PLUS… What Did I Learn About Diamondback, Sabra, and Red Hulk? And a Mobile Game!
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (originally titled CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER when announced in May of 2021) was supposed to be released yesterday, May 3rd, 2024 but, due to extensive reshoots that had to be scheduled amidst last year’s dual Hollywood strikes, has since been postponed to next February 14th. That’s right – we get a date with Captain America on Valentine’s Day in 2025!
But even though we’ll have to wait till next Valentine’s Day to actually see the film, McDonalds Happy Meals and accompanying toys have already landed. I went to TWO DIFFERENT McDonalds today and picked up two meals (6 piece Chicken McNuggets and a Hamburger – no diced onions) today to see the toy prizes up close, review the packaging, and take a look at anything else that I might glean for this highly anticipated four-quel (is that a word? – I’m making it one).
OK – SO WHAT PRIZES DID I GET (and why I am so excited about RED HULK)…
Well let’s cut straight to the chase. I hit the jackpot this morning and I got both Captain America/Sam Wilson AND Red Hulk. That’s right – I got RED HULK. Honestly, and I know it has been rumored that Harrison Ford as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross will be playing Ross’ ultimate alter ego, the Red Hulk. But the inclusion of this toy confirms it. And to see the damn toy in front of me just got me so darn giddy. I JUMPED up in my car when I opened up the box at the drive through. You see, I have been a HULK fan for decades – DECADES.
And I have not been a big fan of the Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of Hulk in the MCU AVENGERS films. Now I’m no bandwagon opinion on this, I know this sentiment began to bubble up with a contingent of people in RAGNAROK and an even greater number did not like his “Professor Hulk” turn in ENDGAME – but my apathy towards that performance dates back to AVENGERS (2012) when the Ruffalo version first appeared. I just never really bought either the brilliance or the tragedy of Banner in that performance – and I frankly found the powers of that Hulk a bit neutered as well.
But with Red Hulk entering the MCU, we now have the opportunity for a truer, different, angrier version of a Hulk. If he is a bad guy, which he starts out as in the comics, so be it. If anything that will give the MCU license to do more HULK type things with the character that they might have been afraid to do with the Avengers version.
And by HULK type things, I mean I want to see Hulk at full power just tearing things up – the way that Ang Lee and even Louis Letterier’s Hulks did in their respective films. I want to see a DANGEROUS Hulk. Remember in Ang Lee’s Hulk when he threw a tank like a shot put and bounced from the Mojave desert to San Francisco? That’s what I want to see. And if they can somehow imbue Thaddeus Ross with some form of pathos or even tragedy as well within the character than all the better.
Now the really cool thing about Red Hulk is that he does NOT revert to his human-self. So hypothetically Harrison Ford is going to be giving a CG performance through most of the film allowing Ford’s visage onto a CG body for action sequences which could be really cool. It will be Red Hulk but the face will still sound and look like Harrison Ford. Now I know this could also go bad in a lot of ways but hear me out. I kind of liked INDIANA JONES: DIAL OF DESTINY (which I blogged about HERE) but Ford did not have much to do in terms of action set pieces and using this “cheat” would be a cool way to bring Harrison Ford back into the action movie game. Also Red Hulk is able to shoot energy bursts from his eyes in the comics and I really hope that is used in this film (although if the Happy Meal mini-game is any indication, maybe not – but more on that in a few paragraphs) because it would just be so comic-booky and neat – that’s it.
One small note – the toy is not branded as Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk but rather as just Red Hulk. I have wondered whether or not the MCU might be gearing up for a left-turn with Red Hulk and having someone else manifest the character. Something to keep an eye (see what I did there) on…
WHAT DOES THE PACKAGING TELL US??
I love the CAPTAIN AMERICA series because it feels the way that I think of Marvel Comics: heroic players in emotional, character-based, and grounded stories. I liked CAPTAIN AMERICA (2011). I loved WINTER SOLDIER (2014) and have come to love CIVIL WAR (2016) over time. In a way I think CIVIL WAR is the best version of the crossover-type film that the MCU does (a sometimes not so great job with) all-too often now. It resolves older story lines (Bucky) and opens up new ones (Wakanda) while telling a full and complete tale that had far reaching ramifications. And I have high hopes that BRAVE NEW WORLD might do the same for this new era of the MCU. This is largely pedigree-based as this is essentially the first in a new series of Captain America films, with Sam Wilson just taking the mantle in the final episode of FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. But the Happy Meal packaging (I know this could be a reach) gives me hope (but we know how that goes).
