Freshly uncovered concept art for Captain America: Brave New World reveals that The Leader nearly had a far more terrifying design. Known for his towering intellect and signature green hue, the longtime Hulk villain returned to the MCU with a bit of a whimper this February. While not canon to the MCU, here's an in-depth look at several designs of Samuel Sterns, played by Tim Blake Nelson.
The Leader returned to the MCU nearly two decades after his debut in The Incredible Hulk, with Nelson reprising his role as Dr. Samuel Sterns 17 years later. While fans anticipated a comic-accurate design, Sterns's final look in Captain America: Brave New World was a clear departure. It was subtler and more grounded than his oversized, mutated comic counterpart, which was altered during production.
In the film, Sterns is unmasked as the mastermind behind mind control experiments and a global conflict tied to stolen adamantium. After escaping from the secret Camp Echo One facility, he devises a plan to publicly discredit President Ross (Harrison Ford), who had exploited and imprisoned him for years.
Despite his puppet-mastery in the film, leading to the Red Hulk explosion and the ensuing battle against Anthony Mackie's Captain America, many comics fans were let down by the portrayal. New glimpses at what The Leader could've looked like indicate a much scarier version would've been in store.
This version features The Leader with classic green skin, a massive cranium, sharp eyebrows, a full head of hair, and a sinister mustache, giving him an unsettling, almost devilish presence.
These four variants exaggerate the size of his neck and head to grotesque levels, with one sporting a robotic headpiece and others looking like their brains are on the verge of bursting through the skull.
Extremely thin and alien-like, this design exposes the lining of his brain through his skin, creating an eerie, otherworldly appearance.
With wires embedded into a semi-mechanical skull, facial hair, and a mohawk-style hairdo, this version evokes serious Brainiac vibes from DC Comics.
These designs lean heavily into retro sci-fi horror, with enormous heads covered in wires and a multi-faceted outfit that makes him feel more like a terrifying superweapon than a man.
This take goes over the top with a hilariously oversized head and a ghastly gray tone, making it look like his skull might literally split open.
Another gray-skinned variant, this version's lopsided brain bulge on the left side gives him a disturbingly unnatural, almost deformed quality.
In this design, The Leader's skin is a vibrant green, but his elongated, bulbous forehead dwarfs his shrunken facial features, amplifying his creep factor.
These new looks add to the "What Ifs" when it comes to The Leader, including potentially having different abilities. From the same art book, Marvel initially considered much more terrifying versions of The Leader, including a brain-sucking tentacle inspired by The Thing and The Immortal Hulk comics.
Artist Ian Joyner shared that Marvel ultimately chose to scale back the body horror, but early artwork shows just how nightmarish the villain could have been. Compared to these disturbing concepts, Nelson's final on-screen look was noticeably toned down.
The Leader Should've Remained a Mystery
The Leader’s return to the MCU felt unnecessary, even with Tim Blake Nelson reprising the role after 17 years. While it finally addressed a long-dangling thread from The Incredible Hulk, the payoff was minimal and lacked emotional or narrative weight. Despite his ties to Bruce Banner, placing Sterns in a Captain America film (rather than a Hulk-centric story) felt out of place and underwhelming.
The fact that Marvel scaled back his design and changed it mid-production only diluted the character's impact. Ultimately, the toned-down version paled compared to the terrifying concept art, making his return feel like a missed opportunity rather than a triumphant comeback.
