This message contains major spoilers For “Captain America: Brave New World”.
2024 was a fairly calm year for the Marvel cinematographic universe, with only “Deadpool & Wolverine” which strikes theaters. 2025 is a different animal because we have several MCU entries adorning the silver screen this year, starting with “Captain America: Brave New World”, which is currently in theaters at the time of publication. It is a very consecutive film about the wider MCU, to address the celestial in the ocean of “Eternals” to present us the vision of Harrison Ford on Thaddeus Ross. This second point in the plot justifies a lot of discussions.
The Harrison Ford icon “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” takes up the role of Thaddeus Ross in the MCU in place of the late William Hurt. This marks the first appearance of the actor as a character, which was part of this universe dating from “The Incredible Hulk” of 2008. In “Brave New World”, Ross is presented as the newly elected president of the United States , the student of War Hero to one of the most important men in the world. Ross’ big objective is to pass a treaty that will divide all the newly discovered adamantium inside the celestial “eternal” also between nations. This does not go as planned.
We discover that Samuel Sterns by Tim Blake Nelson, aka the leader, pulls the ropes behind the scenes. He secretly dosed Ross with gamma radiation, allowing him to release the red shell at the wrong hour in front of the White House after an international incident in the Indian Ocean that broke out on Adamantium. Captain America by Anthony Mackie is forced to face Red Hulk and stop him, but all this takes place in front of the world eyes, demonstrating that Ross is unfit for the presidency.
This is where things become interesting, leaving an open question that could have consequences for the MCU in the future.
What happens to President Ross in Captain America: Brave New World?
After the incident with Red Hulk – who sees him level up most of the White House in addition to being responsible for many more than millions of material damage – it was impossible for Ross to keep his potus title. While the third act of the film is coming to an end, Sam visits Ross to the raft, the floating prison presented for the first time in “Captain America: Civil War” the country.
Sam Wilson congratulates Ross for having readily abandoned his role as President of the United States. This is a big problem because it means there is a new head of the United States in the MCU. The question we have left, who took over for Ross? Whether it is a deliberate teasing studios or Marvel not wanting to engage on this subject, we have never been presented to the vice-president of Ross in “Brave New World”. So, for the moment, it is completely clear that is now seated in the oval office. This is quite important because Ross was only about 100 days after his first mandate. Whatever this person, it could be in office for a while. Whoever will be left to determine what is done with the part of the country of Adamantium, one of the strongest and most precious materials in the Marvel universe. It alone is a big problem.
For what it is worth, Ross was the first consecutive character of the MCU to hold the title of President of the United States. We have already seen William Sadler as President Ellis, for example in “Iron Man 3”, but it was the first time he was presented. So, is the new potus another relatively minor character? Or does Ross dismiss from Marvel Studios the possibility of introducing a more significant character in a future film?
Who took over for Thaddeus Ross as president of the MCU?
It is quite possible, if not likely, that the lack of recognition who had the vice-president of Ross had nothing to do with revelation later. Is it possible that we learn who is the new President of the United States in “Thunderbolts *” this summer? Admittedly, but it could be a working politician per day, rather than a significant character in the pages of Marvel Comics.
Now, if we assume that this is a configuration for something more, one thing that we know with certainty is that the introduction of Adamantium in the MCU means that the X-Men arrive. After all, it is the substance used to make Wolverine claws. Is it possible that this new president is a bridge to the next “X-Men” restart in the MCU? There are logical options. Senator Kelly, for example, who was played by Bruce Davison in the original films of “X-Men”, is a character who could take this coat, most likely with a different actor. There is also Henry Gyrich, a link to the American government in the comics, which also appeared briefly in the films, played by Matthew Sharp.
Although there is no evidence in support of it, it is also possible, but unlikely, that this is how the MCU could present Norman Osborn. One of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies, the man who was once the green goblin ended up becoming president of the United States in comics. Again, since Sony has checked the franchise “Spider-Man”, it seems extremely unlikely, but more strange things have happened. What we know with certainty is that someone is in this chair that takes over for Ross, and this person now has a lot of power.
To find out more about “Captain America: Brave New World”, you can listen to some of my colleagues / films have a discussion filled with spoiler on the film on today’s episode of the Podcast Daily Daily:
“Captain America: Brave New World” is now in theaters.