Why? I love the characters that the writers have chosen for the movie. Happy Meal toys basically feature all of the principal characters. Remember when THE MARVELS Happy Meal dropped months in advance (I discussed that HERE) and we got Nick Fury, Photon, Ms. Marvel, Goose the Flerken and Prince Yan (remember Prince Yan, the guy who lived on the musicals planet that Carol danced with?). And honestly after reciting those characters, I am already feeling better about the BRAVE NEW WORLD cast. See the line-up below:
The group for CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD is not too big but not too small. A real story could be told with them and unlike the Marvels – all feel like they could be germane to the TONE of the story – or more succinctly the TONE of a Captain America story in the MCU.
The group featured in the prizes includes Danny Ramirez/Falcon, Diamondback, and “Ruth”. We all know Danny Ramirez from FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER (an MCU show that I liked a lot – mostly for US Agent and his story – though I wish some of its B-stories had been allowed to develop a bit more). But who are these others?
DIAMONDBACK
Not to be confused with the Luke Cage character Willis Stryker, this film will feature Marvel’s Rachel Leighton/Diamondback. In the comics, Leighton begins as a villain and part of the Serpent Society in CAPTAIN AMERICA #310. She later begins to have feelings for Cap and is swayed to his side for the CIVIL WAR comics storyline. Leighton is rumored to be played by Rosa Salazar (the actress who portrayed BATTLE ANGEL: ALITA).
Diamondback is a very grounded hero that is a gymnastics specialist and is skilled at throwing sharp objects. She is well-versed in spy-craft and espionage and fits well as a compliment for a Captain America storyline.
RUTH
This character is a little more secretive and nuanced in the world of CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD for reasons both within the story and (possibly) reasons that exist in our world. Ruth’s alter ego is Sabra in the comics. In the comics, Sabra is an agent of Israeli secret service known as Mossad in our real world. This could be part of the reason that Marvel is just referring to her as Ruth as they may or may not be incorporating that (potentially controversial) part of her identity into the storyline.
That being said, Ruth’s Jewish heritage is very much a part of her character in the comics – so I really hope it isn’t just given lip service or overwritten altogether. The character is being played by Israeli actress Shira Haas – so this bodes well (I hope) for incorporating that important heritage into the character. Her costume is definitely different and it looks like she is wearing tactical gear and converse. Hmmm… Well, I might do a larger deep dive into this character later so that’s all I will say for now.
Ruth/Sabra is also a mutant in the comics and although her powers are less grounded that the other heroes like Cap, Falcon, and Diamondback, her character is grounded in a world of espionage that fits in well with Captain America.
Ruth/Sabra can transfer energy, has augmented strength and speed, and can even give others super powers for a limited time. But due to her affiliation with Mossad she has the same espionage skills that Cap, Falcon and Diamondback do. So she makes a great teammate for them. And she also might give further insight into how mutants will be portrayed in the MCU.
WHAT ABOUT THAT “GAME” ON THE BOX?
So I used the QR code on the side of the box, seen above, to get a link to “play” the CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD game or “Mission: Save The Day!”. This sort of mini-game was not really anything player-controlled, at least by default, but rather a series of chibi-style animated Captain America mini-adventures. In the first adventure, Sam and Danny save a plane. In the second, the pair stops Red Hulk from destroying a dam. In the third, Captain America and his drone Redwing stop a fire at a fireworks factory. In a fourth, Danny foils a bank robbery. In the fifth and final episode, the pair are being honored with a parade in the city which is attacked by Red Hulk.
I’m not sure if each of these episodes is reflective of the film. Probably not to be fair. But it’s fun to speculate. And honestly you never know. Curiously the bank robber in the fourth episode is a woman and could easily have been repurposed from Diamondback or Sabra to look differently. Maybe Diamondback or Sabra rob a bank in the film and that is how they first get on Sam and Danny’s radar? Well if that happens, I’ll definitely look back at this “mini-game” with a smile. Like I said, it’s fun to speculate.
In conclusion, everything about the packaging and prizes for the CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Happy Meals at McDonalds has gotten me a lot more excited for the film. I am thrilled that Red Hulk is more than a rumor and I love the additions of Danny Ramirez, Diamondback, and Ruth/Sabra. I think all of this combined at least lays the groundwork for what could be a great beginning to a new era for the Sam Wilson/Captain America character while still having a thematic connection to the stories that Steve Rodgers was featured in for over a decade.
See you next Valentine’s Day!
No Scoops Club 