Tim Blake Nelson “Was Convinced” That He Would Not Return to the MCU
While Captain America: Brave New World will see Anthony Mackie assume the role of Captain America and Giancarlo Esposito enter the MCU as Sidewinder, it will also feature the return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns.
Nelson first played the classic Marvel villain in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk but has not reprised his role since.
For those who don’t know, Samuel Sterns was a biologist who was working on a cure for Bruce Banner’s Hulk problem. When an open wound in his head was contaminated by Banner’s blood, however, he transformed into the Leader- a disfigured green villain with a giant head.
![Tim Blake Nelson](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-16-at-10-57-26-Captain-America-4-Tim-Blake-Nelson-Teases-The-Leaders-MCU-Return.png)
![Tim Blake Nelson](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-16-at-10-57-26-Captain-America-4-Tim-Blake-Nelson-Teases-The-Leaders-MCU-Return.png)
Photo: SuperHeroHype
Just as the gamma radiation gave Hulk incredible strength, the Leader has enhanced intelligence.
While Stern’s transformation into the Leader was briefly previewed in The Incredible Hulk, the upcoming Captain America film will give Nelson a chance to finally play the super-intelligent villain. It was an opportunity that the actor never thought he would get.
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Leader-3-1024x576.jpg)
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Leader-3-1024x576.jpg)
Photo: Marvel
Nelson Was Convinced He Would Not Come Back
In fact, Sterns told Entertainment Weekly that he “was convinced” that he “would never come back” to the MCU as so much time had passed.
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/THe-Leader-2.png)
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/THe-Leader-2.png)
Photo: Marvel
“And the character has a lot of pathos and rage, and I had to grow up a little bit to meet those challenges as an actor,” he adds.
Becoming the Leader
Nelson asked Marvel to use practical effects and not VFX to bring the Leader to life.
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Leader-1024x575.jpeg)
![The Leader](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Leader-1024x575.jpeg)
Photo: Marvel
“I had only one request, which was that we realize the character practically. And they were willing to do that,” Nelson explained.
“Of course, if they’d said no, I still would have done it. But I wanted to really have the look and the weight of the character. And look in the mirror and see the deformation of the character and have the other actors experience that.”
![Tim Blake Nelson](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tim-Blake-Nelson-1024x576.jpg)
![Tim Blake Nelson](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tim-Blake-Nelson-1024x576.jpg)
Photo: NY Times
In addition to Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, Captain America: Brave New World will also see the return of The Incredible Hulk characters Thunderbolt Ross (now played by Harrison Ford) and Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Seventeen years after the Hulk movie was released, Marvel is seemingly continuing its story.
Captain America: Brave New World will hit theaters on February 14, 2025.
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