The newest trailer for Captain America: Brave New World made me much more excited about Sam Wilson’s fight against Red Hulk in the MCU. Starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, it was revealed that newly elected President Ross (Ford) will eventually transform into a monstrous Hulk, mirroring the character’s evolution in the comics. That said, I initially found it difficult to understand the argument that Sam Wilson’s Captain America (Mackie) is the Avenger best suited to stop the new Red Hulk.
As seen in The Falcon and the Winter SoldierSam Wilson’s Falcon chooses to wield the shield given to him by Steve Rogers and take up the mantle as the MCU’s next Captain America. Now, Captain America: Brave New World will see Wilson working alongside President Rossat least until forces in the shadows apparently trigger Ross’s transformation into the Red Hulk. That being said, the newest trailer for Captain America: Brave New World made me much more excited about the future confrontation between Red Hulk and Wilson than I was at the beginning.
Captain America 4 trailer gives me new confidence for Red Hulk’s fight
I had my doubts after the first trailer
As seen at the end of the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New Worldthe Red Hulk is shown picking up Wilson’s shield and throwing it onto the sidewalk. After all, it’s a sure sign that Ross’s rage-filled strength as Red Hulk appears to be on par with Bruce Banner’s original Incredible Hulk, if not more so since Banner managed to fuse with his greener half (colloquially known as ” Smart Hulk”).
To that end, Naturally, I had my doubts about Sam Wilson’s Captain America being able to effectively take on the MCU’s new Red Hulk.. Unlike the previous Captain America, Sam Wilson was not enhanced by a super soldier serum. Furthermore, even Rogers would have difficulty facing the Hulk, considering that the much stronger Thor himself could barely face the Hulk (as seen in Thor: Ragnarok).
Sam Wilson doesn’t have super soldier serum, but he has other advantages
He should be able to keep Red Hulk occupied
That being said, the new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World better highlighted some of Sam Wilson’s unique advantages this should come in handy in a fight with a Hulk, like Wilson’s ability to fly with his vibranium wings. Combined with his vibranium shield, Sam has some additional protection that could at least allow him to sustain a few hits from the Red Hulk. Likewise, the trailer also shows that the new Captain America is capable of reaching supersonic speeds and can even create shockwaves upon landing.
I could easily see Wilson potentially relying on sheer speed to land some shots of his own. That said, I think Sam Wilson’s main advantage will be using his wings to keep his distance for as long as possible. It’s also very likely that keeping Ross occupied and waiting for the Red Hulk is all Sam will really need to do during the MCU’s next showdown.
Now I can stand behind Captain America facing Red Hulk in Brave New World
It still won’t be an easy fight (at all)
In short, this new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World helped me better see the vision of Sam Wilson’s fight with the Red Hulk. Likewise, both the new trailer and poster suggested that Red Hulk is debuting in the MCU with a unique, comedic weakness. On the page, Ross’s Red Hulk is unable to regulate his body temperature (hence the red skin), meaning he overheats very quickly over a long enough period. As such, perhaps Wilson’s main goal is to keep Ross occupied and minimize casualties until the Red Hulk finally shuts down.
Anyway, I’m really excited to see how Sam Wilson’s Captain America takes on the Red Hulk. I’m now much more confident that it will be a fun fight and that it will also make sense given their respective abilities and power levels. To that end, I also wouldn’t be surprised if Bruce Banner’s Hulk ended up making a surprise appearance as well, either to face off against the Red Hulk himself or to help set up a future showdown in the MCU going forward.
Captain America: Brave New World will be released on February 14, 2025 by Marvel Studios.