At this point, we should all know that nothing happens by coincidence when it comes to the MCU. During the D23 Expo, we learned that the upcoming Captain America: New World Order would feature a returning villain and this one is taking us all the way back to The Incredible Hulk.
Tim Blake Nelson is set to return to the MCU, reprising his role as Samuel Sterns. You may remember him as “Mr. Blue,” the scientist who tried to help Bruce Banner with his… situation, via internet chat. After they met in person and Sterns failed to cure Banner, he was pressured into turning Emil Blonsky into the Abomination. After the Abomination’s escape, we got a brief glimpse of the fate of Sterns when his head started to misshapen.
In the comics, Sterns becomes a villain known as The Leader, one of the most prolific Hulk villains. Gamma radiation turns his skin green and increases the size of his head, which, by comic book law, also increases his intelligence to genius levels.
The Leader’s presence in Captain America: New World Order is certainly interesting because, while he has crossed paths with a number of heroes, the Hulk is certainly his arch-enemy. In fact, many fans are speculating that this won’t actually be the next time we see Sterns on screen again. With a big bad lurking in the shadows in Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, it seems possible that series could be the Leader’s introduction. She-Hulk is a character The Leader has had some history with in the comics as well.
Whether he shows up first on Disney+ or not, The Leader will be coming to the MCU soon enough. He could certainly be a formidable foe for Sam Wilson in his first solo Captain America outing, though it’s unclear if he will be the primary villain of the film. We’ll just have to wait and see what The Leader brings to the MCU.
You can watch Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+ now.