10 Biggest Differences Between The Hulk & Red Hulk In The MCU To Know Before Captain America: Brave New World

The Red Hulk will show off his many differences to Bruce Banner’s Hulk in the MCU when he makes his official debut in Captain America: Brave New World. Bruce Banner’s Hulk has been at the core of the MCU since his first appearance in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, but Marvel Studios has also recently introduced many other Hulk-like characters to the MCU. This pattern, that has seen the debut of She-Hulk, Abomination, Freak, Skaar and more, will continue in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World with the debut of the Red Hulk.

Harrison Ford will be taking over from the late William Hurt in Captain America: Brave New World to play Thaddeus Ross, the former General who will now be depicted as the new President of the United States. Captain America: Brave New World will explore Thaddeus Ross’ much-anticipated transformation into the Red Hulk, inspired by his Marvel Comics story from 2008. Based on Marvel Comics and Captain America: Brave New World’s trailers, however, this new Hulk will be vastly different to Mark Ruffalo’s version of the original Avenger.

10

Red Hulk’s Different Color Has Spurred MCU Theories

Red Hulk Could Be Connected To Another MCU Villain

Perhaps the most physically obvious differences between the Hulk and the Red Hulk is the fact that the latter is red-skinned, while Bruce Banner has green skin when in his Hulk form. Banner’s color change reflects the gamma radiation in his blood, which has also been depicted in other characters who have been exposed to Banner’s blood, such as Emil Blonsky, Jennifer Walters and Samuel Sterns’ Leader. However, this is not the case for the Red Hulk, which has spurred theories as to how he has red skin when other Hulks do not.

One prominent theory suggests that the Red Hulk could have some connection to the Red Skull from 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, or may have been enhanced by the volatile Extremis serum from 2013’s Iron Man 3. It’s possible that the Leader, who is speculated to have had a hand in transforming Ross into the Red Hulk, could have used an experimental super-soldier serum or Extremis to complete his mission. This could explain the Red Hulk’s red skin, and provide an answer to some of his other abilities.

The Hulk Is A Central Member Of The Avengers

While the Red Hulk seems to be one of the several villains featured in Captain America: Brave New World, Bruce Banner’s Hulk has always been a significant hero in the MCU. The Hulk became a founding member of the Avengers in 2012, and had a direct hand in taking down Loki. Since then, he fought Ultron, Hela and Thanos valiantly, gaining a huge number of allies and superpowered friends in the process, but this is not the case for the Red Hulk. Even if Thaddeus Ross did want to become a hero, he has alienated the world’s superheroes against him.

Bruce Banner’s Live-Action MCU Project	Year	Actor
The Incredible Hulk	2008	Edward Norton
The Avengers	2012	Mark Ruffalo
Iron Man 3	2013	Mark Ruffalo
Avengers: Age of Ultron	2015	Mark Ruffalo
Thor: Ragnarok	2017	Mark Ruffalo
Avengers: Infinity War	2018	Mark Ruffalo
Captain Marvel	2019	Mark Ruffalo
Avengers: Endgame	2019	Mark Ruffalo
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings	2021	Mark Ruffalo
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law	2022	Mark Ruffalo

Ever since he made his first appearance in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, Thaddeus Ross has proven himself to be a staunch enemy to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. He hunted the Hulk, helped implement the strict Sokovia Accords and embarked on a manhunt for Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson after Captain America: Civil War. It’s very unlikely that Ross will have any allies as the Red Hulk, at least not ones who would help him adjust to his new idenтιтy as a superpowered individual.

8

Red Hulk Can Absorb Energy In Marvel Comics

Red Hulk Even Absorbs The Power Cosmic

While it’s unclear whether the Red Hulk will have this incredible ability in Captain America: Brave New World, one of the key differences between the Red Hulk and Bruce Banner in Marvel Comics is that the former can absorb energy. This can help him lower and increase his own power level and that of others, particularly in cases where he absorbs the gamma radiation from the Hulk, causing him to revert to Bruce Banner, and when he absorbs the Power Cosmic. In 2009’s Hulk (Vol. 2) #12, this saw him take the Silver Surfer’s power, leaving the cosmic being powerless.

