Hulk Villain Leader's Role in Captain America: Brave New World Explained

While the marketing for the film hasn't yet placed him in the spotlight, fans have been aware since at least 2022 that Tim Blake Nelson will reprise his role as Samuel Sterns/The Leader in Captain America: Brave New World. Nelson first brought this character to life in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, and after a long hiatus, The Leader is finally making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

It's exciting to see Marvel tying up this loose end, but it's somewhat unexpected that The Leader is being positioned as a villain in a Captain America film rather than a new Hulk movie. However, this twist is precisely what makes him such a formidable adversary. The Leader is the last type of enemy Sam Wilson would anticipate facing, which adds to his danger. Let's delve into The Leader's background and explore why he could be a fitting villain for the next Captain America installment.

The Leader is undoubtedly one of Hulk's primary arch-nemeses. Unlike most Hulk villains who seek to outmatch the Jade Giant in strength, Samuel Sterns represents the intellectual counterpart to Bruce Banner. After being exposed to gamma radiation, Sterns' intelligence soared to match the Hulk's strength, making him one of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe.

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In The Incredible Hulk from 2008, The Leader was set up as a future MCU villain. Tim Blake Nelson portrayed a pre-transformation Samuel Sterns, who initially aids the fugitive Bruce Banner as a cellular biologist in search of a cure for his condition. However, Sterns doesn't fully align with Banner's goal of eliminating the Hulk. Instead, he synthesizes Banner's blood, believing it holds the key to eradicating diseases and unlocking humanity's potential. Sterns is coerced by General Ross into assisting with Emil Blonsky's transformation into the Abomination.

The film concludes with Sterns in a narrative limbo, his forehead cut exposed to Banner's irradiated blood, causing his head to swell and mutate.

Expect Nelson's character to have a transformed appearance when he returns in Captain America: Brave New World.

The Return of the Leader in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Incredible Hulk laid the groundwork for a sequel by teasing Sterns' transformation into The Leader. However, Marvel Studios has avoided producing another solo Hulk film due to Universal Pictures holding part of the film rights. Consequently, Hulk's narrative has unfolded within the Avengers films and Thor: Ragnarok, which explains the delay in Nelson reprising his role as The Leader.

Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner also appeared in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, where he left Earth in Episode 3 aboard a Sakaarian ship to address unfinished business from his gladiator days. He returned in the season finale with a son, Skaar.

Rumors suggested The Leader might appear in She-Hulk before becoming the main villain in Captain America: Brave New World. Episode 3 introduced the Wrecking Crew, four construction workers using stolen Asgardian tools, who attempted to steal a sample of Jen Walters' blood for a mysterious benefactor. Given The Leader's interest in gamma science and Hulk's blood, he seemed a likely candidate to be orchestrating the Crew's actions. Although this didn't materialize, the trailers for Brave New World suggest The Leader is manipulating a different set of villains.

Why the Leader Is One of the Villains in Captain America 4

The Leader's appearance in a Captain America sequel might seem unexpected, as he has no direct grudge against Banner. If he resents his transformation into a super-genius with an oversized head, his animosity should be directed at Ross and Blonsky.

This could be central to The Leader's role in Brave New World. Betrayed by a decorated military officer, Sterns might seek revenge against now-President Ross, played by Harrison Ford in the film (replacing the late William Hurt). The Leader's plan could involve tarnishing Ross's reputation and discrediting America on the global stage, which would also put him in direct conflict with the new Captain America, Sam Wilson.

Director Julius Onah emphasized that The Leader's danger lies in his unexpected nature as a villain for Sam Wilson. "Actions have consequences, and that's what's so great about what the MCU has been able to build," Onah told IGN at D23 in 2022. "In this universe, in this world, things that people do come back in ways that are surprising and unexpected, and Tim Blake Nelson coming back as The Leader is such an exciting thing to explore because his story now is going to challenge Sam Wilson, our new Captain America, in a way that he never expected. So it's really, really thrilling. And I think a lot of things that got set up and established years ago will allow the MCU to actually go in new directions that audiences are going to really, really be excited about."

Onah also revealed that this crisis will serve as the first major test of Sam's leadership abilities. He'll need to rally the Avengers—or whatever the current iteration of the team is—against a unique threat.

"We saw what it means for somebody like him to take the shield," Onah said. "But it is also a very different MCU. It's a post-blip MCU. It's a post-Thanos MCU. So the world has changed a lot too. And the role of a hero has changed. What does that mean? The decisions he's going to have to make, and the situations he's going to be confronted with, are radically different from what Steve Rogers had to deal with. And as a result of that, because he's a leader now of this team, he's got to make decisions that are going to have massive implications. So the world has changed around him and he's a changed man, and I think that leads to some really exciting storytelling."

Sam Wilson has faced some of the MCU's most formidable villains and survived, but he's never encountered someone as intellectually threatening as The Leader. Is he up to the challenge? While we hope so, it's significant that Captain America 4 sets the stage not for the next Avengers film, but for the Thunderbolts movie. The Leader might play a role in undermining the symbol of Captain America, paving the way for a darker era in the MCU.

What role do you think The Leader will play in Captain America: Brave New World? Share your theories in the comments below.