Summary

  • Harrison Ford's role in "Captain America: Brave New World" could be a new franchise for the iconic actor, fulfilling his desire to continue acting.
  • The theory that Ford's character, Thaddeus Ross, will become the Red Hulk would allow him to keep working in the MCU for as long as he wants.
  • Transforming Ross into the Red Hulk would give Ford a larger role in the MCU and provide a solution for his age-related limitations in action-heavy roles.

Harrison Ford’s rumored Captain America: Brave New World story can provide the actor with a new franchise role. The American actor is an iconic Hollywood action star with leading roles in two iconic franchises, Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Having not played the titular character since 2008, Ford recently returned as Indiana Jones for a final time in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Though his age might mean he’ll have to step back from stunt work, the actor has no intention of retiring anytime soon.

In an interview with CNN, Ford said that he still enjoys acting and has no plans to retire from the field (via Deadline). With Ford currently filming Captain America: Brave New World, this will be his first step into a new action franchise. He is confirmed to play Thaddeus Ross, taking over the role from the late William Hurt. With this established character, there are several theories that the MCU will give Ross a new layer by giving him his comic mantle of Red Hulk. With the nature of the Red Hulk role, the character would allow Ford to keep working in the MCU for as long as he wants.

Related: Harrison Ford Has Spent 8 Years Retiring His Biggest Characters: How Each Exit Compares

An MCU Red Hulk Would Fulfill Harrison Ford's Retirement Wish

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

If the theory that Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross will be the Red Hulk turns out to be true, this role would fulfill the actor’s wish not to retire. Captain America: Brave New World will be Ford’s MCU debut, and it’s likely Marvel wouldn’t have cast such an iconic actor if there weren’t plans for him beyond one film. Thunderbolt Ross is already an important character in the MCU, but having him become the Red Hulk would only increase his importance to the plot.

With Ford’s career being defined by his roles in action films, the actor fits right into the MCU. However, his older age means that he probably won’t be as involved with the action as he used to be. The Red Hulk theory would ultimately solve this problem, with the character performance relying on a mix of motion capture and voice acting. This would ensure that Ford could keep playing the role in the MCU for as long as he wants, giving the iconic actor a considerable amount of time in yet another major franchise and honoring his wish of continuing acting.

Why Red Hulk Is The Perfect Pay-Off For General Ross' Story

Marvel's Red Hulk

Thunderbolt Ross was first introduced in The Incredible Hulk and has gone on to play a role in other MCU stories like Captain America: Civil War and Black Widow. The character has since aged and has weakened in health. With his persistent hatred of Bruce Banner’s Hulk, he will need something to help him fight his nemesis. Ross already has a track record of wanting to use super soldier serums for military purposes, so it would not be far off to assume that he would use serums to transform himself.

Related: The MCU's New Avengers Bombshell Sets Up Red Hulk's MCU Story

Harrison Ford has had an iconic career thus far, and he is only adding to his resume with his anticipated MCU debut. Though the actor may be at the point in his career where he can’t pursue action-heavy roles anymore, he has expressed his desire to continue acting. Making Ford’s Thaddeus Ross the Red Hulk would be a way to give him an even larger role in the MCU while playing a character that would be easy for him to portray through motion capture and voice acting. With Captain America: Brave New World currently in production, it won’t be long until the Red Hulk theory unfolds.

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