Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
Harrison Ford says he was “delighted” to step into William Hurt’s MCU role.
Hurt played Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in a number of MCU projects, including 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, and 2021’s Black Widow.
After Hurt passed away in March 2022 at the age of 71, Ford was tapped to take over his MCU role and is now starring in Captain America: Brave New World, also known as Captain America 4, which opens in United States theaters this weekend.
What did Harrison Ford say about stepping into William Hurt’s MCU role?
Speaking with Deadline, Ford opened up about what made him want to take on the role of Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk.
“That was one of the attractions,” he said. “It was a character that had been grounded in the work that a fantastic actor. It was a bonus, as far as I’m concerned. And under the rules of the Marvel Universe, such as they are — and I know they’re a bit bendable — somehow it’s ok for one actor to come in and take over for another actor. I was delighted to have the opportunity. I always wanted to do a Marvel [movie]. I wanted to be part of the pleasure of these entertainments.”
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World sees Anthony Mackie reprise his role as Sam Wilson/Captain America. The cast also includes Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson.
“Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America,” the synopsis for the movie, directed by Julius Onah, reads. “After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.”
