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Captain America: Brave New World marks a significant chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not only as Sam Wilson’s first solo outing as Captain America but also as a film that revives elements from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The movie features the return of Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader and introduces Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who undergoes a dramatic transformation into Red Hulk.
Given these strong connections to Hulk lore, many fans expected to see Bruce Banner himself play a role in the story. However, despite the heavy Hulk-related themes, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner does not appear in the movie. Director Julius Onah recently addressed why the Green Goliath was left out, explaining that the decision was made to keep the spotlight firmly on Sam Wilson.
The makers did not want to shift focus to Hulk in a Captain America movie
With Captain America: Brave New World exploring major storylines connected to The Incredible Hulk, many Marvel fans naturally assumed that Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, would make an appearance. Despite the clear ties to the Hulk mythos, Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner is nowhere to be seen. In an interview with The Playlist, director Julius Onah explained why Hulk was ultimately left out of the movie. While the idea of including him was considered, Onah and the creative team felt that it would take away from Sam Wilson’s journey as Captain America.
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