The gamma-irradiated cat may be out of the bag concerning Harrison Ford’s character in the highly anticipated next segment of Marvel’s Captain America franchise Captain America: New World Order. A new post on social media of an alleged “character description” seems to indicate that not only will Ford be (yet again) playing a U.S. President, but that he will play none other than General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross.
Ross has been a character in the MCU since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk making him one of the longest-running characters in the entire franchise. Ross was portrayed in all his appearances thus far, including his turn as the MCU’s Secretary of State, by the late actor William Hurt who passed away earlier this year on March 13.
While many fans are celebrating the re-casting (Han Solo/Indiana Jones entering the MCU is pretty hard to beat for wow factor) the announcement has others seeing red and feeling green — especially a rather loud online contingent who are still stewing about Marvel and director Ryan Coogler’s outright refusal to recast another actor as T’Challa/Black Panther in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The original post, made by industry insider Daniel Richtman, was taken from a listing on a casting grid for Captain America: New World Order which described the character of Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross/Red Hulk as “Male, anywhere between 50s-80s. Lead. The former Lieutenant General of the United States Army and Secretary of State, now President of the United States. Using radiation siphoned transformed Ross into the Red Hulk,” according to The Direct.
No word on whether the “siphoned” radiation comes from any of the other gamma mutates currently in the MCU — Hulk and The Abomination could be the source or even Samuel Stearns who is set to debut in the film as well. However, it seems highly likely that the blood that was taken from Jen Walters aka She-Hulk is the source.
Captain America: New World Order is scheduled to be released on May 3, 2024
