The Red Hulk’s rumored origin in Captain America: New World Order could perfectly set up the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new version of Wolverine.
In introducing the highly-anticipated antihero Red Hulk, Captain America: New World Order may also be planting the seeds for Wolverine’s debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The upcoming film will act as one of the final entries in Phase 5, set to hit theaters in May 2024, and has multiple opportunities to change the franchise forever. However, one of the most likely avenues that New World Order will explore is the transformation of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) into the Red Hulk. Interestingly, the Red Hulk’s potential origin is closely tied to that of Wolverine in Marvel Comics, connecting the characters’ live-action counterparts.
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While William Hurt’s passing in 2022 made it seem as though the MCU’s plans for his character may never come true, Harrison Ford’s recasting seemingly confirmed Red Hulk’s debut. Ford’s character is not only confirmed to be the new President of the United States in the MCU but also a major villain in New World Order, facing off against the new Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). In order to become a true threat to Wilson and his companions, Ross may very well undergo his Red Hulk transformation in the upcoming film, and the MCU has already hinted at how such an event could occur.
Red Hulk & Wolverine Are Both Attempted Recreations Of Captain America
In Marvel Comics, both Wolverine and Red Hulk were created in an attempt to fashion a super soldier similar to Captain America. While the results for each experiment differed greatly, both produced powerful superhumans with capabilities beyond even those of Steve Rogers. Interestingly, the MCU has introduced countless super-soldiers, most of whom were the results of direct attempts to create a new Captain America. This includes the MCU’s Hulk characters, given that Bruce Banner’s botched experiment in The Incredible Hulk was on behalf of the government’s efforts to create a new super soldier serum using gamma radiation. Red Hulk’s arrival would confirm the government’s continued attempts to recreate Captain America.
Thunderbolt Ross was directly involved with Banner’s original experiments, tying him to the United States government’s never-ending attempts to create a new super soldier serum. Furthermore, Ross’s recent health trials, as revealed in Captain America: Civil War and Black Widow, imply that his attempts may have become personal, knowing that the super-soldier serum would be able to save his life. As the President of the United States, Ross would have more power to order experiments based on recreating Dr. Abraham Erskine’s original serum, foreshadowing the creation of Wolverine in the MCU, which could follow the comics by introducing the mutant as one such experiment.
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What Is The Weapon X Project In Marvel Comics?
Weapon X is a vital piece of Marvel Comics’ history, providing the origin for several of its best-known characters, including Wolverine. First appearing in the pages of The Incredible Hulk during the mid-1970s, Weapon X was the codename for a covert project run by a nefarious and highly secretive government organization known as Department K, which experimented on mutants in order to enhance their biological abilities, combining innate superpowers with controversial science to create living weapons. Partially inspired by the superhero career of Captain America, Weapon X produced several of Marvel’s most powerful super-soldier recreations, including Wolverine, Sabretooth, Deadpool, and several more.
Later storylines would reveal that Wolverine’s codename was also Weapon X, using Roman numerals to allude to the mutant’s position as the project’s tenth experiment. Fox’s X-Men film series adapted this portion of Wolverine’s origin, though it left out any reference to Captain America for obvious reasons. Now that Disney and Marvel Studios have the rights to use X-Men characters and storylines, however, the chances of Weapon X being adapted in its entirety have risen dramatically. Indeed, MCU projects like Captain America: New World Order could use the Weapon X program to introduce major new characters like Wolverine and even the Red Hulk.
Who Could Be Behind The Weapon X Project In The MCU?
The MCU has already revealed several key characters who could be behind its version of Weapon X. As the most powerful man in the country and a known proponent of recreating Captain America’s super-soldier serum, President Ross is at the very top of that list. Especially after his recent heart attacks, Ross would be more desperate than ever to find a serum that could bolster his failing body and make him stronger than ever. Furthermore, Ross has proven himself to be somewhat nefarious over the years, creating supervillains like the Abomination in his search for power, making him perfect for running a horrifying experiment like the Weapon X project.
However, Ross doesn’t have the scientific knowledge to pull off the creation of new superheroes, suggesting that he would need help from a villainous mastermind like Dr. Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. the Leader, who is already confirmed to appear in New World Order. Sterns has a history of participating in experiments similar to those of Weapon X and has even had dealings with Ross in the past. Together, both the Leader and Thunderbolt Ross could be responsible for a new age of superhumans in the MCU, which could result in the creation of the Red Hulk and Wolverine, as well as countless other characters from Marvel Comics.
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How Weapon X In New World Order Changes The MCU Forever
If Weapon X is indeed introduced during the events of Captain America: New World Order, the MCU may be on the cusp of a dramatic change. For one thing, the true intentions behind Thaddeus Ross’s rise to power would finally be revealed as he institutes a new status quo for superhumans in the MCU. Suddenly, the government would be directly connected to the creation of new heroes, who could be used to complete covert missions, assassinate powerful enemies, and generally push the country’s international interests. With an influx of new heroes, the world would be thrust into a superhuman arms race, which would undoubtedly lead to greater international conflict.
Weapon X also creates the opportunity to introduce several characters from Marvel Comics into the MCU. Wolverine is far from the only famous character to have been created by the Weapon X project in the comics and could be accompanied by several of these mutants when he makes his MCU debut. While Deadpool won’t follow this storyline in the MCU after hopping timelines in Deadpool 3, characters like Sabretooth, Silver Fox, Marrow, and X-23 could all eventually be introduced as products of Weapon X in future projects. If this proves true, Captain America: New World Order may indeed be the beginning of a new age of superheroes in the MCU.
