Why Captain America and Hulk should Team-Up in Phase 3 of the MCU...

Why Captain America and Hulk should Team-Up in Phase 3 of the MCU...

The best use of two of Marvel's flagship characters could be a Super Soldier Showdown...

Editorial Opinion
By mook - Jun 04, 2013 06:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Captain America

Right from the appearance of S.H.I.E.L.D and Nick Fury in 'Iron Man' the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been about expanding the context of it's films to create an ever growing cohesive environment. With each new film the links have increased and the scope of the MCU has grown wider. However, this creates it's own problems as on one hand Marvel want to release sequels to popular films about established characters (as seen by 'Iron Man 3', 'Captain America 2' & 'Thor 2') but on the other it wishes to introduce new characters and concepts (as seen by 'Guardians of the Galaxy').

Of it's ongoing franchises there are issues going into Phase 3; 'Iron Man 4' would be a financial success but another Stark solo film is unnecessary, and may not be possible. 'Thor 3' is an option but more on that later. 'The Incredible Hulk 2' is unlikely as despite the success of the character in 'The Avengers' neither Ang Lee's 'Hulk' or the reboot were financial/critical successes. 'Captain America 3' has the risk of being a bit redundant follow his WW2 origin film and one modern day first sequel.

With a limited number of Phase 3 films that can be released between 'Avengers 2' and 'Avengers 3' the solution would be to release a 'Team Up' film of two established characters, namely Captain America and The Hulk.

'The Incredible Hulk' is strongly linked with Captain America's Super Soldier concept via General Ross restarting the Super Soldier Program, Banner's work, the creation of The Hulk and the eventual creation of The Abomination. Now both characters are present in the same time I would like to see them brought together in a Team-Up film.

A rough idea for a plot could be as follows: After his ambiguous ending in 'Captain America: The First Avenger', Red Skull reappears in the modern day. He wishes to mobilise the remaining HYDRA troops but is now without the Tesseract and could be facing the might of The Avengers. A way to increase his threat would be to create his own Super Soldiers using the same serum that created himself and Captain America (as well as Hulk, Abomination and The Leader). In order to have someone with knowledge of the Serum he can break The Leader out of S.H.I.E.L.D custody, as well as The Abomination as some additional muscle/guinea pig. S.H.I.E.L.D can then call in Rogers and Banner to tackle this evil alliance...

Some pros to this idea are:

It gives people a Hulk sequel but with less financial risk than a standalone film.
It pleases people who moaned that Tony Stark didn't receive help from any other Avengers in 'Iron Man 3'.
It ties up loose ends with the villains from 'Capitan America: The First Avenger' and 'The Incredible Hulk'.
It bring the 'Marvel Team-Up' comic concept into the MCU.
It ties in with the themes explored in Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man films.
A Team-Up film could help move the overall Phase 3 story arc along, leaving the new character films like Ant-Man to concentrate on their own origin stories.
A Team-Up film combines two franchises leaving a free spot for a film with a new character (e.g. Black Panther)
If it is a success it opens up the idea for other Team-Ups; 'Thor & Guardians of the Galaxy', 'Heroes for Hire', etc.

With the characters already established this film could help move the Phase 3 story arc along. For example, a lot of people assume that 'Avengers 3' will be an Infinity Gauntlet style story. This Cap/Hulk Team-Up could link to that with Thanos bringing Red Skull back (similar to Loki) and using him to perhaps gain access to an Infinity Gem. Once Red Skull, The Leader & Abomination have created the super soldiers we could have an epic fight in which Cap/Hulk destroy the super soldiers but are weakened from the fight and the villains use of the Infinity Gem to power HYDRA's weapons. With our heroes seemingly beaten Thanos could return, kill(!?) the bad guys and steal the Gem. He could perhaps briefly fight the Hulk, or maybe even casually dismiss the heroes before disappearing. This would wrap up all the loose ends for Cap/Hulk, show the power of Thanos and even give a personal grudge between two of the Avengers and Thanos before his major appearance in 'Avengers 3'.

Obviously this is pure speculation and it's hard to guess what will have happened to Cap and Hulk between now and Phase 3 (especially with 'The Winter Soldier' and 'Avengers 2' being released before then). However I think this would work well as an alternative third entry to the Captain America trilogy and I would love to see Marvel do something similar to this idea, perhaps calling it “Captain America versus the Super Soldiers!”

