Summary

• Tim Blake Nelson discusses returning role as The Leader for Captain America: Brave New World on Inside of You podcast, praises Marvel Studios.
• Nelson reveals Marvel Studios did everything "as practically as possible" for The Leader, avoiding digital effects in creating the character.
• Captain America: Brave New World features Sam Wilson as the new Cap, with Nelson's The Leader in a supporting villainous role alongside Red-Hulk.

Tim Blake Nelson is returning as The Leader (who first appeared in 2008's The Incredible Hulk) for Captain America: Brave New World, and has teased the design process behind the character. This isn't the first time Nelson has discussed the process of returning to the role. When the actor was re-cast in the role in 2022, he expressed his excitement at reprising the role, saying, "I'm delighted. Marvel is part of cinema history and that I get to be a part of that is an absolute honor and thank you for sticking with the Leader."

Tim Blake Nelson recently sat down with Michael Rosenbaum for his Inside of You podcast, and discussed the process of bringing the leader to life on screen for Brave New World. Nelson started off by praising the film, saying "I'm very happy about [Brave New World]. It's a wonderfully directed movie by Julius Onah." The actor then discussed how Marvel Studios created The Leader, saying they did everything "as practically as possible." Nelson said:

"I can tell you about my character that we did everything we could, and this was entirely supported by Marvel and I'm so grateful to [Marvel Studios President and CCO] Kevin Feige and [producer] Nate Moore for supporting this: they were on board 100% to do the character as practically as possible with an absence of digital stuff."

Nelson first appeared in Marvel's world in The Incredible Hulk as Samuel Sterns. After getting some of the Hulk's DNA in an open wound at the end of the film, Sterns' head begins to swell, teasing his transformation into the iconic Hulk villain, The Leader. Nelson is yet to fully reprise the role as the infamous villain, with the character lying dormant in the MCU since 2008. The Leader was reportedly rumored to return in the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but this was ultimately scrapped.

Tim Blake Nelson Describes Brave New World as a Realistic Superhero Movie

Captain America: Brave New World sees Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) continue donning the Captain America mantel for his first standalone feature film - following the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. It was recently revealed that Red-Hulk (played by Harrison Ford) will be the film's main villain, with Nelson's The Leader acting in a supporting villainous role.

During his interview with Rosenbaum, Tim Blake Nelson went on to praise Marvel Studios and the film's director, Julius Onah, about "wanting to make a very much reality-based superhero movie, as oxymoronic as that sounds." Nelson continued:

"In terms of our approach to The Leader, that's really where we went, and I was really gratified to do it that way."

Alongside Nelson, Mackie, and Ford, Captain America: Brave New World also stars Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Shira Haas, Liv Tyler, Rosa Salazar, and Seth Rollins.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2024. The Incredible Hulk is available to stream on Disney+.