Original plans called for Captain America: Brave New World to be released on May 3, 2024. 2023's Hollywood strikes stuck a spoke in that particular wheel - as did what appears to have been pretty extensive reshoots - and the movie opened this weekend instead.
However, the release date delay caused some issues, including Happy Meal toys which arrived in the fast food chain last April. Not only did those offer a first look at Red Hulk, but a pink-haired character who was soon identified as Diamondback.
Alita: Battle Angel star Rosa Salazar was cast as the Serpent Society member and fans on social media are currently expressing confusion about her absence from Captain America: Brave New World.
Similar to The Leader's giant head, it appears this character was from a previous iteration of the movie. Many of you will be aware that the Serpent Society was left on the cutting room floor, but for casual fans, this missing character has left them scratching their heads.
Here's what we know (and what we've been able to figure out). Captain America: Brave New World originally opened with Captain America battling a version of the Serpent Society outfitted with their tech by The Leader. That take on the villain was less of a tragic figure and instead a mastermind who set out to manipulate world events, including President Ross' transformation into Red Hulk.
We see here that Diamondback would have been able to throw glowing pink projectiles from her hands, which may not have fit into the grounded tone Marvel Studios wanted for the movie. You'll also notice Sabra is wearing a suit absent from the final cut.
Why? Well, she was originally part of the battle with Red Hulk and helped figure out how to defeat the villain before her role was reduced.
There's likely other Diamondback merchandise which Marvel Studios was able to pull from shelves before it was ever revealed and, as we now know, the Serpent Society became Sidewinder's largely generic "Serpents."
See what might have been in Captain America: Brave New World below.
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.