2025 is going to be a huge year for Marvel Studios. The studio has 10 series and films which are set to debut across the year. The first of those on the big screen will be Captain America: Brave New World. The release of Brave New World will mark the first time Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has headlined an MCU movie. It’s also the first Captain America film to be released in almost a decade following 2016’s Captain America: Civil War.
The 35th film (can you believe it!?) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will also mark the debut of Harrison Ford playing the role of General Thaddeus Ross. A role previously played in the MCU by the late William Hurt and also played by Sam Elliott in the 2003 Hulk, not connected to the MCU. Today we’re taking a closer look at Thaddeus Ross as he steps in to the limelight with his alter-ego, Red Hulk, set to be one of Captain America’s most lethal foes…
Rise to Power
Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics’ The Incredible Hulk #1 back in May of 1962. The creation of Thunderbolt Ross is credited to the team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, responsible for the creation of most of Marvel’s most legendary characters. Ross was born of the need to introduce a mortal enemy for Bruce Banner’s Hulk. Someone with personal ties to the character who could pose a real threat to his existence.
According to his fictional biography, Ross grew up in a military family. Both his father and paternal grandfather were members of the armed forces. His own military career has varied wildly across his 62 years in comics. He is sometimes portrayed as an army general, often seen in control of U.S. military group known as the Hulkbusters. Fans of the 1990s Incredible Hulk cartoon will no-doubt associate the character most with this group. But he’s also often portrayed in an Air Force uniform which ties back to his first appearance.
In many versions of Bruce Banner’s origin story, Thunderbolt Ross is the Air Force general tasked with overseeing his gamma radiation experiments. Ross is often present for the moment Banner’s gamma bomb experiment goes horribly wrong, resulting in the creation of the first Hulk. The bitter rivalry between the pair is exacerbated by Banner’s relationship with Ross’ daughter Betty.
Ross makes his first major MCU appearance in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk where he was played by William Hurt. A U.S. Army General, Ross has dedicated his life and his work to capturing Banner. Ross harboured a deep hatred for Hulk, seeing him as a threat to the country he had sworn to protect. But Ross also struggled to see past his own hatred for Banner due to the heartbreak he had caused Betty (Liv Tyler).
Hurt would return as Ross, now Secretary of State in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Here Ross was tasked with helping implement the United Nations Sokovia Accords. The accords would given the U.N. and governments around the world the powers to control superpowered people and heroes. Ross’ actions would divide the Avengers team eventually leading to their disbandment and the bitter rivalry between Steve Rogers’ Captain American and Tony Stark’s Iron Man.
Following cameo appearances in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and 2021’s Black Widow, Ross has now risen to become the President of the United States which is where we find him in Captain America: Brave New World. The role is now played by Harrison Ford following the sad passing of William Hurt in March 2022.
A Hulking Alter-Ego
Ross’ alter-ego The Red Hulk will make his on-screen debut in Brave New World. But the character isn’t an invention of the MCU. The Red Hulk in fact first appeared in Hulk vol. 3 #1 back in January 2008. The character was created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness, but his identity as Thunderbolt Ross was not revealed until much later. The origin of Red Hulk was revealed in Hulk #23.
The Red Hulk isn’t simply a differently coloured version of the same character. Ross retains much of his military knowledge when transformed, making him a formidable foe to Banner and now Captain America. The character is often portrayed an uninhibited. Whilst Banner’s Hulk uses basic emotions to control his behaviour, Ross’ Hulk is prone to acting without thought to the consequences of his actions.
Red Hulk wasn’t created via a similar experiment or accident as Banner’s Incredible Hulk. In the comics, Red Hulk was created using a concentrated dose of harnessed gamma radiation. This radiation was augmented using cosmic rays which are believed to have given this Hulk his trademark red hue. His redness has also been tied to another of his abilities, Red Hulk is able to increase his internal body temperature as his rage increases. Something we think might just be shown off during the below moment in the latest Brave New World trailer:
You might be wondering who created this Red Hulk. In the comics a group of supervillains, including M.O.D.O.K. and The Leader, known as Intelligencia are the ones to harness both the radiation and the cosmic rays used to create the monster. It was only later revealed that Intelligencia played on Thunderbolt Ross’ obsession with capturing Banner to convince him to undergo the experiments which create Red Hulk.
Brave New World
What remains to be seen from the marketing for Captain America: Brave New World is just who, or why, Thunderbolt has become a Hulk. Whether this is through his own choice or not could be a major plot point in the film.
Several moments in the trailer, such as the one below, appear show Ross either attempting to hide or to resist his transformation. When the moment finally comes it certainly seems as though Ross isn’t quite expecting it to happen the way that it does. Could this all be part of The Leader’s (Tim Blake Nelson) plan to manipulate all the major players in to an all-out war? Or was Ross simply looking to give himself the upper hand in a seemingly difficult political landscape?
The beginning of the film’s latest trailer (seen below) strongly hints that The Leader is using mind control to get what he wants. With Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) attacking the President and then seemingly unable to remember the event afterwards. Whilst M.O.D.O.K. was taken off the table in last year’s Antman & The Wasp: Quantumania there’s still a chance Marvel Studios may use other villains in play for their own version of Intelligencia.
See Harrison Ford in action as Thunderbolt Ross when Marvel Studios presents Captain America: Brave New World in UK cinemas from February 14, 2025.
