I Think The MCU Missed A Trick By Not Making Its Newest Hulk A Genuine Marvel Movie Villain

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New World

Marvel Studios has missed yet another opportunity to give us a good Hulk villain story, an element the MCU has sorely been missing in recent years. Since the events of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has taken a pretty divisive approach when it comes to its Hulk narratives in general. This includes the recent Captain America: Brave New World and its inclusion of President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and his monstrous transformation into the Red Hulk.

A longtime rival of Bruce Banner’s on the page, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross does become the Red Hulk in the original comics. However, the origins of the Red Hulk are pretty different compared to what’s depicted on screen in Brave New World. As such, I think Marvel Studios missed out on the perfect change to finally bring back a truly dark and more monstrous Hulk story to the MCU.

The MCU’s Hulk Villain Stories Seem Almost Impossible To Tell Right Now

Things Are Far Too Chill For Hulks Right Now…

Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk looking ashamed in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

As seen in Avengers: Endgame, it was revealed that Bruce Banner figured out how to combine both parts of himself, effectively merging Bruce and The Hulk into one being. Colloquially known as “Smart Hulk”, the MCU hasn’t seen the typical rage-monster since. As such, this new version of Hulk has been rather divisive, as many view the change as inferior to the typical status quo, as the OG Hulk is far more intimidating and stronger due to his greater capacity for anger.

The comics’ World War Hulk storyline is one of the best examples of Hulk becoming an outright villain. Seeking revenge on the Illuminati for banishing him from Earth, Hulk returns more powerful than ever with his allies known as the Warbound, ᴀssembled from the planet Sakaar. Although several World War Hulk elements were incorporated into 2018’s Thor: Ragnarok, there have been rumors that a movie could still happen down the line.

That being said, it’s highly doubtful that an MCU World War Hulk movie could somehow be that direct of an adaptation, nor that the Hulk we have now would so suddenly become a villain. Currently, Smart Hulk is more chill than ever. Likewise, things are presumably going great for She-Hulk too, who hardly had any issues in her MCU series retaining her mental capacities/keeping her rage in check.

2025 Gave The MCU Another Perfect Hulk Villain Story It Didn’t Fully Use

President Ross as Red Hulk

Notably, Marvel Studios did have a chance in 2025 to provide a darker Hulk villain story, though I feel like it was ultimately squandered in Captain America: Brave New World. On the one hand, Harrison Ford’s President Ross does turn into the Red Hulk, and he wreaks havoc in the MCU, destroying the White House before tearing through Washington D.C. while fighting Sam Wilson. However, Ross’ transformation was done against his will by Samuel Sterns aka The Leader, deviating from the comics where he willingly agreed to experimentation.

While the comics’ Red Hulk does eventually become more of a hero, he started out as a villain. Conversely, the MCU’s Ross is far more sympathetic from the get-go, trying to become better than the man he once was and resisting the urge to let his anger fuel him. This does make sense given that Ross has been depicted as morally complex throughout his MCU story, though the franchise could arguably have benefited from getting to finally see a Hulk just letting loose once more, without the implication that Ross was trying to hold it back the entire time.

How The MCU Could Still Tell Hulk Villain Stories In The Future

Fingers Are Crossed…

With any luck, the MCU’s Hulk stories will get more monstrous in the future, with perhaps some added darkness that’s sorely been missing. The Leader is still alive at the ending of Brave New World, as is Red Hulk, opening the door for future corruption and a Hulk villain arc down the line. Likewise, the end of She-Hulk did introduce Hulk’s son Skaar into the MCU, which in turn does create potential for a return to Sakaar and the rumored World War Hulk adaptation. That said, I’d be perfectly happy if Bruce Banner’s Hulk just returned to his typical rage-monster self at some point.

Captain America: Brave New World is now streaming on Disney+