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In the film “Captain America: Brave New World,” there wasn’t much space for additional supporting characters, but introducing Hulk could have enhanced Sam Wilson’s struggle against The Leader and Red Hulk. “Captain America: Brave New World” represented the second instalment in Sam Wilson’s adventure as Captain America, also serving as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s highly anticipated spiritual successor to “The Incredible Hulk.” Featuring two Hulk antagonists, a worldwide plot, and the debut of Adamantium, Sam Wilson’s debut film as Captain America was nothing less than ambitious.

Nevertheless, the film “Captain America: Brave New World” fell short of expectations among both critics and audiences, earning a 48% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and placing fourth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s list of movies with the lowest box office earnings. Unlike other films such as “Eternals“, “The Marvels“, and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania“, which were met with more polarizing reviews, “Captain America: Brave New World” failed to resonate with viewers during a period when the invincible reputation of the MCU is starting to wane.

Hulk’s Absence Is Felt All Throughout Captain America: Brave New World

Hulk Could Have Made Captain America’s Enemies More Interesting

If Sam Wilson had reached out to Bruce Banner for assistance, it’s likely that the Hulk would have dominated the scene, turning Captain America: Brave New World into more of a sequel to The Incredible Hulk 2, with Captain America playing a secondary role. Given that Captain America’s showdown against Red Hulk was relatively brief, it seems unusual that Wilson didn’t consider involving Banner after the Leader reappeared. However, it’s important to note that Smart Hulk, who has extensive knowledge about Samuel Sterns in the MCU and is readily available to help during the events of Captain America: Brave New World, was not consulted.

It’s puzzling that Captain America didn’t include Hulk in the team given that President Ross encouraged Sam Wilson to reunite the Avengers at the start of the movie. Even if Bruce Banner, aka Smart Hulk, didn’t physically fight The Leader and Red Hulk, his understanding of Sterns, Ross, and Gamma radiation could have been beneficial. Since Captain America: Brave New World is set after She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, it’s possible that Jennifer Walters (a.k.a She-Hulk) was available for the mission as well.

Thor: Ragnarok And Thunderbolts* Prove Hulk Could Have Had A Role In Brave New World

Hulk And Other Major MCU Heroes Have Already Been Secondary Characters

In the film “Captain America: Brave New World,” it’s possible that Hulk could have diverted focus from Captain America. However, this wasn’t the only feasible outcome. Instead, in “Thor: Ragnarok,” Hulk played a significant role, essentially adapting the Planet Hulk storyline alongside Thor’s third solo adventure. During the final battle of “Thor: Ragnarok,” Hulk single-handedly defeated Fenrir and engaged Surtur directly. If we imagine an alternate scenario for “Captain America: Brave New World,” Smart Hulk could have been included, perhaps aiding Sam Wilson against the Leader’s schemes or even transforming into Smart Hulk to assist Captain America in fighting Red Hulk.

Previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films have showcased prominent Marvel characters in supporting roles without overshadowing the main cast. In Thunderbolts, Bob Reynolds and his Void persona were given special attention to complement the story arcs of the lead heroes rather than outshine them. For instance, Doctor Strange acted as a mentor to Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, while Jane Foster completed her character development in Thor: Love and Thunder. Captain America: Civil War successfully managed multiple characters in Steve Rogers’ third movie by providing equal screen time for Iron Man and other heroes.

Hulk Will Still Be A Supporting Character In Future MCU Movies Anyway

Hulk’s Brave New World Supporting Role Will Likely Happen In All His Future MCU Appearances

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I’ve noticed that Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has been a reliable teammate since The Avengers, and it seems he’ll maintain this role in upcoming films like Avengers: Doomsday, Avengers: Secret Wars, and other projects. Marvel Studios has become adept at utilizing Hulk as a supporting character rather than the main protagonist, thanks to Universal’s shared control of Hulk’s cinematic rights. If blockbusters such as Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Secret Wars can incorporate Hulk effectively, then I believe Captain America: Brave New World had the potential to do the same.

2025-05-31 14:57