Captain America: Brave New World's reshoots remain a subject of great interest and debate among fans. However, as easy as it is to criticise Marvel Studios for dropping the ball on what will now be a movie that ranks among its lowest-grossing titles, there must be a reason Kevin Feige felt it needed to be taken back to the drawing board.
Among the many changes was The Leader's appearance. That was altered significantly during additional photography, something confirmed by promo art and an officially released Funko Pop, which looks nothing like what ended up on screen.
In the process, the comic-accurate large head was swapped out for the sympathy-inducing deformed look we got in Captain America: Brave New World's final cut.
That means that all of the villain's scenes were reshot, news which won't come as a shock seeing as he was originally portrayed as the creator of a superpowered Serpent Society and a master manipulator. Ultimately, we'll never know which version was better, but it seems something about him didn't click.
Marvel Studios has been selective with the footage set to be included on the Digital and Blu-ray releases of Captain America: Brave New World, and a new clip reveals what Tim Blake Nelson looked like on set before those VFX enhancements were added (including a glowing eye and a little more detail on the brain seemingly pulsating through his skull).
It's not great, and while the attempt to turn The Leader into a sympathetic character makes sense in the context of the story, it's also a huge departure from what fans want and expect when it comes to The Hulk's greatest foe. We also can't believe this is the impressive prosthetic Nelson teased in pre-release interviews.
You can check out this new Captain America: Brave New World featurette below.
In Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) – who now wields the shield of Captain America after events in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier – meets with newly elected U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Deleted Scenes:
- A Heartfelt Thanks – President Ross praises Agent Taylor for her actions.
- The Mission – Sam Wilson tries to extract information out of Agent Taylor in the boxing ring.
- Stick Around – President Ross extends an apology and an unexpected invitation to Isaiah.
Special Features:
- Assuming the Mantle – Ever since his high-flying debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, audiences around the world have known that Sam Wilson was destined for great things. Join the cast and crew as they look at Sam's past, present, and potential future in the MCU.
- Old Scores, New Scars – Brave New World finds Captain America locked in a battle of brains and brawn in the forms of The Leader, Red Hulk, and Sidewinder. From prosthetics to visual effects to stunt work, get the lowdown on these formidable foes and how they're brought to life.
- Gag Reel – Enjoy some hilarious outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Captain America: Brave New World.
- Audio Commentary – Listen to Director Julius Onah and Director of Photography Kramer Morgenthau talk about the film
Captain America: Brave New World will be released on Digital on April 15 before hitting Blu-ray on May 13.