1 Major ‘Captain America 4’ Villain Was Originally Supposed to Die

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The movie *Captain America: Brave New World* originally planned to kill off a character, but that decision was changed before the final version was released. This fourth *Captain America* film – and the first starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson – included connections to the very first Marvel Studios movie, *The Incredible Hulk*. The film ultimately came out in February after significant reshoots altered several key parts of the story.

The story included what happened to Samuel Sterns, also known as The Leader (played by Tim Blake Nelson), who first appeared in *The Incredible Hulk*. He originally tried to assist Bruce Banner, but later accidentally created the Abomination. When a drop of Hulk’s gamma-irradiated blood entered an open wound, it dramatically increased his intelligence and caused the physical changes seen in *Captain America 4*.

Illustrator Sam Michlap shared the original color script for *Captain America: Brave New World* on LinkedIn, showing scenes that didn’t make it into the final Marvel Studios film. One of these cut scenes involved the death of the character Sterns, which was originally planned to happen at the White House.

This event likely happened after Thaddeus Ross became the Red Hulk, a change engineered by Samuel Sterns to damage Ross’s presidential image as payback for years of imprisonment. However, the movie shows Sterns surviving the events of *Captain America: Brave New World* and being locked up on the Raft, a high-security prison alongside other Marvel villains. He appears briefly after the credits roll, warning Sam Wilson about upcoming threats from across the Multiverse.

Throughout the making of *Captain America: Brave New World*, several aspects of the character Sterns were revised, most notably his prosthetics, which differed considerably from his comic book counterpart, the Leader. Beyond his appearance, Sterns’ ultimate fate also underwent changes during production. By allowing Sterns to survive, Marvel Studios keeps the door open for the character to reappear in future projects, suggesting they may not be finished with Samuel Nelson’s portrayal.

The Marvel Studios film *Captain America: Brave New World* premiered in theaters on February 14, 2025, and is now available for streaming on Disney+. Directed by Julius Onah, the movie features Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as well as Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Why Did Marvel Studios Save the Leader?

Marvel Studios decided not to kill off the character Samuel Sterns in the latest Captain America movie, hinting they have future storylines planned for him. Sterns is known for being exceptionally intelligent.

Sterns is shown to be one of the few people on Earth-616 who knows about the upcoming Multiversal conflict. The scene after the credits suggests he understands Incursions, which are likely to be the main danger in the next *Avengers* movie. When Sam Wilson discovers the threat to his world in that film, he’ll probably recall Sterns’s earlier warning – a warning that wouldn’t have happened if the Leader had died as originally planned in *Captain America 4*.

Though he’s typically an enemy of the Avengers and Sam Wilson, the Leader might actually become an ally. His incredible intelligence could be crucial for figuring out how to deal with the dangerous threats coming from across the multiverse in the upcoming *Avengers: Doomsday* and *Avengers: Secret Wars* movies. If he decides to help, it could lead to a major change of heart and a path to redemption for this Marvel villain.

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2025-10-06 07:35