In a movie all about struggling to fill the shoes of your predecessor, it’s quite funny that on and off screen there are some decently sized shoes to fill. Captain America: Brave New World, the next of the upcoming Marvel movies, hits the 2025 release schedule later this month, and among the things to look forward to from it is the introduction of Red Hulk. Harrison Ford was asked about being the next person to take on the mantle of the Hulk, and his answer was really on-brand.
At a London promotional event for Brave New World (via On Demand Entertainment) Harrison Ford was asked a few questions about his Red Hulk portrayal. In recent years, the idea of ‘Hulking out’ has been under the monopoly of Mark Ruffalo. When asked if Ruffalo had offered any pointers or advice, Ford’s response can be described as hilariously on brand for his usual dry and witty personality. He simply said:
He wasn’t available for a consultation. I just had to wing it. I hope he’s not disappointed.
Ford did go further into speaking about there being some expectation and responsibility to do fill the shoes of those who walked before you. Which still is very on brand seeing as this movie is all about Sam trying to fill the hole left behind by Steve Rogers. From the costuming to the off-screen discussions, Brave New World thematically speaks on the expectations and pressures of being in one’s shadow, so to speak. All that being said, I join Ford in hoping that Mark Ruffalo approves of what he did as Red Hulk.
The movie itself has been the topic of a few tricky discussions, with some chatter on social media comparing Ford’s President Ross to President Trump. Co-star Anthony Mackie did weigh in on that discussion, stating that it’s being made more political than it should be. A comment that can be said a second time, as over the weekend in an interview Mackie talked about what Captain America represents, and this received a ton of negative backlash.
Reviews for Captain America: Brave New World have not been released yet, so whether or not Ford has filled those shoes has yet to be seen. As a result we do not know for sure what the future holds for Ford’s Red Hulk, but I am confidant that Brave New World will be entertaining nonetheless.
Going back to Mark Ruffalo, he was last seen appearing as Bruce Banner/Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. While the character’s next MCU appearance hasn’t been announced yet, there are rumors of a World War Hulk movie being in development.