Bruce Banner has been shown to be able to withstand extreme levels of gamma radiation in the MCU, such as when he snapped his fingers using a completed Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers: Endgame. However, he is not able to absorb energy in the same way as the Red Hulk, who can literally siphon power away from others to use for himself. However, overuse of this power in Marvel Comics eventually means the Red Hulk cannot revert to his human form, which could be an interesting downside to explore in the live-action MCU.

Red Hulk Is Intelligent Like She-Hulk In Marvel Comics

Bruce Banner’s evolution into an intelligent version of the Hulk has been a very gradual and drawn-out process that has taken many years. When he was first seen in The Incredible Hulk, the тιтular Hulk was practically a mindless version of Banner, working purely on instinct. However, throughout The Avengers, Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok and Infinity War, this developed and changed. This eventually saw a more functional Hulk operate in the MCU before Banner combined the human and Hulk personas, but the Red Hulk won’t have to embark on this years-long journey.

While Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross made his first Marvel Comics appearance in 1962’s The Incredible Hulk #1, he debuted as the Red Hulk in 2008’s Hulk (Vol. 2) #1, though the Red Hulk wasn’t revealed to be Ross until 2010’s World War Hulks event.

Similarly to Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk, the Red Hulk has a much better hold over his Hulk abilities than Bruce Banner ever did. Ross can consciously transform into and out of his Red Hulk form, and retains his intelligence when in Hulk form, which, if adapted for live-action, will make him a formidable and terrifying villain for Sam Wilson’s Captain America. While it has been great to see Bruce Banner grow over the last 17 years, it would be better to debut Red Hulk as an intelligent threat, as this would fit Captain America: Brave New World’s grounded story.

6

Red Hulk Emits Heat From His Body

The Angrier He Becomes, The H๏τter He Gets

One of the biggest differences in the power-sets of the Hulk and the Red Hulk is that the latter can emit huge amounts of heat from his body when in his Hulk form. Bruce Banner is not dangerous to be around when in his Hulk body, but this is not the case for the Red Hulk. While Bruce Banner’s Hulk gets stronger the angrier he becomes, at least in Marvel Comics, the Red Hulk’s body temperature increases depending on his anger, sometimes even making him H๏τ enough to melt sand into glᴀss. However, this comes with a huge downside.

Thaddeus Ross’ Live-Action MCU Project	Year	Actor
The Incredible Hulk	2008	William Hurt
Captain America: Civil War	2016	William Hurt
Avengers: Infinity War	2018	William Hurt
Avengers: Endgame	2019	William Hurt
Black Widow	2021	William Hurt
Captain America: Brave New World	2025	Harrison Ford

When the Red Hulk becomes too angry and gets too H๏τ in Marvel Comics, the intense heat weakens him significantly. Captain America: Brave New World’s trailers have teased the Red Hulk’s heat-based abilities, which could present a huge weakness that Sam Wilson’s Captain America can exploit to bring the looming villain to his knees. This does, however, make it very risky just to be in proximity to the Red Hulk, which could pose some serious problems for the MCU and the Earth’s heroes.

One thing that Bruce Banner has that Thaddeus Ross does not is an intense knowledge of science and biology. This knowledge has allowed Bruce Banner to view himself as an experiment, conducting tests and research on his own biology to better understand the Hulk, which means he has had an advantage in knowing how he works, what he is capable of and how to better control both aspects of his personality. The Red Hulk will not have this in Captain America: Brave New World, so he will be a much more unpredictable character.

Thaddeus Ross has been tracking, researching and hunting the Hulk for several decades, and had a hand in funding the research that allowed Bruce Banner to inadvertently transform himself into the Hulk to begin with. However, he does not have an intimate knowledge of exactly what goes on inside Banner’s body, and therefore his own when he becomes the Red Hulk. Instead, Ross will be working it out as he goes along, which could prove incredibly dangerous in Captain America: Brave New World.

