and multiple directors walking away from the project have made the vampire-action film feel truly cursed. 

If Marvel Studios can get its act together by the time of Comic-Con, having Ali, Goth, and a locked-in creative team (writer, director) all appear on stage together would be a shot of confidence the project sorely needs. 

X-Men

If Marvel Studios wants to easily bring down the house at Comic-Con 2024, the X-Men are their best weapon to deploy. 

Fans are currently foaming at the mouth for any kind of indication about what the MCU X-Men reboot will be – and who will be playing the characters. With Deadpool & Wolverine potentially establishing a foundation for the MCU X-Men reboot, and X-Men comics getting a reboot, Hall H could be the place where fans first get their first introduction to the new generation of X-Men movie and TV show actors. Marvel fans remember the milestone event in 2010 when Kevin Feige first brought the Avengers cast onstage together in Hall H – could it be the X-Men’s turn? 

Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil: Born Again is the Marvel TV series reboot that has been filming for months now, so there’s enough material in the can for Marvel Studios to pull off a full-fledged Hall H panel for the show. 

Series stars Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk/Kingpin) are pros at doing convention panels, and the returning stars of the Marvel Netflix Daredevil series (Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll, Wilson Bethel, Jon Bernthal) will probably be bringing the enthusiasm, as well. 

Rolling out a first trailer for Daredevil: Born Again during the Hall H presentation seems like a no-brainer, followed by a cast and crew Q&A. It would also be a great place to finally clear up what’s happening with other Marvel Netflix Defenders characters, like Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, or Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. Surprise pop-outs from either of those two actors would be major. 

Agatha All Along

We now know it’s officially titled Agatha All Along; we know production on the miniseries is complete, and its release date in September comes right after Comic-Con. So, expect Agatha and the gang to be in Hall H. 

Agatha All Along’s cast is stacked with talent, including series star Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus), Joe Locke (Heartstopper), Patti LuPone (American Horror Story), Sasheer Zamata (SNL), Debra Jo Rupp (That ’90s Show) and others. Bringing the ladies out as an ensemble would be a show-stopper worthy of Hall H – and one funny panel, to boot. Sprinkle in an Agatha trailer that reveals connections to the larger MCU and this minor dark horse project could generate major buzz heading into its premiere date. 

Ironheart

It was confirmed earlier this summer that Marvel’s Ironheart series is still set for release in 2025. That show was in production in 2023, but then it dropped off the map when Disney+ didn’t put it on the release slate for 2024. 

Ironheart will not only continue events started in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but it will also introduce a pivotal new Marvel villain in The Hood (Anthony Ramos). An Ironheart teaser trailer giving fans a first look at the series – plus an appearance by the cast to answer questions about the release delay – would be timely  

Wonder Man

Marvel and Disney recently confirmed that the Wonder Man Disney+ miniseries is also still happening – and if Daredevil and Ironheart get to be part of Hall H at SDCC 2024, it only makes sense for Wonder Man to be part of it too. Since the show will also be representing the “Marvel Spotlight” lane of the MCU (alongside Werewolf by Night and Echo), it will be somewhat important to include it in the portfolio of new MCU content. 

Wonder Man is already in production, so a sizzle reel of footage – teasing the show’s “extremely different” tone – is easily doable. Getting stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (HBO’s Watchmen), Demetrius Grosse, Ben Kingsley, Ed Harris, and Josh Gad together onstage will be impressive. A crew member died while filming Wonder Man, so a moment of recognition for that tragedy would be appropriate. 

Marvel Animation

Marvel Studios has officially brought back the Marvel Animation brand, and while it may seem like second-tier content for a Hall H panel, the fact that it’s Marvel Studios content warrants it. Marvel animation would be a great way to open the panel and warm up the crowd, with new reveals from several series in the pipeline: 

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man – The Spider-Man animated series will examine an alt-universe origin story for the MCU Peter Parker/Spider-Man, where Norman Osborn became his mentor instead of Tony Stark. The show will feature MCU crossovers like Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, but returning Peter Parker to high school in his formative days as Spider-Man is a choice that fans need to be sold on. 

Eyes of Wakanda – The animated series chronicling stories of  Wakanda’s “War Dog” operatives around the globe is still apparently on track for a 2024 release. Letting the world know the Wakanda animated show exists sounds like a job for Hall H. 

X-Men ’97 – If Comic-Con 2024 isn’t the place where the MCU’s live-action X-Men gets announced, there’s also the X-Men ’97 animated series to lean on, as the show became a major breakout hit this year. Fans will be thrilled about any big reveals for X-Men ’97 Season 2 – from storyline info to new (or returning) characters. Any kind of panel with the voice actors of the show would also please the Hall H crowd. 

