Captain America: New World Order may be hiding the truth about the Red Hulk's origin in plain sight. The film is set to include the newly recast General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, with Harrison Ford taking over the role after William Hurt's ing in 2022. Recent confirmations from Kevin Feige and other executives at Marvel Studios suggest that Ross will not only be president by the events of New World Order, but he may also be the film's main villain. If this is the case, chances are high that the Red Hulk is finally about to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, and his origin may already be set up.
The MCU's fourth Captain America film comes toward the end of Phase 5, with a release date in May of 2024. Therein, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) will continue his journey in claiming the mantle that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) left to him in Avengers: Endgame. Sam won't be without his struggles in doing so, however, as he will have to face off against various villains in his next appearance, including Ford's Thunderbolt Ross and Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), a.k.a. the Leader, who is making his long-awaited return after 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Facing down both Red Hulk and the Leader, Sam is finally poised to earn Captain America's shield.
How General Ross Becomes Red Hulk In Marvel Comics
Although Thunderbolt Ross's Red Hulk transformation is now a staple of his character, his identity was kept secret in Marvel Comics for years. The Red Hulk first appeared in 2008's Hulk (vol. 2) #1 with little indication as to how he appeared or who he really was. Later storylines revealed that, much like Bruce Banner in the MCU, the Red Hulk was created in an attempt to develop more Super Soldiers in line with Captain America. The experiment was conducted by Doc Samson and MODOK's Intelligencia and was conceived as an even more dangerous version of the Hulk, albeit with a stronger mind and even fewer qualms about collateral damage.
The Red Hulk's identity wasn't revealed until Marvel's World War Hulks storyline in 2010. Although it had been thought that the Red Hulk had killed General Ross shortly after his creation, World War Hulks revealed that the two characters were actually one and the same. Moreover, the mysterious Red She-Hulk turned out to be Ross's daughter, Betsy. Despite his often morally ambiguous tactics, the Red Hulk would eventually be inducted into the Avengers for a period of time and even led an offshoot of the Thunderbolts at one point. Nevertheless, Ross fell back into his old villainous ways and spent much of his recent history in prison for his crimes.
How & Why The Leader Might Create Red Hulk In The MCU
The MCU may have already revealed how Thunderbolt Ross becomes Red Hulk in New World Order with the inclusion of the Leader. While it initially seems odd that both characters are slated to be major villains in the film, they may share a closer connection than many realize. Before his transformation into the Leader in The Incredible Hulk, Dr. Samuel Sterns specialized in gamma research and was responsible for transforming Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) into the Abomination using Bruce Banner's irradiated blood. As such, the events of Captain America: New World Order may reveal that Dr. Sterns is the one responsible for transforming Thunderbolt Ross into the Red Hulk.
Having both the Leader and Ross return in New World Order is no coincidence, especially as the MCU continues to build up to introducing its own version of the Red Hulk. Furthermore, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law went out of its way to set up the Intelligencia, the Leader's villainous organization from the comics that was partially responsible for Ross's transformation. It may be that Sterns and his newly formed Intelligencia will turn Ross into a hulking monster as part of their scheme to take over the world. With not only a Hulk but also the President of the United States in their corner, almost no one could stop the Intelligencia.
What General Ross Becoming Red Hulk Would Mean For The MCU
General Ross becoming Red Hulk in New World Order would have rippling implications for the future of the MCU. Ross's transformation would theories that the Red Hulk will the Thunderbolts in their debut film, which just so happens to hit theaters only two months after New World Order. The Red Hulk's inclusion on the team would go a long way in fixing their lineup, which is almost entirely comprised of non-powered individuals. Ross could even go on to become a leading member of the Thunderbolts in their future appearances, as he did for a time in the comics.
The Red Hulk's MCU introduction would also hint at several exciting storylines that have long been rumored to be in development for the franchise. Most notably, the inclusion of another Hulk suggests that a World War Hulks storyline in the MCU really could be on the way. If this is the case, the franchise would be one step closer to finally seeing the Hulk battle the Red Hulk in live-action, an event that would surely be a visual treat. Indeed, the Red Hulk's introduction in Captain America: New World Order may portend great things to come in the near future of the MCU.
