Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.
One of the most significant transformations in Captain America: Brave New World is that of President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) into the monstrous Red Hulk, the climactic moment of the film that sets up the David vs. Goliath showdown between the giant and Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson. However, unlike previous Hulk iterations, this version of Ross does not speak — a creative decision that director Julius Onah says was a point of debate behind the scenes, as he explained to Collider’s Steve Weintraub.
“Whether or not Red Hulk should talk, that was something that came up quite a bit,” Onah told Collider. “My feeling was that he shouldn’t, which is what is the case in the movie.” According to Onah, the decision was tied to Ross’ internal conflict and his resistance to the rage-fueled persona he has become. He told Collider:
“The transformation that Ross is dealing with and the struggle that Ross is dealing with emotionally in this film is trying to move away from what he’s been known as, as Thunderbolt Ross. The moment you gave him language as a Hulk, then people can talk to each other, and you’re moving away from pure id to a more rational being. It was the same way Harrison felt.”
While some fans might have expected Red Hulk to have a more vocal presence, Onah believes the choice ultimately made for a more compelling arc. “That speaks to a guy and how great of collaborators everybody at Marvel is. They respected that, and that’s what we got in the movie.”
The Hulk’s Ability To Converse Was Earned
Weintraub noted that Mark Ruffalo‘s Bruce Banner had learned over time to merge his consciousness with that of The Hulk. When Banner was played by Edward Norton in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, he was already used to transforming, so we never got to see Banner teach himself how to speak. It’s fair to assume that Brave New World’s presentation of a more primal and terrifying version of the character also showed us one that has very rarely turned into a Hulk, hence the lack of ability to converse, or even grunt. Perhaps, over time, we’ll see the former President Ross trained by Banner to harness his abilities and help the Avengers, who will soon need all the assistance they can get.
Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters all around the world.
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