Bruce Banner Doesn’t Have Thaddeus Ross’ Military History

While Bruce Banner might have more scientific knowledge and his genius to rely on, he doesn’t have the tactical, military-minded skills that Thaddeus Ross’ Red Hulk will have in Captain America: Brave New World. Ross was introduced to the MCU as a Lieutenant General before returning as the Secretary of State in Captain America: Civil War. He has had a very lengthy career in the United States military, and since he retains his knowledge and skills when in Red Hulk form, the new MCU villain will be able to access this history.

A version of Thaddeus Ross still in the United States military was briefly seen in 2024’s X-Men ’97 season 1 during Rogue’s rampaging search for Henry Peter Gyrich and Bolivar Trask. This version was voiced by Michael Patrick McGill, who also voices Ross in two episodes of Marvel Animation’s What If…?.

This will surely make the Red Hulk a more brutal, scheming, tactical and scary character than the Hulk has ever been depicted as. As a formidable soldier in the military, Ross could put these skills to good use as the Red Hulk, which may spell bad news for Sam Wilson in Captain America: Brave New World, though Wilson was also formerly a soldier in the United States Air Force. Ross’ Red Hulk will be able to make fast tactical decisions in the heat of battle, however, making him a powerful opponent to Captain America.

Red Hulk Doesn’t Seem To Be A Hero

Even though he sometimes put his darker, more brutal and more morally questionable sides on display in the MCU, Bruce Banner always tried to use the Hulk for good, and always strived to be a hero. It doesn’t seem as though Thaddeus Ross will make the same decisions as the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, as trailers for the upcoming Phase 5 movie have shown the Red Hulk in battle against Captain America. This reflects his Marvel Comics backstory, and cements the fact that Bruce Banner was actually successful in becoming a hero.

Since his debut in Marvel Comics, the Red Hulk has been depicted as a villain and antihero, transforming into the latter after establishing his own team of Thunderbolts in 2012 alongside other antiheroes such as ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool, the Punisher and Ghost Rider. It’s very possible that future MCU projects could see the Red Hulk become an antihero, perhaps even a member of the upcoming Thunderbolts team. However, his darkness will likely always come through, as Thaddeus Ross has never been a hero in the MCU, and it wouldn’t make sense for him to follow in Bruce Banner’s footsteps.

2

Red Hulk Has Presidential Power & Influence

The MCU’s Politics Will Be Forever Changed In Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World will mark significant changes for the MCU not just by debuting the Red Hulk, but having the Red Hulk’s human form be the President of the United States. Thaddeus Ross has surely earned his position as the new President, but having a figure of authority this high become a superpowered villain will be a milestone moment for the MCU. This is especially true as trailers for Captain America: Brave New World have suggested Ross will transform into the Red Hulk for the first time at the presidential podium, so there’s no hiding.

While it’s possible that Ross’ transformation into the Red Hulk could lead to him being impeached or removed as President, it’s also possible that Ross could use his high-ranking position to enact his goals as the Red Hulk. It would be fantastical and brilliant to see the intelligent Red Hulk performing presidential duties in the MCU, though this seems incredibly unlikely. Nevertheless, no other hero has had the level of authority and power that the Red Hulk is about to have in the MCU, including Bruce Banner.

Smart Hulk Debuted In Avengers: Endgame

It seems as though the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World will copy his Marvel Comics counterpart, being able to switch between the human and Hulk personas. This will create perhaps the biggest difference between him and Bruce Banner’s Hulk in the MCU, as Banner has been stuck as the Smart Hulk since he first appeared in Avengers: Endgame, aside from brief moments in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. During the five-year-long Blip, Banner integrated his human and Hulk personas, finally making him one.

There has been speculation that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner will appear in Captain America: Brave New World, but neither Ruffalo nor Marvel Studios have confirmed this, though it may have been teased by Anthony Mackie accidentally.

Combining the human and Hulk made Bruce Banner a bigger ᴀsset during the Time Heist and the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. However, this has also removed his human life completely, as he lives permanently as the Smart Hulk, which may cause him problems in other areas, but makes him a more well-rounded and put-together character. As the Red Hulk, Thaddeus Ross may feel the conflict of his double-personality in Captain America: Brave New World, which may be a weakness that will allow Sam Wilson’s Captain America to defeat the exciting new villain.