Much has been said about Captain America: Brave New World's reshoots and, depending on who you believe, they were either extensive or just the norm for Marvel Studios.
Something we can safely say is that the movie underwent some significant changes. That's evident from the Serpent Society being cut and replaced by Giancarlo Esposito's Sidewinder, the leader of the power-free "Serpents." And let us not forget The Leader's divisive new look.
Now, a new leak claims to reveal what Captain America: Brave New World looked like before the reshoots. We're unsure how much of this was shot or how accurate a few of the claims are, but much of it lines up with what we've been hearing.
From Red Hulk's original fate to Samuel Sterns' masterplan and cut costumed heroes, you can find out more by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
6. Team Cap vs. The Serpent Society
Set photos confirmed that Captain America was once set to battle a superpowered Serpent Society. According to this leak, Sam Wilson led The Falcon and a suited-up Isaiah Bradley in battle against the villains.
Similar to what we saw in the finished cut, the mission was to retrieve stolen Adamantium and the confrontation was seemingly going to culminate with Cap and Joaquin Torrest taking on Diamondback.
Promo art has shown Isaiah in costume and, had he helped recover the stolen metal, it would make sense for him to be invited to the White House before succumbing to The Leader's brainwashing.
5. A Very Different Ruth
Captain America: Brave New World producer Nate Moore has claimed that the decision was made early on to ditch Ruth Bat-Seraph/Sabra's mutant powers from the comics. This new intel somewhat contradicts that.
Apparently, Ruth would be shown totalling a car with her shoulder while chasing down the brainwashed Isaiah. Her story arc also differed after she acknowledged the Super Soldier's innocence after telling Sam about where she gained her abilities (which were likely Red Room-related).
And once again, as posters and promo art have confirmed, Ruth was meant to suit up and fight alongside Sam and Joaquin.
4. No Bucky
Unsurprisingly, Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes was not in Captain America: Brave New World's original cut. That's because Thunderbolts* was supposed to be released before this movie, only for 2023's strikes to screw everything up.
As you'll know, Bucky was there to offer Sam some support after The Falcon was shot down. However, in an earlier cut, Torres was going to be taken down by a jet rather than a missile.
Despite someone who attended a test screening claiming they saw Logan Kim as Amadeus Cho, this leaker alleges that he was never in the movie...similar to how Giancarlo Esposito was said to be playing G.W. Bridge when he was Sidewinder.
3. The Leader's Original Plan
As we've already explained, The Leader was indeed meant to have a design far closer to what we're used to seeing in the comics. That changed when his story arc evolved through reshoots to make the villain a far more tragic figure.
It's said that this earlier version of The Leader stole a military helicopter to watch over the battle at Celestial Island and taunt President Ross in the hope he'd transform.
Samuel Sterns also orchestrated his own capture so he could leak what Ross had done and then make him Hulk out in front of the world (which isn't overly different from what we saw in theaters). As Captain America: Brave New World ended, though, The Leader escaped from prison - not The Raft - after brainwashing another helicopter pilot.
2. Red Hulk's Fate
The original Captain America vs. Red Hulk battle was allegedly deemed "less realistic" because Sam Wilson withstood a few too many hits from the rampaging Commander in Chief.
If this leak is to be believed, late in the battle, Cap was going to remember that Adamantium can absorb Gamma and so Ruth brought him the canister retrieved from the Serpent Society. Using that on Red Hulk's open wounds, the villain is depowered, but Ross' heart appears to stop and he "dies."
A funeral is held for him and the world believes the President has died. While Betty Ross originally didn't answer her father's call, she does attend his funeral...
1. The Post-Credits Scenes
There are big gaps in this Captain America: Brave New World leak, including who and why fakes Ross' death. Yes, a post-credits scene supposedly took us to Betty's home on a rainy night with scorched footprints leading up to her door.
With that, lightning would have lit up the sky, showing Red Hulk's silhouette and glowing red eyes, only for him to have vanished on the second flash. This is intriguing on several levels but means Ross would have never been held accountable for his actions...unless The Leader was the one true villain and he was an "innocent" bystander, of sorts.
And, while not a post-credits scene, the movie was reportedly set to reveal that Japan figured out how to synthesize Adamantium into a liquid metal, a fun tease for Wolverine's eventual debut.
What do you think about these supposed scrapped plans for Captain America: Brave New World? Many thanks to @MCUStatus for sharing them.