The passing of a fan-favorite actor will always be a tragedy, and unfortunately, the MCU has had to undergo two major losses in recent years with T'Challa's Chadwick Boseman and "Thunderbolt" Ross' William Hurt. Marvel Studios opted not to recast the Black Panther star, but the latter may be in-line for a replacement.
According to recent reports, Han Solo and Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford will play a recast Ross in 2024's Thunderbolts. The Super Soldier ensemble may be set to close out Phase 5, but just before then, the MCU has another major blockbuster on the horizon with Captain America: New World Order.
With the legendary star reportedly slated to replace Hurt's MCU icon after five appearances over the span of over a decade, many are naturally excited to see Ross back in action with a new actor at the helm. In what will undoubtedly be to the excitement of those, Ford's MCU debut may have just moved up.
Harrison Ford's MCU Debut May Have Moved Up
According to The Ankler's Jeff Sneider - appearing on The Hot Mic Podcast - Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford has signed on to join the MCU and will his debut in Captain America: New World Order.
Ford will reportedly replace William Hurt as Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross, following the MCU veteran's tragic passing earlier in the year. While Ross may show up in Captain America 4, his appearance in Thunderbolts may not be as certain as had previously been thought.
Sneider supported previous remarks that the actor was cast in time for Disney's D23 Expo but was not announced in order to maintain focus on Indiana Jones 5.
SlashFilm was able to independently confirm that William Hurt's Secretary Ross will be recast with Harrison Ford but stated he will appear in Thunderbolts, perhaps setting him up for two theatrical appearances in the Summer of 2024.
Update: Deadline corroborated the past reports that Harrison Ford would be joining Captain America: New World Order, confirming that the Indiana Jones star is set to make his way to the MCU.
How Harrison Ford Connects MCU Phase 5
With Harrison Ford reportedly poised to appear as "Thunderbolt" Ross in both Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts, the two blockbuster projects will likely connect in some form. Similarly to how Avengers: Age of Ultron opened the doors to Captain America: Civil War, perhaps the same will happen here.
Who knows exactly how he will factor into Captain America 4, but the chances are high that the events of that sequel will lead him to form the MCU's Thunderbolts. New World Order has already been revealed to feature some Hulk-centric elements, so maybe Ross' transformation into Red Hulk is on the table.
What's far harder to determine is whether Ford will become an MCU mainstay as Ross, just as William Hurt did, or if these projects will be the extent of his tenure. Just a few years back, Ford didn't seem interested in hanging around for the Star Wars sequel trilogy, so an extended franchise run may not be on the cards for him.
Ultimately, Marvel Studios made a major point out of not recasting Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, something which stirred up plenty of controversy. So, replacing Hurt required news exciting enough for those skeptical of that choice to ignore this opposing decision; bringing in a major actor like Ford is just that.
Only time will tell when Marvel Studios delivers the official confirmation of Harrison Ford's MCU casting, perhaps the news will arrive next Summer at San Diego Comic-Con, which will fall just weeks after the veteran actor is the talk of the town thanks to June 2023's Indiana Jones 5.
Captain America: New World Order hits theaters on May 2, 2023.
