Captain America: Brave New World Cast (2025)
Marvel Studios | Action, Superhero, Political Thriller | 118 min | Directed by Julius Onah
Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson as he steps fully into the role of Captain America, navigating a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of the U.S. government. When a series of international incidents draws him into conflict with the newly elected President Thaddeus Ross — and his terrifying alter ego, the Red Hulk — Sam must find a way to protect both the country and its people. The film is a direct continuation of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and brings back several of that show's key characters while introducing new faces from the Marvel Comics universe.
The Captain America: Brave New World cast is headlined by Anthony Mackie, who officially inherits the Captain America mantle after receiving Steve Rogers's shield in Avengers: Endgame (2019) and earning the title on the small screen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Opposite him is Harrison Ford in his MCU debut, stepping into the role of President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross — a casting that generated enormous excitement. The film also brings back Tim Blake Nelson in a character arc seventeen years in the making, as Samuel Sterns finally emerges as The Leader, the superintelligent villain teased but not fully realized since The Incredible Hulk (2008).
Main Cast
Anthony Mackie
Sam Wilson / Captain America
The former Air Force pararescueman and Avenger who now fully bears the Captain America mantle — shield, wings, and all the political complexity that comes with it.
Harrison Ford
President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross / Red Hulk
The newly elected President of the United States whose long history with gamma radiation leads to a catastrophic transformation that puts him directly at odds with Captain America.
Danny Ramirez
Joaquin Torres / Falcon
Sam's protégé who inherits the Falcon identity and the winged suit, taking on the role Sam himself once held as Sam steps up to Captain America.
Tim Blake Nelson
Samuel Sterns / The Leader
A scientist whose gamma-irradiated brain has been evolving for years, now reemerging as The Leader with an intellect so amplified it makes him one of the most dangerous minds in the MCU.
Carl Lumbly
Isaiah Bradley
A pioneering Black Super Soldier who was unjustly imprisoned by the U.S. government for decades; his history with Sam provides moral grounding and historical weight to the story.
Shira Haas
Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra
An Israeli government super-agent with augmented physical abilities, drawn into the film's international conspiracy as an uneasy potential ally for Sam.
Giancarlo Esposito
Sidewinder
The leader of the Serpent Society, a mercenary organization that becomes entangled in the film's larger conspiracy, bringing the Breaking Bad veteran's trademark intensity to the MCU.
Liv Tyler
Betty Ross
Thaddeus Ross's daughter and a key figure in the film's gamma-related storyline, reprising her role from The Incredible Hulk (2008) after a lengthy MCU absence.
Supporting & Recurring Cast
| Actor | Character | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Ramirez | Joaquin Torres / Falcon | Sam's protégé, inheriting the Falcon identity | Reprising role from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier |
| Carl Lumbly | Isaiah Bradley | Pioneering Black Super Soldier; Sam's moral compass | Reprising role from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier |
| Liv Tyler | Betty Ross | Daughter of President Ross; gamma-science expert | First MCU appearance since The Incredible Hulk (2008) |
| Shira Haas | Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra | Israeli super-agent and reluctant ally | MCU debut; character from Marvel Comics |
| Giancarlo Esposito | Sidewinder | Serpent Society leader; antagonist | MCU debut for both actor and character |
| Tim Blake Nelson | Samuel Sterns / The Leader | Super-intelligent villain; primary antagonist | First seen in The Incredible Hulk (2008) |
| Harrison Ford | President Ross / Red Hulk | Commander in Chief who transforms into the Red Hulk | MCU debut; replaces William Hurt in the role |
| Rosa Salazar | Gabriella Rosario | A government official drawn into the film's conspiracy | New MCU character |
Creators & Production
Julius Onah
Director — Onah brought a grounded, political-thriller sensibility to this MCU entry, emphasizing character tension over spectacle in the film's first two acts before its action-heavy finale.
Malcolm Spellman
Screenwriter — Head writer of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Spellman co-wrote the script, providing continuity with that series' themes of race, legacy, and identity in America.
Dalan Musson
Screenwriter — Co-wrote the screenplay with Spellman, helping shape the film's political thriller framework and its ensemble of returning characters.
Kevin Feige
Producer — Marvel Studios President, overseeing the film as part of the MCU's Phase Five slate and managing the high-profile casting of Harrison Ford as President Ross.
Nate Moore
Producer — A longtime Marvel Studios producer who has shepherded the Captain America franchise and the related Disney+ series, maintaining continuity across the story threads.
Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
Source Material — Created Captain America, who first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 in March 1941, one of Marvel's most enduring characters.
About the Captain America: Brave New World Cast
The most headline-grabbing casting decision in Captain America: Brave New World was Harrison Ford replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross. Hurt had played the character in four MCU films before his passing in March 2022. Ford, 82 at the time of filming, brought a different energy to the role — one more befitting a man who has reached the pinnacle of political power. His transformation into the Red Hulk pays off a thread that had been teased since The Incredible Hulk (2008), and the visual of Ford's face rendered in red-hulk form quickly became one of the most talked-about images from the film's marketing campaign. Liv Tyler's return as Betty Ross, absent from the MCU for seventeen years, similarly generated considerable fan interest.
Tim Blake Nelson's turn as The Leader is a remarkable example of long-term Marvel storytelling. Nelson appeared briefly in The Incredible Hulk (2008) as Samuel Sterns, a scientist whose head was shown beginning to expand after contact with Bruce Banner's blood — clearly signaling a future villain role. Sixteen years elapsed before that promise was fulfilled in Brave New World, making it one of the longest gaps between a character's MCU introduction and their full villain debut. The film also continues Anthony Mackie's layered performance as Sam Wilson, a Captain America navigating not just physical threats but the symbolic and political weight of carrying a shield that has such complicated meaning in American history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Captain America: Brave New World?
Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America. Harrison Ford plays President Thaddeus Ross, who transforms into the Red Hulk, with Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon and Tim Blake Nelson returning as The Leader.
Who plays Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World?
Harrison Ford plays President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, who transforms into the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World. Ford took over the role from the late William Hurt, who originated the character in the MCU.
When was Captain America: Brave New World released?
Captain America: Brave New World was released on February 14, 2025. It is the fourth Captain America film in the MCU and the first to star Anthony Mackie as the title hero.
Who directed Captain America: Brave New World?
Captain America: Brave New World was directed by Julius Onah, known for The Cloverfield Paradox (2018). Malcolm Spellman, head writer of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, co-wrote the screenplay.
Is Isaiah Bradley in Captain America: Brave New World?
Yes. Carl Lumbly reprises his role as Isaiah Bradley, the Super Soldier who was imprisoned by the U.S. government, a character he first played in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+.
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