Captain America 4 is well underway, but we will see a different version of America’s greatest superhero this time. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is set to fully replace Chris Evans’s Steve Rogers as Mackie moves into his first solo Captain America movie. The new film will bring a ton of star power, as Harrison Ford has replaced the late and great William Hurt as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Joining them is MCU alumni Tim Blake Nelson, who appeared in The Incredible Hulk (2008).
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Marvel is going through some reshuffling regarding the heroes we are used to seeing, but Mackie is undoubtedly the right person to take Captain America to the next level. He is being joined by some of the best talents in the world, which will make this MCU feature reminiscent of how good Captain America: The Winter Solider was.
Tim Blake Nelson Appears As Samuel Sterns
Tim Blake Nelson was photographed walking in his new costume; though he does not look like the comic-accurate version of The Leader, the color coordination could indicate that Marvel will be showcasing the villain just as he is in the comics.
🚨🚨: First look at Tim Blake Nelson on the set of 'CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER.'
He will be returning to play Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, last seen in 'THE INCREDIBLE HULK' over 15 years ago. pic.twitter.com/0M0kynmmYf
— Captain America: NWO Updates (@UpdatesCAP4) March 29, 2023
The usual case for The Leader is that his costume contains a green and purple combination, which seems precisely what Tim Blake Nelson is wearing in the above images. Though he is not in his full villainous costume, we can imagine that he will slowly transform into The Leader throughout the movie.
Nelson is very familiar with Samuel Sterns’s character, as he had previously portrayed the mad scientist in The Incredible Hulk. However, the movie featured Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, who Mark Ruffalo has since replaced. Liv Tyler is also returning as Betsy Ross, returning the essential canon elements from the 2008 movie.
During the movie’s events, Samuel Sterns secretly messages Bruce Banner as they attempt to find a cure to take the Hulk out of Banner. Sterns is also forced to turn Emil Blonsky into a Hulk-like beast, transforming him into the Abomination. Blonsky did return in She-Hulk, bringing Tim Roth’s portrayal back into the MCU.
During the ensuing madness when Hulk and Abomination fought, a vile of radioactive blood from Banner dropped onto an open wound, turning Sterns’s green and growing in size. However, Nelson was never asked to return until now.
Tim Blake Nelson surprised the world at D23 2022 when he walked on stage during the Captain America 4 panel and announced that Marvel was returning him to portray Samuel Sterns again. However, we will likely see The Leader’s accurate comic version this time.
‘Captain America 4’ Set For 2024 Release
Captain America 4 will officially release on May 3, 2024. Marvel has been shuffling things around lately, so we would imagine that this Captain America installment could also be moved, though that is only speculation.
Anthony Mackie returns as Sam Wilson/Captain America, with Danny Ramirez from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) returning as Joaquin Torres. Torres will assume the role of The Falcon. We imagine Sebastian Stan will appear as Bucky Barnes, though that has not been confirmed.
Related: 15 Years Later, ‘Hulk’ Star Rejoins the MCU
Joining them is Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader, Liv Tyler as Betsy Ross, and Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross.
Are you excited to see Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!