Overview
- Originally, Red Hulk was intended to use firearms in “Captain America: Brave New World,”but this concept was ultimately discarded.
- Multiple action sequences, including an exciting mid-air flip by Sam Wilson, were edited out to improve the film’s pacing and narrative clarity.
- Many fans expressed dissatisfaction over Marvel Studios’ marketing strategy, which unveiled Red Hulk in a manner diverging from the comic-accurate depiction that featured him using guns.
In Captain America: Brave New World, the character of Red Hulk was poised to be more aligned with comic book lore if Marvel Studios had adhered to its initial vision, which included the character wielding firearms.
The film marks the arrival of Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a character who transitions from U.S. General to President, ultimately transforming into Red Hulk after receiving gamma-irradiated pills from Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns. This transformation sets the stage for an epic showdown against Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson atop the White House and throughout the streets of Washington, D.C. However, even months post-release, fans are still reeling from the marketing decision that revealed Red Hulk’s presence, a choice critics argue may have limited the film’s commercial potential.
The Original Concept: Red Hulk Wielding Firearms
Comic Accuracy and Military Context
In an interview with JoBlo Celebrity Access on YouTube, director Julius Onah shared insights into the creative decisions made during the production of Captain America: Brave New World. Among these was an intriguing alternative design for Red Hulk that would have featured him utilizing firearms in confrontations with Sam Wilson and other security forces.
“There was a point in time, actually, it didn’t make the movie, where Red Hulk, arcing back to publishing, wielded a gun and it just didn’t feel quite right for the actual movie. But we did have a moment with Harrison shooting as Red Hulk with a gun and that was one of those moments of like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening right now.’ And he plays into it in a way that’s really fun, because he knows we’re geeking out.”
Watch the interview here
However, it wasn’t solely the choice to scrap the gun-wielding Red Hulk concept that led to the final cut losing some excitement. Onah also revealed that several high-energy action scenes were cut to streamline storytelling, including a visually impressive moment where Sam Wilson executes a mid-air flip while landing on his shield.
“You know, with every movie, you kill a few darlings, right? Because, whether it’s just pace or story or clarity, whatever the case may be, I would say there are a couple of action beats that I really miss. You know, in that hallway fight, there was a high-speed shot where Sam had done a flip and landed on the shield, sort of knocking somebody out, that, in some ways, becomes a sort of tease and a predecessor of a flip that he does later on in the movie when he slices the car. And I love those kind of visual callbacks and those moments where things are in communication with each other across the movie.”
The concept of a gun-toting Red Hulk diverges significantly from characters like Zack Snyder’s gun-toting Batman. Unlike the latter, Red Hulk’s combat proficiency with firearms is rooted in his military background, making the decision to forgo this portrayal all the more surprising. The excitement generated by trailers showcasing Red Hulk in action with weapons could have invigorated the fanbase, even if negatives remained regarding “Captain America: Brave New World.”
While the reasons for this creative pivot remain ambiguous, there is potential for future appearances of Red Hulk to revisit this original vision. As portrayed in the film, Ross is incarcerated in the Raft, a floating prison in the Atlantic. His absence from “Thunderbolts”raises questions about whether he will ally with Sam Wilson again, or perhaps seek redemption through transformation.
For more details, check the full interview on JoBlo Celebrity Access/YouTube.