Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters and one of the most interesting things about the movie is that it serves as a follow-up to both Eternals and The Incredible Hulk.
We'll start with the latter; during the movie's opening, it's revealed that President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross used Samuel Sterns as a scapegoat for Abomination's attack on Harlem. He's spent the past 17 years behind bars, being used by Ross to create both the pills that have saved the General's life and to create various weapons for the military.
Sterns' heightened intelligence - which has been increased with continued Gamma exposure - also plays a significant role in Ross getting into the White House, though he goes back on his deal to free the scientist when he's made Commander in Chief.
It's later revealed that Betty Ross has never forgiven her father for sending the military after Bruce Banner, though she does make amends with him in a brief exchange that comes after he's imprisoned for his Red Hulk rampage.
The biggest and most unexpected nod to The Incredible Hulk? The fact there's a blink-and-you'll-it scene with Harrison Ford during a news report rocking Ross' trademark 'tache!
As for Eternals, there's no resolution for the movie's big cliffhanger and no one mentions the fact a group of aliens nearly destroyed the Earth. Tiamut has simply been dubbed "Celestial Island" and is the source of Adamantium in the MCU.
While Ross does a fair bit of bad in this movie, it's his actions that ensure the world will share the rare metal equally, hence a "Brave New World." Unsurprisingly, Wolverine doesn't get a mention and there's no sign of Project X either this early into the indestructible metal's discovery.
Here's a full list of our Captain America: Brave New World spoiler articles in case you've missed any of them:
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.
The movie 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.
"Flawed but functional, Captain America: Brave New World's many problems are largely forgotten any time Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford electrify the screen," we said in our review. "And when Red Hulk shows up, the movie reaches new heights of awesome."
Captain America: Brave New World opens in U.S. theaters on February 14, 2025.