The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be full of potential, which could push fans to go beyond the uninspiring Phase Four. The new course that will start soon with the first chapter of the Multiverse Saga, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania, in fact, promises to offer fans of the franchise a series of adventures and characters that will be the engine of a new narrative momentum. Among those eagerly awaiting the arrival of dark heroes such as Blade and the return of beloved figures such as the Guardian Devil, there are also those who are carefully watching the return of Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, the general who has often proved to be a thorn in the side of Marvel’s heroes on the big screen in the past. What is intriguing, however, is the possibility of seeing a rather particular comic version of Ross on stage, teasing fans with the idea of see Red Hulk (or American Red Hulk) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Will we see Red Hulk in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Upon the death of William Hurt, who played Ross since The Incredible Hulk (2008) up to Black Widow (2020), it was feared that the character would also disappear in the continuity of the franchise, following the example of what was done with T’Challa, the original Black Panther who passed the baton to his sister Shuri upon the untimely death of his interpreter, Chadwick Boseman. He definitely took by surprise the choice to entrust the role of Ross to Harrison Ford, what a debut in this role in Captain America: New World Ordera film inserted in Phase Five of the Marvelian franchise, which could also prove to be the first appearance of the Red Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In the comic Marvel Universe, the birth of the Red Hulk, renamed Rulk by its own creators (Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness), was at the center of a saga that developed between 2008 and 2010, immediately after the events of World War Hulk. After a long search for who the mysterious red Hulk’s copycat was, it was finally discovered that it was none other than Thaddeus Ross, who had agreed to lend himself as a guinea pig to the experiments of the Intelligentsia, in exchange for the resurrection of the family and seeing in this crazy plan the possibility to obtain enough power to change the world, according to his personal perspective. An idea that could prove to be the inspiration for the return of Ross in Captain America: New World Order.
Chronologically, the last appearance of Ross dates back to the scene of the commemoration for the death of Tony Stark in the finale of Avengers: Endgame, but the clues that can lead to his transformation can go back further, up to Civil War. When Ross introduces the Avengers to the Sokovia Accords he confesses that he suffered a heart attack while playing golf, a trauma that allowed him to develop a new ‘perspective’, as he confides to the heroes. As if that weren’t enough, the Black Widow mention is made of another medical problem of the general, who survived thanks to a triple coronary bypass, although he is seen apparently in excellent health.
Considering that we are inside a universe populated by super beings and super soldier serums, it seems reasonable to think that a man with Ross’s knowledge had access to futuristic technologies, perhaps not entirely legal or ethically acceptable. Knowing how in Captain America: New World Order there will also be a figure particularly linked to the birth of Rulk, the Chief, the clues that lead us to expect the presence of Red Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are becoming more and more consistent.
A detail not to be overlooked is the choice of Marvel Studios to recast for Ross. If a central development within the franchise had not been foreseen for the character, a quick mention of his eventual departure could have been made, but instead it was preferred to involve a charismatic actor like Harrison Ford in the franchise in this role. Having a face dear to fans (Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, Star Wars) available and not making the most of it would be a big mistake on the part of Marvel Studios, so much so that it can reasonably be assumed that, by exploiting CGI, even a no longer young Ford can become a super being.
In this sense, Captain America: New World Order it could be the turning point of the figure of Ross, who could find an echo of what he experienced in the comics right in the events of the film and move towards his second identity as the Red Hulk. Role that could also find space in Thunderboltsthe ensemble film dedicated to the anti-heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in which Ford is not currently included, but as experience has taught us, Marvel Studios still knows how to surprise us.
