The Captain America: Brave New World teaser has made fans enough food on the plat for thoughts and several eagled-eyed fans have already decoded astonishing details including the movie’s potential connection to Eternals through the corpse of Celestial, Tiamut. But the question remains, as Giancarlo Esposito’s potential character G.W. Bridge is in the mix but new MCU theory claims that the ultimate villain of the movie is hiding in plain sight in the first teaser.
Who Is The Prime Villain Of Captain America: Brave New World?
Captain America: Brave New World has teased a promising narrative but the gravity of it is still unknown. However, several fans theorized that the potential narrative will crown Samuel Sterns who also goes by the alias The Leader as Tim Blake Nelson back to reprise his character after his last appearance in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
The teaser gave a small yet powerful dialogue in Nelson’s The Leader as he said in the voiceover, “Global power is shifting, you’re just a pawn.” However, it is unclear if he was addressing Harrison Ford’s President Ross or Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. Regardless, when Wilson was busy dealing with all the chaos and mayhem even surrounding Ross, The Leader was silently crafting his ploy with sincere strategy.
Further, in his chat with Comicbook.com, Nelson previously teased that The Leader will be comic-accurate in Captain America 4. He worked with “the Marvel team and this wonderful makeup artist named David Atherton with whom I’ve collaborated on a dozen movies now,” he teased his green makeup for the character. “I think people are going to be pretty excited about what this guy looks like. And what he has to say and what he does,” he added. “All power to the amazing team over there at Marvel,” Nelson added.
The teaser of the movie did not give away much detail but The Leader’s involvement in the highly anticipated MCU movie is seemingly much bigger or will have a stunning depth storing a bit of it for another installment.
Marvel Fans Theorized The Leader’s Villainous Work
According to an X user, Nelson’s The Leader would pose serious threats not only to Sam Wilson but several other characters including President Ross. The user theorized that “The Leader will be able to control Red Hulk and have President Ross be a sleeper agent just like Isaiah Bradley.” Adding more on his theory, the user shared that “he will ‘die’ (fake his death) in the final battle and then come back in future MCU projects as an anti-hero.”
https://twitter.com/austin_medz/status/1812531254291468478
Isaiah Bradley, played by Carl Lumbly, goes rogue in the teaser, the theory also adds up to Bradley being the victim of Sterns. “It look like the flashes from the camera he uses in the trailer might trigger him so maybe he can do this to Ross as well,” the user wrote in another post on X.
Also, “They can easily change things up for the movie though, the leader looks to be the behind the scenes villain so him controlling the president as well as non-gamma characters makes sense.”
The user further stated the fate of President Ross, “he will continue to play Red Hulk later on,” adding Ford “could just voice him tbh, just have Red Hulk and say if he goes back to Ross then he will die from his heart condition or something. Staying as a Hulk could keep him alive.”
But it is too early to judge what the movie is going to hold or how director Julius Onah will treat the characters. Regardless, the movie has clearly created hype among fans.
Captain America: Brave New World is slated for theatrical debut on February 14, 2025.
