How Much Will Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk Be Like the Comics?

The Red Hulk is something fans of Marvel have been waiting for. With the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World dropping, we got our first glimpse of him in all his red glory! So who exactly is the Red Hulk and what is his deal?

The Red Hulk is the alter-ego of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by William Hurt originally and now played by Harrison Ford in Brave New World. How this take on Ross is going to get the Red Hulk powers is something we don’t yet know, but the comic origin of Ross’ big red meanie is interesting to say the least. He got his powers from M.O.D.O.K., but Ross was also technically dead in the comics during all of this, which is what makes this development interesting for Sam Wilson’s Captain America movie.

The Red Hulk is, well, red instead of green like Bruce Banner’s Hulk, because he was created through a mix of cosmic rays and gamma radiation. He does also have one advantage over Bruce Banner’s Hulk: He has heat vision. But the purpose of the Red Hulk was to give Banner’s Hulk a physical equal.

As of right now, we don’t even know if Mark Ruffalo’s Banner will make an appearance in the film, but Liv Tyler is coming back to the Hulk world as Ross’ daughter, Betty Ross, the iconic love interest for Bruce Banner. In the comics, prior to Ross becoming the Red Hulk, he finally gives Bruce and Betty his blessing to marry (after years of hunting down the Hulk and Banner). Whether that comes to life in this Captain America movie, we don’t know.

The Red Hulk is kind of fun, though

Ross hated Banner because he thought that he was in control of the Hulk and destroying things just because he wanted to. When he realized that Banner had no control over what the Hulk did, it didn’t really lessen his hatred of him, but he was more understanding (just not when it came to his daughter).

The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Ross ended up a bit different from the comics because he is less Hulk focused and more Avengers focused in his hatred. First appearing in The Incredible Hulk (2008), which starred Edward Norton as Bruce (before Ruffalo took over), Ross quickly became the governing body who wanted the Avengers to answer for the destruction they caused.

I am interested in how they’ll make the Red Hulk storyline work when Ross’ arc has been less motivated by Banner this time around. But still, getting to see CGI Harrison Ford Hulk is going to be pretty iconic.