CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD: How Sam Wilson’s Vibranium Suit Is the Key to Battling Red Hulk

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is gearing up for an explosive showdown in Captain America: Brave New World, pitting Sam Wilson’s Captain America against President "Thunderbolt" Ross as the raging Red Hulk.

The film’s creative team has shared some interesting insights into how Sam will handle this big challenge—and why Red Hulk won’t be sporting a mustache.

Some fans have been wondering how a Captain America without superpowers could possibly survive a fight against a Hulk, given Sam’s choice in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier to reject the Super Soldier Serum.

According to executive producer Nate Moore, this was a key question from the outset. He told Entertainment Weekly.: "As soon as we decided this was the story we were going to tell, we realized there was a big hurdle.”

Dan Cox, the film's VFX supervisor, added bluntly: "He takes a punch, his head’s going to go flying."

The solution was giving Sam a Wakandan-engineered Vibranium suit, designed to help Sam survive, though not necessarily dominate. This was previously revealed, but when elaborating on it, Moore said:

"I say 'somewhat' because it’s a Red Hulk. What are you going to do? We’re very conscious of not having the movie feel disingenuous. So, giving Sam equipment to survive is different than giving Sam equipment to succeed."

Cox then elaborated on the choreography required for such a fight: "We had to choreograph the fight sequences to allow him to constantly be using those as, basically, two additional limbs so that he can take the Hulk punches from time to time, but he does everything he can to avoid those anyway. You’ll see it in the action sequence; it’s not fun when he gets hit."

Anthony Mackie previously talked about his new suit saying: He goes on to explain that his new suit will even the odds in these fights, saying: "It’s a high-tech suit. I went to Wakanda, met with everybody in Wakanda, we had dinner. It was a great time. They threw me a welcome party. It was dope. But when I was leaving, they gave me a suit, right?"

"I put it on. I can kick harder, I can fly faster, and it gives me the ability to be more agile in my skills, so it’s taking all my skills to a completely different level."

One of the more amusing revelations is that concept art of Red Hulk with a mustache does exist, though it didn’t make the final cut. Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding confirmed this detail.

Moore also reflected on the late William Hurt, who originally portrayed Thunderbolt Ross and shared that Hurt was enthusiastic about reprising the role before his passing:

"When he passed, it was a surprise. You figure out if it’s worth proceeding with the story you have or trying something else. It just so happened that Harrison Ford reached out to [Marvel Studios President] Kevin Feige about potentially playing in the Marvel sandbox."

Harrison Ford, who is now stepping into Ross’s shoes, saw the role as a way to honor Hurt’s legacy while continuing the character's arc. Moore revealed:

"What we liked was this notion of a man who is trying to do the best he can but can’t quite outrun the demons of his past. Turning a guy who hunted Hulks into a Hulk himself makes him more than an antagonist; it makes him a tragic character."

Moore also hinted that Secret Empire, a notable comic storyline, serves as a key inspiration for the film.

In the film, “After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident.

“He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.”

The first reactions that have come out of the film have not been good. the movie is described as “inessential” and “flat.” But, we’ll just have to wait to see the movie for ourselves.

What do you think about Mackie’s comments on how Sam Wilson will be able to stand up against and effectively fight super-powered villains?

Captain America: Brave New World opens in U.S. theaters on February 14, 2025.