What If…? Season 3 – Marvel teased What If…? Season 3 as soon as Season 2 ended. No reason to think a sizzle reel for the third season would be left out of a Hall H presentation. And if indeed there is a What If…?/X-Men ’97 crossover on the way, Comic-Con would be the place to announce it. 

Stay tuned for all the latest ComicBook.com coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2024! 

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Giancarlo Esposito, who has been typecast as one of Hollywood’s best villains since appearing as Gus Fring on Breaking Bad, is excited for fans to meet his “badass” new character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Without giving away any significant details, Esposito teased a Marvel character who represents a physical threat as well as a mental one during a conversation at the premiere for Maxxxine. Speaking with Deadline, Esposito seemed excited by the idea of being a physical threat.

There are a number of theories going around, with one prominent one being that Esposito might play Doctor Doom. If he does, it would be interesting to see how they incorporate the Fantastic Four — Doom’s traditional enemies, but also the heroes of a movie that appears to be set in the past.

“In my other life, I’m a real badass, and you’ve seen me play a little bit of that intellectually as Gus Fring, but when you see me in the MCU, you’re going to see a badass, and I’m excited for that,” Esposito told Deadline. “Acting is using every part of your body, your emotions, your senses, your feelings, to portray something. But you haven’t seen me use my body in a way that I’ll be using it. The MCU’s exciting; I can’t tell you who I’m playing, but you’re going to be excited when you see.”

You can see the comment below.

Esposito’s MCU role will make its debut with Captain America: Brave New World, due in theaters on Valentine’s Day. The star is not expected to have a huge role in the movie, since his part was announced relatively late in production, but ever since rumors started to swirl that Esposito was joining the MCU, fans have been eager to find out who he’s playing and what it means for the future.

The movie, which stars Anthony Mackie in the title role as Captain America, will bring back Avengers: Age of Ultron antagonist Thunderbolt Ross — now played by Harrison Ford, since William Hurt has passed away. Little is known about the film, but it will bring back characters from the Captain America and Incredible Hulk franchises, with it being all-but-guaranteed that Ford’s Ross will become the Red Hulk at some point in the movie. Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) will direct the film.

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What a week for comic book news! Deadpool’s new trailer puts his book back in the top ten but also brings a well-known variant with him. Venom also released a trailer for the final movie in his trilogy, causing a villain’s first appearance to gain popularity. Gambit is still the celebrated X-Men hero and has the sales to prove it, but the Hellverine’s new host is not too far behind. Doom’s solo series is still a top hit, scoring two spots on our top ten. A recent set photo from Captain America: Brave New World has caused a villainous key to reemerge. In other comic book news, Superman has a confirmed casting that took our number one spot. Finally, an indy book, with a mass of positive reviews, needs no rumors to make it a hot book of the week!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 06/10/24

1: Superman Vol.35 #264 | DC | June 1973: It is a wild thought to think that James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed co-chairs of DC Studios 2 years ago. We’re only one year away from the debut of Superman, set to launch DC Studios’ plans for the new DC Cinematic Universe. Time flies! As the film progresses, expect the related key comic books to light up on the aftermarket. That is what happened to this book! James Gunn himself confirmed his casting of SNL actor Beck Bennett as rival Daily Planet reporter Steve Lombard. The movie has all eyes on it, and every decision Gunn makes has been scrutinized by those who are weary of past DC movies. However, it looks like this casting was a hit, and the aftermarket responded in kind. We tracked it at a high sale of $290 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current FG raw FMV at $12.

2: Captain America Vol.1 #310 | Marvel | October 1985: Captain America: Brave New World has undergone numerous changes. The latest changes were massive rewrites to the script, resulting in reshoots to redirect the film’s plot. From those changes, rumors began circulating that the original villains, Serpent Society, would take a much smaller role. Some rumors even went as far as to say that the MCU would remove them entirely. However, just this past week, a leaked image of the film set showed Rosa Salazar in hot pink hair, seemingly portraying the villain Diamondback. Whether this picture is from previous filming or the reshoots is unknown, but it was enough to send her first appearance to the top of every collector’s list! We tracked it at a high sale of $25 for VF raw copy and a current FN raw FMV at $14.

3: Venom: The Hunted #1 | Marvel | May 1996: Fans of Sony’s non-MCU Venom series were delighted to see the debut of the trailer for the latest movie. Rumored to be Tom Hardy’s final appearance as Venom, the trailer to Venom: The Last Dance showcased a wealth of symbiote goodness. It also teased a storyline that spoke to fans of the comic books. In one scene of the trailer, it looks like a Xenophage is attacking Venom while battling on top of a plane. Although the creature was never named in the trailer, the appearance to its comic book counterpart is uncanny. In fact, it is so similar that fans are hitting the aftermarket for the first appearance of the Xenophage. The book has built up tons of speed on the aftermarket! We tracked it at a high sale of $51 for CGC 9.4 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $17.

