When the first trailers for Captain America: Brave New World debuted, many fans were taken aback by a major spoiler: Harrison Ford’s transformation into the Red Hulk. Despite the premature reveal, director Julius Onah has now explained why this significant plot point had to be included in the film’s promotional material.
Speaking with Empire Magazine, Onah acknowledged that hiding Red Hulk’s appearance from the trailers wasn’t a feasible option. According to the director, once it was announced that Ford would be portraying Thaddeus Ross, keeping his transformation into Red Hulk a secret became nearly impossible. Onah explained:
“When you’re working on a film of this scale, especially with a fanbase as passionate as that of the MCU, it’s impossible to keep something like this under wraps. In an ideal world, it would have been great to have that moment as a surprise in theaters, but given how much information gets leaked nowadays—whether through toys or unofficial trailers—it felt like we had no choice.”
While Red Hulk was prominently featured in both the movie and its marketing, the film’s primary antagonist, The Leader, remained under wraps. The character, played by Tim Blake Nelson, had a surprise return, and his appearance was kept entirely secret in the lead-up to the film’s release. Even merchandise such as action figures and Funko Pops initially depicted the character with a design from earlier, abandoned concepts.
For many, The Leader’s reappearance—14 years after Nelson’s first portrayal of the character in The Incredible Hulk—was a notable and divisive update.
Now available for streaming on Disney+, Brave New World has quickly risen to the top of the charts, despite receiving mixed reviews and underperforming at the box office. As Marvel Studios prepares for the arrival of Secret Wars, the MCU continues to face challenges in recapturing the box office success it enjoyed during the Infinity Saga. With both Brave New World and Thunderbolts—two relatively grounded action films—failing to reach the $500 million mark, the industry will be watching closely as The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to arrive in July. This movie could provide an indication of how future Marvel films, particularly those focused on iconic characters, might fare at the box office.
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