Summary
Marvel Studios is not known for killing off characters. With the exception of both Iron Man and Black Widow, the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t truly killed off any major characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However,Captain America: Brave New Worldcould very well change that withHarrison Ford’s President Ross. The character is set to finally debut as Red Hulk in the movie, but Ford is known for preferring to avoid sequels at this stage in his life.
With President Ross serving as a big part ofCaptain America: Brave New World, the film is the perfect opportunity to write off the character by the film’s end. Whether it be by killing off the character, or by potentially putting Ross in a coma to utilize Red Hulk again down the line, it seems unlikely we’ll see Ford back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe relatively soon. The question is whether Ford could prove everyone wrong, and willingly make a return for another Marvel movie. Or if Marvel is readying to say goodbye to a character who has been a huge part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far.
President Ross' Fate Seems Sealed Already
Following the unexpected loss of William Hurt, Marvel Studios had to make the difficult decision to recast the role of Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross. To the surprise of everyone, the studio castlegendary actor Harrison Fordin the role forCaptain America: Brave New World. It was a surprise for many, as Ford has never really been a fan of big franchises, having already gone through the chaos of them withtheStar Warsfilms. The actor is also notorious for not being a fan of sequels, making it seem unlikely that his casting was for more than one film. As it stands, Ford’s contract has never been confirmed, and while the actor has seemingly enjoyed doing press for the film thus far, it has felt like his role as Ross was for one film. Rumors, of course, had the actor set to appear inthe upcomingThunderboltsmovie, but just as quickly as the rumors surfaced, they were seemingly denied. With reports suggesting he wouldn’t be around forThunderbolts, many questioned what that meant for the character’s fate by the end of Brave New World. Ross appears to have a significant role in the film, akin to that of Alexander Piercer inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. Not only is the character trying to recruit Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America to lead the Avengers, but he’s also set to make hislive-action debut as Red Hulkon screen to fight the titular hero.
With Ford finally getting to bring Red Hulk to life, and Captain America having to face off against a plethora of foes while trying to maneuver his new role as Captain America, it seems unlikely Ross will survive the events of the movie. Or if he somehow does, Marvel Studios will have to find another way to send the character away for the time being to avoid an appearance by Ford’s Ross anytime soon.
How Killing Off Ross in Brave New World Could Prove Bad
With Ross' fate seemingly already sealed, one has to wonder if Ross truly deserves to be killed off. While the character failed to appear for a bit after the events ofThe Incredible Hulk, once Marvel Studios finally brought William Hurt back as Ross, the character continued to play an important role in the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe. This included appearances inBlack Widow, theAvengersmovies, and theCaptain Americafilms. Following Hurt’s death, it wasn’t entirely clear what the studio would do with Ross, but when Marvel cast Ford in the role, it seemed clear they had big plans for him. The appearance of Red Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been teased for years, with some reports having previously suggested the character would appear inCaptain America: Civil War. That, of course, never came to fruition, so when it was announced Red Hulk would finally make his live action debut inBrave New World, fans were excited. The only question was whether we would get to see the character again afterBrave New World. After all, Marvel hasnever been great at handling its antagonists, and it’s clear both Red Hulk and Captain America are set to come to a head inBrave New World.
With that said, killing off Ross in Brave New World wouldn’t be the smartest move for the studio. Ross shouldn’t be an antagonist that is so easily dealt with and killed off. Not after the character has become such a huge part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and not beforeHulk and Red Hulkget to have their (hopeful) moment on screen down the line. If the studio were to lock Ross up, or even find a way to temporarily write him off, it would be far better because, at least then, there would still be the chance to give the character a proper ending when the time comes. Ford might not be the biggest fan of sequels and franchises with toxic fanbases, but there’s still plenty left to do with both Ross and Red Hulk within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Captain America: Brave New Worldwill hit theaters on July 20, 2025.