4: The New Mutants Vol.1 #98 – Regular | Marvel | February 1991: In case you didn’t know, the summer’s most anticipated film is set to debut in just one month. The road to Deadpool & Wolverine has been littered with rumors and fan theories. Many of those have caused a book to go up in price and begin trending. Sometimes, those books dropped as fast as they rose. However, this first appearance of Deadpool has been a classic since before the movie hype. That’s not to say that the movie isn’t hyping this book up even more, shooting it straight onto the top ten list this week! We tracked it at a high sale of $1,226 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $377.

5: Doom #1 – Sanford Greene – Regular | Marvel | May 2024: Doom continues to make waves in the aftermarket! The book debuted to tons of hype and had strong aftermarket sales. Those sales were amplified when fans discovered that the first lines of the book were a tribute to the late rapper MF Doom. This book continues to be a hot item and has strong trends this week! We tracked it at a high sale of $150 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $39.

6: Falling in Love on the Path to Hell #1 – Rian Gonzales (1:10) | Image | June 2024: If you haven’t heard of this book, you’re missing out! Gerry Dugan and Garry Brown deliver a double-length first issue of this new series. The reviews on this recent release have been overwhelmingly positive. Everything from the artwork to the storyline has been receiving high praise. The book is already taking off, but what makes this retailer incentive really pop is the striking artwork by Rian Gonzales. Gonzales has had a ton of hot variant covers, and her popularity is ever-soaring. This book is just another one to add to his highly collectible portfolio. We tracked it at a high sale of $25 or NM raw copy and a current NM raw FMV at $22.

7: Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #7 | Marvel | January 2010: Move over, Dazzler; Lady Deadpool is the latest talk of the town! As we get closer to the debut of Deadpool & Wolverine, fans are eyeing all footage thoroughly. A couple of days ago, a Best Friends Day trailer was released, and Lady Deadpool was thought to have been spotted. The moment happens in the blink of an eye, right after a scene of a running Dogpool. While it isn’t entirely clear, the legs of the character seem female, which was enough for fan theories to sprout. Some Taylor Swift fans still believe she is in this film and will debut as Lady Deadpool instead. However, some believe the cameo could go to Ryan Reynolds’ lovely wife, Blake Lively. It could be neither of these two, but the theories are going off, and so is this book! We tracked it at a high sale of $320 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $106.

8: The Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 #266 | Marvel | August 1990: Gambit returns to the top ten! This book swings back and forth between the top ten and runner-ups. What originally started as rumors from Deadpool & Wolverine have propelled the character to new heights of popularity. Instead of being boosted by unconfirmed rumors, Gambit is a memorable character with an epic story from the latest hit series, X-Men ’97. Since his storyline concluded, Gambit-related comic books have seen an increase in interest while we wait for the second season of X-Men ’97. We tracked it at a high sale of $660 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw FMV at $139.

9: Doom #1 – Maria Wolf (1:25) | Marvel | May 2024: Doom continues to be a popular book! The book appealed to fans of the villain but also fans of rapper MF Doom. The book had a subtle tribute to the late rapper on the first page, increasing the desirability of this book. The first page/text are direct lines from one of his tracks. This particular cover is a retailer incentive, making it a hotter collector cover! We tracked it at a high sale of $96 for an NM raw copy and a current NM raw FMV at $63.

10: Hellverine #1 – Joshua Cassara – Spoiler | Marvel | May 2024: There weren’t too many eyes on this book when it first debuted. This cover was a spoiler cover that remained hidden both from fans and retailers. The first appearance of Hellverine took about a month to show up on our top ten list, but Daken’s Hellverine was only a fraction of that time. The Hellverine was a popular character when Wolverine took on the mantle. Here we are, nearly a year later, and his son now wields the flame. This book also has an additional key moment. It is also the first appearance of the Hellfire Warriors, an experimental group of rogue soldiers. Fans of the Hellverine storylines are going to enjoy the lore-building around this new age of Wolverine! We tracked it at a high sale of $15 for an NM raw copy and a current NM raw FMV at $8.

And that’s your TOP 10 COMICS OF THE WEEK for 06.04.24!!

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With a free 10-day trial and several affordable price tiers, discover the value of your comics and sign up today! CHECK OUT THE TOP 10 ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. PLEASE LIKE & SUBSCRIBE!

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