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February 7, 2025 | 2:50pm
Harrison Ford joins the MCU in 'Captain America: Brave New World' opposite Anthony Mackie.
Marvel Studios
MANILA, Philippines — Harrison Ford is an exciting addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in "Captain America: Brave New World."
Ford takes over the role of Ross from the late William Hurt who portrayed the character in five previous films, from 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" to 2021's "Black Widow."
Hurt died in March 2022 due to bone-metastasized terminal prostate cancer. He was 71.
In the upcoming film, with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as the new Captain America, Ross is elected as the new president of the United States who wants to work with Wilson but transforms into the Red Hulk.
Mackie, Ford, and several of the movie's cast and crew sat down for a virtual press conference with members of the global press including Philstar.com, where Ford was asked about his thoughts on playing a president again, only this time one that turns into a smashing monster.
The actor previously played a US president in the 1997 action thriller "Air Force One" with Gary Oldman, William H. Macy, Paul Guilfoyle, and Glenn Close, the latter also a part of the MCU.
"I was very happy with the opportunity to play in this playground. What an amazing group of people to work with, and what an imaginative reality," Ford said. "So I was looking forward to having a piece of the action. I think the character was a great fit for me."
Ford also honored Hurt, noting that his work was built on top of the foundation the late actor had provided for Ross, and as an extension of the stories the character has been a part of.
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"I watched Marvel movies, and seeing actors I really liked, really admired, have a great time, and I thought, 'Hey, I want me some of that,'" Ford laughed.
He hoped that Ross would return in the future, hopefully developing into something other than Red Hulk, "I think we have the capacity to shift shape between Hulkness and humanity, but that's really not my department."
Later on in the presser, Ford was asked if he had any hesitations unleashing Hulk-like fury on set while shooting.
"I just went for it," Ford said with a laugh after gesturing like Red Hulk. "And nobody stopped me."
Toward the end of the conversation, Tim Blake Nelson — reprising his role as Samuel Stern from "The Incredible Hulk" — praised Ford's performance in the movie, comparing it to the titular character in William Shakespeare's "King Lear."
"You're one of the greats and you're in this comic book movie. And that's so unbelievably exciting to see, that level of commitment and soul in this American mythology, which is the MCU. It goes back to the comics. And I can't wait for people to see that level of commitment and to say, 'What in the world is gonna happen next?'" Nelson said.
"Captain America: Brave New World" premieres in Philippine cinemas on February 12.
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