Paramount Pictures/Marvel Entertainment provides us with a super high resolution of the new Red Skull photo
The shot comes from EW, which explains (possible spoilers for those who want to know nothing) that weapons developer Johann Schmidt (Weaving) was turned into the Red Skull by a Nazi experiment similar to the Super Soldier program that turns skinny Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America. The site explains that both experiments bring out the inner qualities of each man. So the good Steve Rogers turns into a hero, while the evil Schmidt turns into a literal monster.
Director Joe Johnston explains that Steve Rogers’ history of being bullied as a weakling informs his approach to Nazi-busting:
For Steve Rogers it’s a very personal thing. At one point he says, “I don’t like bullies, I don’t care where they’re from.” He makes a complete physical transformation to a perfect human specimen. But inside he doesn’t change at all. It must be tempting to go back and say “I’m going to get that guy who beat me up in high school.” He does get revenge in the film, but on the Nazis — not on people who maybe picked on him.