Summary
A new supervillain organization appearing in Marvel Studios’Captain America: Brave New Worldcould be the perfect replacement for HYDRA in theMCU. Following major cast and story announcements at this year’s SDCC and D23 presentations, anticipation is high for the MCU’s next feature film,Captain America: Brave New World. Marking the theatrical debut ofSam Wilson’s Captain America,Brave New Worldwill pit the new star-spangled-man against a number of villains, including the Leader, the Red Hulk, and a group that could be a new long-running threat in the MCU.
The return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Leader and the MCU debut of Harrison Ford as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross' Red Hulk is hugely exciting. Thefirst trailers forCaptain America: Brave New Worldhave teased a grounded, down-to-Earth narrative in the style ofCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, however, so Sam Wilson won’t only be facing these fantastical and colorful villains.Brave New Worldwill debutThe BoysandBreaking Badstar Giancarlo Esposito as a brand-new MCU villainwho leads a group that may be the perfect replacement for an age-old supervillain organization.
Sidewinder & The Serpent Society Will Be Appearing In Captain America 4
Giancarlo Esposito Was Cast In The MCU After Overwhelming Calls From Fans To Include Him
During Marvel Studios' SDCC presentation in July, Giancarlo Esposito revealed that he would be playing the"King of the Serpent Society"inCaptain America: Brave New World, Seth Voelker’s Sidewinder. The Serpent Society have long been speculated to be introduced to the MCU. Back in 2014,Kevin Feige announcedCaptain America: Serpent Societyas one of Phase 3’s projects, but quickly revealed this to be a red herringas Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. joined him on stage to promoteCaptain America: Civil Warin its place.
The Serpent Society have been an ever-present threat to Marvel Comics' Captain America since the organization’s debut in 1985’sCaptain America #310. Comprised of snake-themed villains,the Serpent Society was formed by Sidewinder so that the villains could protect each other and share profits, like a villainous labor union. TheSerpent Society finally coming to the MCUis very exciting, particularly since the group’s debut could introduce a huge number of new villains to the franchise, such as the Viper, the Cobra and Diamondback (not the version fromLuke Cage).
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The Serpent Society Is Just What The MCU Needs After A Decade Without HYDRA
HYDRA Was A Major Threat To The MCU In Phases 1 & 2
As an expansive, covert and dangerous new supervillain organization, the Serpent Society’s introduction could presentCaptain America: Brave New Worldwith the perfect opportunity to replaceHYDRA in the MCU. HYDRA was first seen in 2011’sCaptain America: The First Avenger, and had a prominent role throughout Phases 1 and 2 of the MCU, but has been absent from the franchise for almost a decade.Captain America: The Winter Soldierfeatured HYDRA heavily, as the group was revealed to have been growing within SHIELD, but HYDRA has been all but ignoredsinceAvengers: Age of Ultron.
At his core, Captain America is a street-level hero in the MCU, so introducing a new group of low-level villains such as the Serpent Society is a great idea. HYDRA filled this role forSteve Rogers' Captain America, while the Serpent Society - briefly rebranded as Serpent Solutions - came into conflict with Sam Wilson’s Captain America in Marvel Comics.Sidewinder and the Serpent Society will create grounded and relatable problems for Sam Wilson, and could become his new ever-present threat, as the group has been teased to have a larger role in the MCU’s future.
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The Serpent Society Could Get More Focus Than HYDRA Ever Did
Giancarlo Esposito Teased An MCU Series In His Future
HYDRA saw a good amount of development in the MCU’s early days, but Marvel Studios could have milked the organization even further, though chose to remove it from the franchise followingAge of Ultron. It seems the Serpent Society won’t be getting this treatment anytime soon. Back in May, shortly after his casting in the MCU,Giancarlo Esposito suggested that his then-mystery character would appear in a Disney+ series following his debut inCaptain America: Brave New World(viaLegion of Sand), which suggests the Serpent Society will return on the small screen.
Currently, no upcoming series has been confirmed to include the Serpent Society. However, it’s very possible that the organization could fit into one of theMCU’s street-level stories, such asDaredevil: Born AgainorIronheart.Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder and the Serpent Society could also return in an as-yet-unannounced Disney+ series focused solely on the group, which could see them get more development than HYDRA ever did in the MCU’s history.Captain America: Brave New Worldmay lay the foundations for the Serpent Society to become the MCU’s next major supervillain group.
Captain America: Brave New World
Cast
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titledNew World Order)marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers' successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.After meeting President Thaddeus Ross, Sam is caught in a global crisis. He must expose the mastermind behind a sinister plot before the world descends into turmoil. Captain America: Brave New World marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