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Highflyer
Highflyer - 6/4/2013, 6:27 AM
Actually, 'The Incredible Hulk' movie did recieve a positive critical response while Ang Lee's 'Hulk' recived a mixed response.
mook
mook - 6/4/2013, 6:43 AM
@highflyer Either way, they were not great successes and so Marvel have been put off from doing another solo Hulk film - which a Team-Up could solve. I personally think 'The Incredible Hulk' is an underrated film.
BritishKnight
BritishKnight - 6/4/2013, 6:53 AM
I didn't think the chemistry between Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans was all that great in the Avengers.
Highflyer
Highflyer - 6/4/2013, 6:55 AM
@Mook, I 100% agree. I personally believe that Marvel doesn't get the big picture. Had Ang Lee's movie never existed, TIH would have made tons of money.
WYLEEJAY
WYLEEJAY - 6/4/2013, 7:00 AM
Recycle the same villains? Nobody new? Bring in a new character man! You have to bring something new to the table, these two don't mingle much in the comics. What would drive them to partner up?
mook
mook - 6/4/2013, 7:12 AM
@Wylljay SHIELD could encourage them to partner up as Captain America has battled Red Skull & Hydra before, whereas Banner has knowledge of the Super Soldier Serum and history with The Leader (before he changed), and Hulk has fought The Abomination. They are also all products of the Super Soldier program.

Although it might be a risk to have no completely new central characters we have not seen too much of Red Skull in action and not seen The Leader since he changed (apart from a tiny bit in a tie-in comic). Also it might be exciting to see an army of Super Soldiers (think Blonsky in 'TIH') fighting Cap & Hulk.

It could also have a bit more of Thanos - setting the scene for 'Avengers 3'.
ruadh
ruadh - 6/4/2013, 8:04 AM
If I remember correctly, Incredible Hulk didn't do all that badly in the box office. It was just severely overshadowed by Iron Man's success. If Incredible Hulk had come out a year before Iron Man, rather than a couple months after, Marvel Studios probably would have been more open to a sequel.
mook
mook - 6/4/2013, 8:09 AM
@SotoJuiceMan In some ways it would be good to see them team up but I can't think of a reason why they would (plus I don't want 'Iron Man 4', I feel they should stop with the trilogy and just have Iron Man in Avengers 2 & 3)
mook
mook - 6/4/2013, 8:13 AM
@ruadh TIH remains the worst performing MCU film at the box office to date, but I think you're right in that it would've done better if released at a different time.
WYLEEJAY
WYLEEJAY - 6/4/2013, 8:32 AM
Use Zemo instead of Red Skull. Blonski was a national hero before he went all Abomination, I can't see him working with a homicidal terrorist who was affiliated with the Nazis. Use Absorbing man too. If you use the Hulk the way they are in Marvel Now, with Banner basically an Agent of Shield, it would make more sense for these two to partner up.
mook
mook - 6/4/2013, 8:58 AM
@SotoJuiceMan I think an Odd Couple Superhero film could be interesting...

@Wyleejay All good ideas - my idea was mainly drawing on loose ends and connections already in the MCU films as I'm not up to date with people like Zemo or whats going on in 'Marvel Now'.
WYLEEJAY
WYLEEJAY - 6/4/2013, 9:11 AM
@Sotojuice. I know, they do have more chemistry. I was just trying to help him with his idea. Banner and Rodgers don't have anything in common in the books, but in the MCU the serum could be enough for the two of them to get mixed up in a villains plot. It would make more sense if the heroes were kidnapped for their blood, and they escape and join forces. I would rather see Iron man and Hulk team up too though.
Blackhelicopter
Blackhelicopter - 6/4/2013, 4:16 PM
I do love the idea of a team-up movie (in fact I think that's what DC should be doing), but I agree that it'd make more sense for either a Cap/Iron Man or an Iron Man/Hulk team up. I, personally, would be stoked on a Thor/Hulk team up movie. That much power fighting together would definitely pull an audience.
RaMan
RaMan - 6/4/2013, 7:58 PM
Phase 3 s:
Ant-Man
Hulk 2
Dr. Strange
Black Panther

2018
Submariner
Captain America 3
Avengers 3
pahurricane
pahurricane - 6/4/2013, 8:11 PM
There's a new character introduced... a fully developed Leader character. The Leader wasn't quite the Leader in The Incredible Hulk
mook
mook - 6/5/2013, 12:18 AM
@GliderMan What would you have happen in 'Hulk 2'?

Also I'd like to see War Machine replace Iron Man if RDJ is no longer available but I can't see War Machine carrying his own solo film. 'Thor 3' would be a more likely film.
mook
mook - 6/5/2013, 12:21 AM
@Blackhelicopter Iron Man/Hulk would be a sure hit but I'm not sure we need more Iron Man. Thor/GotG could be interesting or a film introducing 'Heroes for Hire'.
mook
mook - 6/6/2013, 6:23 AM
@DrDoom The problem is we could end up with Phase 3 just full of sequels; Cap3, Thor3, IronMan4, Hulk2...

Hulk can't carry his own solo film
Iron Man doesn't need another solo film
Thor has lot's of worlds to explore so there's lots of place to go with him
Cap could become a bit repetitive.

A Team-Up gives us two sequels in one but leaves a slot free for new and hopefully more interesting characters
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