Harrison Ford Steps Into The MCU As Fan Favorite Anti-Hero Thaddeus Ross
The rumors were true - Hollywood legend Harrison Ford will be making his MCU debut in the new Captain America sequel
Following the untimely passing of Oscar-winning actor William Hurt earlier this year, the future of his character Thaddeus Ross within the Marvel Cinematic Universe was seemingly up in the air. Many suggested that Marvel would simply scrap his character and refuse to recast, much like their handling of Black Panther in the fallout of Chadwick Boseman’s unexpected death, but dedicated comic book fans will have noticed that his character was set to play an important role in several upcoming projects. At the same time, rumors of Hollywood icon Harrison Ford’s introduction to the MCU have been floating around the internet for several weeks now, and now it’s finally official - Ford will be taking over the role of Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, making his debut in the upcoming Captain America: New World Order opposite Anthony Mackie.
Thaddeus Ross made his MCU debut all the way back in 2008 as a secondary antagonist in The Incredible Hulk, where he appeared as a powerful military official who also happened to be the father of Bruce Banner’s one-time love interest. Ross has shown his face several times since then, most recently opposite Scarlett Johannson in her solo Black Widow feature. The character’s role in the MCU is only going to get bigger from here, as Ford is set to carry the torch forward into a spin-off Thunderbolts movie, focusing on the less ‘heroic’ superheroes in the Marvel Universe. The full cast is yet to be announced, but fans can expect to see Ford working alongside Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, and Wyatt Russell among many more.
Fans of Marvel Comics will know that Thunderbolt Ross is one of the franchise’s most ruthless and complex villains, despite his lack of superhuman abilities or strengths. It’s this exact amorality that fans are excited to see explored in Thunderbolts, which is quickly becoming one of Marvel’s most hotly-anticipated projects (and there are plenty to choose from). Hurt embodied the character through many conflicts in the MCU, and whilst it’s shame that he’ll never get to conclude the role that he took up almost 15 years ago, audiences are in no doubt that Harrison Ford will be able to bring the character to life just as effectively.
Audiences will best know Harrison Ford from movies such as Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Blade Runner, which made him one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the ‘70s and ‘80s. His name is a huge acquisition for Marvel, and will likely help spread their reach to a whole new demographic. Fans can expect Ford to bring the same Hollywood charm and endearing sarcasm that have made him so entertaining to watch for the past few decades - which is exactly the kind of pull that Marvel’s upcoming calendar needed. It won’t be easy to take over from William Hurt’s memorable turn as the character, but fans already have faith in Ford’s ability to capture the essence of this iconic Marvel character.
The next few years are set to be particularly eventful for Ford, who will also be reprising his famous role as Indiana Jones next year in James Mangold’s upcoming sequel. With No Time To Die and Fleabag writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge responsible for the film’s screenplay and well-decorated actor Mads Mikkelsen set to appear as the yet-unnamed villain, fans of the franchise should be waiting with high hopes for this eager return to the franchise. It’s set to be an extremely busy few years for Harrison Ford, but there’s no doubt that he will take the character of Thaddeus Ross in his stride, making the character his own whilst paying tribute to William Hurt’s memorable portrayal all the same. With the right script and marketing push, audiences could easily see Thaddeus Ross transformed into one of Marvel’s most exciting villains yet.