If you were wondering what Harrison Ford was going to look like as the Red Hulk, Marvel has finally given us all a look. Well, kind of.
Thanks to a snap from Brandon Davis on Twitter, who was attending New York Comic Con, we can see the official Red Hulk for the first time, and frankly, he looks amazing. The visual effects wizards have given Red Hulk a similar treatment that we have grown accustomed to with Mark Ruffalo’s standard-issue green Hulk, using the actor’s face as the basis for how the creature looks.
And X/Twitter is really digging it.
Ford’s Red Hulk is certainly looking nice and angry on the poster, and it’s winning over the doubters. “I didn’t think Harrison Ford would make a good Hulk, but after seeing this, I think he’d make a great Hulk,” said user @iammpemba. The only problem with this statement is that they ever thought Ford wouldn’t make a good Red Hulk in the first place. I personally cannot think of anybody better suited to bring some grumpy old man energy to the screen.
Other comments range from “I’m now even more excited for the movie,” via user @veekayset, to “I can see the fire in his eyes. Let’s gooo,” via @nithudevadarshh. The excitement from fans is a nice change of pace from previous skepticism surrounding Harrison’s debut as the character, especially given the CGI concerns that have plagued the studio in recent years. Should Red Hulk’s cinematic debut maintain the same level of quality shown here, the MCU could really be on the precipice of brighter days.
Red Hulk was introduced to the comics in 2008, in Hulk Vol. 2 #1. His identity was originally a secret, and he was presented as a counter to the Hulk, lacking any kind of inhibition whatsoever. It takes the combined efforts of Hulk and Thor to down him after he runs roughshod over heroes and villains alike.
Captain America: Brave New World will introduce Ford to the Marvel Cinematic Universes as the Red Hulk or his human persona, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who will have risen to the office of President of the United States.
Ford took over the role of Ross from William Hurt, who had played the character in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow. Hurt sadly passed away in 2022 after a short battle with cancer.
Ford has been enjoying his time on the project, stating in a recent interview with Vanity Fair that one of the reasons he stays working is for “essential human contact”. It makes sense, as Ford has spent years working on some of the biggest franchises in the world, from Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Indiana Jones, as well as a couple of movies portraying Jack Ryan. It must be hard to move on from the camaraderie, and the Marvel movies have been noted for their sense of community among the folks on set.
To be honest, the MCU has been falling a little flat for me lately, and I am hopeful a screen legend like Ford will help raise the stakes, and the bar, and bring some much-needed heat back to the franchise.