Captain America: Brave New World is shaping up to be a pivotal character development journey for Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, as he takes on the mantle of Captain America. However, many moviegoers initially speculated that the film might serve as a sequel to the 2008 MCU film The Incredible Hulk, especially given the film’s connection to various characters from that movie.
In a recent interview with TechRadar, producer Nate Moore and director Julius Onah revealed that Captain America: Brave New World was originally planned to include Bruce Banner (The Hulk) as part of the story. However, the creative team ultimately decided against this inclusion. Their reasoning was that bringing in The Hulk or Bruce Banner would shift the focus away from Sam Wilson’s narrative, as the character’s arc needed to take center stage. Onah emphasized that the movie was always about “cementing Sam as our new Captain America” and making it a story that explores his personal journey rather than being overshadowed by another iconic hero.
Interestingly, Sam Wilson’s relationship with General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross—who has both antagonistic and emotional elements—plays a significant role in the film. This relationship fits well within the movie’s theme of personal and emotional growth for Sam. Onah further mentioned that the story needed to focus on Sam’s adventure, which would be overshadowed if The Hulk were involved, as it would divert attention away from his evolution as the new Captain America.
Despite the deep connections to The Incredible Hulk—with characters like Red Hulk, Betty Ross, and The Leader—Captain America: Brave New World will instead focus solely on Sam Wilson’s character arc, maintaining the emotional and thematic integrity of the story. This early decision to exclude Bruce Banner reflects the team’s commitment to making Sam Wilson’s journey the heart of the film, without the distractions of other established characters.