Captain America: Brave New World underwent what many have said were significant reshoots last year. If the usual suspects are to be believed, Marvel Studios has either completely cut or significantly reduced the role played by the Serpent Society.
At least two members of the group have been spotted filming: Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel) and WWE Superstar Seth Rollins. To leave them on the cutting room floor seems extreme and we can only theorise that something about the Society's inclusion in the movie wasn't working.
However, with Giancarlo Esposito cast as the group's leader, Sidewinder, we expect to see something of the Serpent Society in the next Captain America movie.
In a piece about Salazar joining the cast of NBC's Einstein, Variety confirms, "[she] is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel film 'Captain America: Brave New World' in the role of Rachel Leighton, a.k.a Diamondback, with the film set to debut in February."
We've long suspected this is the case, of course, but it's the closest we've come to an official announcement about her MCU role.
Last year, it was reported that in an earlier cut of Captain America: Brave New World, the Serpent Society consisted of Diamondback, Constrictor, Rattler, Asp, and Cobra, with all of them boasting segmented tattoos which would spread apart to reveal cybernetic enhancements. This bit is a little vague, but the leak revealed that, together, they'd have made the "Serpent."
Diamondback could shoot projectiles from her fingers, Rattler had sonic boom powers, Constrictor unleashed charged coils from his arms, Asp had fire fists, and Cobra could spit acid from his fangs.
How much of that we'll see in the final cut remains to be seen.
We're hoping Salazar has a decent role in Captain America: Brave New World alongside the rest of the Serpent Society because there's a tonne of potential for the villainous team in the MCU beyond this movie.
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.