We first met Samuel Sterns in 2008's The Incredible Hulk; the movie ended with him being exposed to Gamma-irradiated blood which dripped into a wound on his head, causing his head to mutate.
We haven't seen him since but the villain will make his long-awaited return in Captain America: Brave New World next month.
It's an unexpected movie to bring The Leader back into the fold (why not She-Hulk: Attorney at Law?), though with Red Hulk set to be unleashed and a World War Hulk project somewhere on the horizon, this is likely just the beginning for the character's MCU arc.
Today, we have some promo art showcasing The Leader's full MCU costume. It's not particularly flashy but he looks comic-accurate and there's always a chance Sterns will don a traditional "suit" down the line.
In a recent interview, Captain America: Brave New World producer Nate Moore addressed the decision to bring back Sterns, "Thunderbolt" Ross, and Liv Tyler's Betty Ross for this movie.
"When I was a kid, I always loved it when there were unexpected characters intersecting," he explains. "We felt that this was a really interesting time to revisit [these characters.] And it didn’t feel like we’d be wedging it in. It actually felt like we could really explore it."
For Tim Blake Nelson, the movie was an opportunity to make good on The Incredible Hulk's unfulfilled tease. "I’d begun to think that I had the reverse Midas Touch," he said of the long wait for his return. "I requested that we do what we were going to do, practically. Which was a huge help, because I liked being able to feel the weight of the deformation on my head, rather than just wearing dots."
Check out this newly revealed Captain America: Brave New World promo art below.
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It's also been confirmed today that Captain America: Brave New World has secured a day-and-date release in China. While Hollywood movies no longer perform as well there as they once did, that should definitely help its prospects at the international box office.
In Captain America: Brave New World, after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam Wilson 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 stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford. The movie is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in U.S. theaters on February 14, 2025.