Captain America Director Julius Onah Talks Harrison Ford’s Ross Fate

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[This story contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.]

With “Captain America: Brave New World,” director Julius Onah transitioned from independent filmmaking to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following his work on “The Cloverfield Paradox” for Paramount Pictures in 2018. This movie was later moved to Netflix after a high-profile Super Bowl marketing campaign. Prior to this, Onah directed the 2019 indie drama “Luce,” a film about an exceptionally talented high school student who was adopted from war-torn Eritrea.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on how crucial the Sundance film was in securing my chance to join the MCU. This opportunity was partly boosted by the remarkable Octavia Spencer, star of Luce, who championed my cause with Marvel. The same film also brought me into contact with Danny Ramirez, who’s now a key character in Brave New World and happened to be roommates with Kelvin Harrison Jr., the lead actor from Luce. Interestingly enough, Tim Roth, who played The Abomination in The Incredible Hulk back in 2008, was also part of Luce’s cast. This movie, which had a significant impact on The Incredible Hulk, is now intertwined with Brave New World as well. What a fascinating web of connections!

In its third weekend, the recently released movie featuring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America and Harrison Ford as President Ross/Red Hulk, is projected to surpass $300 million in worldwide box office earnings. This film had a challenging journey to the big screen, with setbacks due to the pandemic and strikes, as well as an extra 22 days of filming.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase that in my own words like this:

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, I shared what I discovered during the test screenings, filming the post-credits scene, and stepping into the director role for Ford, whose character experiences redemption. I marveled at how Sam’s emotional depth could be leveraged to wrap up Ross’ tale and emphasize the theme of empathy. In other words, I thought, “What if we could tap into Sam’s keen emotions to help Ross acknowledge his mistakes and reunite with his daughter, Betty Ross, portrayed by Liv Tyler?

When you join this film project, is it only the most recent version of the script that’s shared with you, or do you have access to early drafts from Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson, who worked on “Falcon and the Winter Soldier”?

I review the most recent version of the script, which I believe is distributed to all prospective directors. My goal is to identify elements that resonate emotionally and thematically on a personal level. The bond between Sam and Ross, as well as Sam and Joaquin, struck a chord with me. As we progress in the development process, we’re also strengthening the Sam and Isaiah relationship. I believe these three emotional relationships for Sam Wilson are crucial to his character arc throughout the movie, linking him to his past while propelling him towards his future.

What I enjoyed most about the movie were the scenes where Sam, Joaquin, and Carl Lumbly’s character (Isaiah) were together. Could you share your thoughts on how the pacing was handled in the gym scene and the limo scene?

In the limo, I took them aside and joined them at Mackie’s trailer. There were four of us: me, Danny, Mackie, and Carl. I explained to them, “Let’s just go ahead and enjoy this moment. Before you surprise everyone, I want you to see their bond and their connection – how much they care for each other.” Similarly, during the gym scene, I rehearsed with these actors prior to filming. The goal was to establish a genuine relationship between them so that they could bring authenticity to their performances based on the script.

I hope that Carl got to take Isaiah’s hounds tooth jacket home. It looked good on him.

Yeah, it did look good on him. We should gift it to him if he didn’t.

Was there a specific moment on set where you realize, “Wow. I’m Harrison Ford’s director”?

Born in Nigeria, I spent my childhood exploring different corners of the world, but it wasn’t until I was 10 years old and had just moved to America that I saw my second movie ever in a theater – “Clear and Present Danger” (1994 Ford film). When I later met Harrison Ford for the first time, there were moments where reality seemed surreal. Yet, he was eager to collaborate, to develop his character, to be guided and to guide others. These aspects were crucial in shaping our relationship. It was thrilling to share my perspective with him, knowing that he was open to embracing it and helping shape the character, the storyline, and the themes.

Once you secured the job, for three consecutive days, you were with Anthony Mackie in New Orleans. Can you share what topics you discussed during that time?

As a fellow enthusiast, let me share my experience: It significantly aided us in aligning our vision for the film we were creating, while simultaneously fostering a deeper understanding of each other as individuals. Our shared connection stemmed from our personal identities and the cities that served as our homes – New Orleans for me and Berlin for you. The profound impact of these places on our creative journeys became apparent during our discussions.

Were there numerous options for the conclusion that you considered? Perhaps Ross might perish, or he might opt against repenting for his wrongdoings. How deeply did you deliberate over your decision?

Throughout the narrative, we aimed to conclude at a poignant point that would leave viewers fulfilled and moved. The challenge then was figuring out how to achieve this emotional resolution. Given Ross’s longing to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, we pondered, “What if we could harness Sam’s exceptional empathy to resolve Ross’s storyline while emphasizing the theme of understanding and compassion?

In the Marvel approach, there’s often a writer present to make changes as needed while filming. Given that you served both as a co-writer and director, was it your job to adapt the script during production?

Due to the strike, everyone had to stop working on their scripts temporarily. This pause wasn’t part of the filming process for the entire duration of production, but it lasted for quite a while. We were aware that additional shooting was planned and there would be aspects to refine and details to review – like tags, among other things. So, once the strike ended, we returned to our work on those specific areas.

What did you learn from your test screenings to inform what you’d get in additional photography?

In our situation, we had a tight deadline and only one more chance for photographic adjustments. The main focus was on achieving a harmonious tone, as this movie blends aspects of paranoid and political thrillers. Therefore, when working with the Serpent Society, our goal was to find a depiction that respects its original publishing appeal while fitting seamlessly into the film’s unique style.

When did you shoot the tag? Was it the last thing you shot?

We captured that footage during our supplementary filming session. It wasn’t the final shot we took, but it was near the end. After wrapping up, everyone paused for a moment before starting on new projects. During this break, we realized that if we made certain movements or gestures in a particular direction, it could subtly hint at what was coming next. The team at Marvel is incredibly intelligent, and directing that scene was enjoyable as we played with the idea of setting up potential future developments.

Wondering about the transformation of Samuel Sterns, played by Tim Blake Nelson, I found his debut intriguing, with those captivating eyes setting the stage for what was to come.

Your aim is to veil this villain and the surrounding enigma, while simultaneously using Sam’s investigation as the catalyst for disclosing information and eventually unmasking the villain. I’ve always found the concept of keeping him in the shadows intriguing. There are several instances where he appears in darkness or silhouette, and it’s only when Sam uncovers the truth that we finally get to properly encounter him. As for his appearance, the objective was to integrate it seamlessly into the film’s universe. We started by using practical methods such as specific applications and makeup to create him. Then, we discovered some exciting additions – eyes that could narrate the tale of a man who’s also been exposed to gamma radiation.

Is there one day in particular you’ll fondly look back on from this adventure you went on?

Instead of pinpointing a particular day, let me tell you about a week that stood out. During this time, it felt amazing to collaborate with an exceptional cast on the scenes you mentioned – the ones involving Danny, Mackie, as well as Harrison and Mackie. These were our first scenes according to the schedule. Before that, we had gone through rehearsals. Despite working on a massive Marvel production, I approached those rehearsals as if I was preparing for a theater performance, and then proceeded to film these intensely emotional, dramatic scenes with talented actors. It was an absolute joy and an unexpected delight during the making of this movie.

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2025-03-01 01:56