Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah has opened up about why the long-awaited return of Liv Tyler‘s Betty Ross is happening in a Captain America sequel instead of a Hulk project.
Betty Ross made her MCU debut in The Incredible Hulk
Tyler’s Betty Ross was one of the first characters introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making her debut in the franchise’s second installment, The Incredible Hulk, which was released in 2008 during Phase 1. While other Phase 1 heroes, and their supporting characters, returned in Phase 2 for their respective sequels, only Bruce Banner/Hulk — now played by Mark Ruffalo instead of Edward Norton — was brought back, although not for an Incredible Hulk sequel, leaving Betty Ross, her father Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and the Abomination behind.
However, beginning with Phase 3, Marvel Studios has slowly been bringing back The Incredible Hulk characters, beginning with William Hurt’s “Thunderbolt” Ross in Captain America: Civil War and continuing with Tim Roth’s Abomination in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Brave New World will take things a step further by bringing back not only Tyler’s Betty Ross but also Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns/Leader.
Speaking with The Official Marvel Podcast (via ComicBookMovie.com), Onah explained why Brave New World was the perfect time to bring Betty Ross back, noting the importance the character plays while onscreen opposite her father, the recently elected U.S. President Ross, now played by Harrison Ford following Hurt’s 2022 death.
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“It was sort of a no-brainer to bring Liv back,” the filmmaker said. “She just has this real humanity to her. […] The relationship she ends up having with Thaddeus Ross in this film is a real big part of his journey of trying to cement his legacy and redefine who he has been as a human being and as a leader.”
In Brave New World, Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) finds himself at the center of an international incident following the election of Thaddeus Ross as the President of the United States and must work to stop the true masterminds behind it.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025, as part of Phase 5 of the MCU.
