Giancarlo Esposito is confirmed to be playing Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World, but just who is this Marvel villain?
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Captain America 4's Sidewinder Explained
At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios announced Giancarlo Esposito's mysterious MCU villain for Captain America 4 is Sidewinder, the leader of the Serpent Society.
Brave New World's first trailer offered a preview of Esposito's comic book baddie, showing him in all black and toting a rifle.
But in print, Sidewinder sported a dramatically different look.
In Marvel Comics, Sidewinder was known as Seth Voelker, a hiree by the Roxxon Oil Company to retrieve the Serpent Crown and who was outfitted with a cloak possessing teleportation powers.
Voelker ultimately formed the Serpent Society and recruited various snake-themed villains (and Captain America antagonists), including Anaconda, Cobra, Princess Python, Diamondback, and Black Mamba, the latter with whom he was romantically involved.
Diamondback (aka Rachel Leighton) is already confirmed for Captain America 4 and will be played by Rosa Salazar.
Captain America 4's Villain Ensemble
Ever since The Mandalorian star joined the Anthony Mackie-led cast during additional photography, his villain's identity had been carefully guarded but frequently teased.
His reveal as Sidewinder is interesting, given that character's comic book roots and Diamondback's presence in Captain America 4.
But the question is how Marvel Studios intends to adapt the slippery, teleporting the comic book character into live-action.
While that remains to be seen, casting the scene-stealing Esposito is a brilliant move given that Captain America: Brave New World was already crowded with compelling villains, such as Tim Blake Nelson's The Leader and Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk.
It will be fascinating to see how these antagonists connect and their impact on Mackie's Captain America and the future of the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.
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