Recent comments by Captain America (Sam Wilson) actor Anthony Mackie have revealed new details regarding Harrison Ford's Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross.
Following William Hurt's untimely death in 2022, Hollywood icon Harrison Ford was brought in to take over as Thunderbolt Ross in the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World will be where Ford makes his first appearance alongside Mackie's newly appointed Cap.
Brave New World is currently filming but was recently delayed to a July 2024 release date.
Anthony Mackie Discusses Harrison Ford in Captain America 4
During a recent interview with Inverse, Anthony Mackie revealed the first official details about Harrison Ford's Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: Brave New World.
The MCU's second Captain America actor said Cap and Ross "always bumped heads" and "that’s their relationship in the storyline:”
"We spent a good bit of time together. Ross and Cap have always had that relationship, where they were friends and they respected each other, but they always bumped heads. That’s their relationship in the storyline."
Important to remember, the main interaction Ross and Wilson have on-screen is when the former imprisoned the latter in Captain America: Civil War.
Based on Mackie saying that he and Ford have "spent a good bit of time together" it's not a stretch to say that Ross is a leading character in Brave New World.
Mackie added during his interview how nerve-wracking it was to be on set with Harrison Ford initially:
"The first day was so intimidating. I was so f***ing nervous I couldn’t remember my lines. He’s Harrison f***ing Ford. There is this aura about him. But he dispels that really quickly because he’s such a cool guy. He’s everything a movie star should be. He would say, ‘Let’s shoot this piece of shit.’ And everybody was like, ’Yeah, let’s shoot this shit.’"
Thunderbolt Ross' Expanded Role in the MCU
Even though Ford seemed clueless and disinterested when asked about the possibility of his character turning into Red Hulk, there's still a real chance that this is a main part of the upcoming film.
A previous rumor hinted at Ross' role in the film, mentioning that he is no longer United States Secretary of State and that he could be seeking his own "new world order" (the former subtitle of Captain America 4).
Whether or not Ross becomes a giant monster may not be revealed until the film is released, or possibly in a promotional trailer.
Rumors are spiraling that the film rights to Hulk may be headed back to Disney as The Incredible Hulk's Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson make a comeback in Captain America 4. So, finally exploring Red Hulk in the MCU may be the direction Marvel Studios is headed in with Brave New World.
Captain America: Brave New World, starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, hits theaters on July 26, 2024.
