Aside from some leaked promo art, Tim Blake Nelson's returning Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, has been kept mostly under wraps in the marketing for Captain America: Brave New World.
This latest TV spot for the movie also keeps the character in the shadows, but because he steps ever so slightly closer to the light, adjusting the brightness and contrast levels reveals our first official glimpse of the super-smart villain.
As you'll see from the image below, Sterns really doesn't look very much like the promo art at all. Aside from being clean-shaven, his signature elongated cranium is much smaller, and it looks like his brain is partially exposed (the character has had a similar look in the comics).
Check out the teaser and screenshot below, and let us know what you think.
Nelson made his debut as Dr. Sterns in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, and even though he began his transformation into the Leader at the end of the movie, he hasn't been seen or mentioned in the MCU since.
The Oh Brother, Where Art Thou actor spoke about his long-awaited return in a recent interview, and revealed that the character's absence will be explained.
"[I'm] very excited about it. I'm headed to Atlanta tomorrow to continue working on that. It's been very exciting to bring back a character from 16 years ago and imagine how he has aged with me and how that has manifested. The Marvel team has come up with a really interesting explanation - revelation, I should say, as to what he's been up to for 16 years and why."
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Captain America: Brave New World also stars Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford. The film is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World opens in U.S. theaters on February 14, 2025.