Hulk’s absence in Captain America: Brave New World can be compensated by breaking an already outdated MCU trend. Phase 5’s upcoming Captain America: Brave New World features numerous important plot points, including the world’s reaction to Tiamut’s appearance, Sam Wilson’s first official on-screen mission as Captain America following his acceptance of the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s ending, Samuel Sterns’ return, and President Ross’ transformation into the monstrous Red Hulk, not to mention the appearance of minor antagonists like Giancarlo Esposito’s mystery mercenary. Clearly, Captain America has a lot to worry about.

By Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson has taken up the Captain America mantle. Classic Captain America antagonists like Red Skull, the Winter Soldier, Crossbones, and Batroc are no longer threats in the MCU, but new villains such as Red Hulk and the Leader require the MCU’s new Captain America to intervene. While Captain America will take care of these new threats, however, it would seem logical for Hulk — who has similar abilities, a similar origin, and a common story in The Incredible Hulk — to face off against Gamma-powered criminals, or at least have a small role in Captain America: Brave New World.

Red Hulk And The Leader Need To Survive Brave New World To Fight Hulk

Hulk’s Battle Against Red Hulk And The Leader Is Long Overdue

The MCU has had to sideline Bruce Banner and Hulk due to Hulk’s movie distribution rights, owned by Universal since the 1990s. Unfortunately, this meant that Hulk and his related characters could only be used in supporting roles in MCU movies and shows. In 2024, Captain America: Brave New World features major Hulk villains Thaddeus Ross and Samuel Sterns, but Hulk is nowhere to be seen. Hence, the least Captain America: Brave New World could do for Hulk is spare Red Hulk and the Leader’s lives so they can face him in a future MCU installment.

The MCU’s Main Villains Tend To Die Too Quickly

Not Many Marvel Villains Survive Their First Appearance

For sixteen years and across more than 30 projects, Marvel Studios has established a clear trend for MCU villains. Out of 45+ major MCU antagonists, only twelve have survived the events of their respective movies or shows. Abomination, Red Skull, the Winter Soldier, Baron Zemo, Vulture, Yon Rogg, Agatha Harkness, Taskmaster, Arishem, Kingpin, Namor, the High Evolutionary, and Spider-Man: No Way Home’s multiversal villains are still alive. Meanwhile, popular villains such as Killmonger, Hela, and Wenwu — as well as villains with wasted potential such as Ronan, Gorr, and Ultron — have all died soon after their introduction.

Captain America: Brave New World marks Samuel Sterns’ second MCU appearance and Thaddeus Ross’ fourth MCU appearance, but it also marks the first time they will appear in their Gamma-powered form. It could be easy for Captain America: Brave New World to end President Ross’ character arc with his transformation into the Red Hulk, killing him off as the ultimate sign of the character’s hubris. Likewise, Samuel Sterns could also be killed before his plan to destabilize the world succeeds. However, Red Hulk and the Leader’s deaths would only be a disservice to Hulk in his absence.

The MCU’s Hulk Is Already Running Out Of Comic Book Villains

Other Marvel Heroes Have Fought Hulk’s Comic Book Enemies

Before Captain America: Brave New World turned Red Hulk and the Leader into Captain America antagonists, the MCU had already taken various Hulk villains and given them to other characters. For instance, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania revealed that Kang the Conqueror transformed Darren Cross into MODOK, who had a grudge against Ant-Man. Instead of villains like the Leader and MODOK, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law‘s version of the Intelligencia is composed of Jennifer Walter’s online harassers. Years before that, Agents of SHIELD provided a new take on Glenn Talbot and the Absorbing Man, who inevitably became enemies to the titular team.

Now, there’s a limited number of classic Hulk villains who can face the Avenger in future MCU installments. For example, Bi-Beast could pose a considerable threat to Hulk’s strength in a future movie, and he has already been teased by a blink-and-you-miss-it Sakaar easter egg in Thor: Ragnarok. Ty Burrell’s Dr. Leonard Samson, who only appeared briefly in The Incredible Hulk, could finally return with a Gamma upgrade in the near future as well. Still, a fight between the Leader, Red Hulk, and Hulk after Captain America: Brave New World is a hypothetical scenario that’s simply too exciting to ignore.