Will Captain America: Brave New World be connected to 2008's The Incredible Hulk? Internet speculates

Captain America: Brave New World premieres later this week. As fans gear up for the latest experience in Marvel’s Extended Universe, the dialogue has been fairly split about the entry. It will feature Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the titular hero, alongside Harrison Ford who replaces the recently deceased William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.

Eagle-eyed fans were quick to note that some of the returning cast have not appeared since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and speculation has run amok as to what that may mean for the film and the overall cinematic universe moving forward.

Is Captain America: Brave New World connected to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk?

The upcoming installment of the Captain America franchise is helmed by Junius Onah. The events of Brave New World are instigated by the election of Ford’s Ross, a former army general, to the position of President of the United States. Eventually, the circumstances of the upcoming blockbuster will lead to his transformation into the super-powered Red Hulk. The full synopsis reads as follows.

"Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with President Thaddeus Ross. He must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red."

With all this in mind, a tie-in to Norton’s film seems to make perfect sense to several people online. Mackie’s character had been unsure about taking the mantle of Captain America in the lead-up to the film due to a moral conflict with government bodies who tested on soldiers in an attempt to eventually weaponize their results. Not only is this how Chris Evans’ Captain America attained his abilities, but Bruce Banner’s transformation in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk was also a result of the super soldier program enforced by the American government during World War II.

She-Hulk gained her powers as a result of these programs as well, potentially hinting at much deeper implications regarding several characters as the MCU continues to push forward full steam ahead.

The deeper examination of ethics in the context of super-powered beings and humanity's subsequent response to these otherworldly threats is a poignant pivot point for Marvel. Hopefully, it will serve as an introspective addition to their upcoming slate, as they continue to breach further into a topic that seems more relevant now than ever.

Early Reactions

While Brave New World has not yet been officially released in theatres, early reactions from online users who have seen the film have been pouring in. As aforementioned the results are varied.