Anthony Mackie’s Captain America will face multiple MCU antagonists in Captain America: Brave New World, but only one of them may be pulling the strings. As the Phase 5 movie’s first trailer suggests, the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World‘s plot revolves around a secret conspiracy to sabotage the United States’ government, forcing Sam Wilson to defy orders once again and do whatever it takes to honor his duty as Captain America. With public expectations weighing on him and with no defined Avengers team to help him, Captain America must rely on his wit to stop several simultaneous threats.

Captain America: Brave New World has encountered some challenges, including several delays and reshoots. Sam Wilson also has fewer famous villains in his comic book lore than Steve Rogers, which may be what prompted Marvel to add Hulk villains and Eternals‘ three-year-old Tiamut subplot into the mix. As a result, a lot is riding on Captain America: Brave New World, and various storylines can branch out from its aftermath. Captain America: Brave New World‘s main villain, for example, could become a major character in future installments. Who this villain is, however, is still to be confirmed.

Every Possible Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained

Captain America: Brave New World Features Multiple Powerful Antagonists

The MCU’s Captain America movies have had an increasingly larger number of antagonists. Captain America: The First Avenger had the Red Skull, Captain America: The Winter Soldier had Bucky Barnes and Alexander Pierce, and Captain America: Civil War had Baron Zemo, Thaddeus Ross, and Iron Man. Now, Captain America: Brave New World features at least five antagonists. Others, namely the Serpent Society, may have been cut from the movie during reshoots. While Captain America. Brave New World‘s main villain hasn’t been confirmed yet, a few of them are strong candidates for the role.

Red Hulk

One of the most anticipated additions to the MCU in Phase 5 is Thaddeus Ross’ long-awaited Gamma transformation “Red Hulk”. Having won the US presidential elections, the former Secretary of State must try his hardest to protect his public image and avoid any international conflict so early into his term. However, a global conspiracy will likely thwart his plans, and Captain America’s stubborn efforts to stop the conspiracy may lead President Ross to take matters into his own hands. Whatever pushes him over the edge, President Ross will finally fulfill his deep-rooted wish to obtain Bruce Banner’s power.

Giancarlo Esposito’s Mystery Character

Breaking Bad and The Boys star Giancarlo Esposito joins the MCU in the role of a mystery villain, who will likely be a secondary antagonist in Captain America: Brave New World. While his comic book counterpart hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, Giancarlo Esposito’s Captain America: Brave New World villain has been theorized to be Nick Fury’s brother Jacob Fury, SHIELD agent George Washington Bridge, and Moon Knight’s archnemesis Raoul Bushman. Regardless, Esposito’s mystery character may show up in Captain America: Brave New World to throw a wrench in the works during an already complicated conflict.

Isaiah Bradley

Isaiah Bradley, who made his MCU debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is a victim of the US government’s desperate attempts to replicate Project Rebirth’s success during the Korean War. Despite Isaiah’s reluctant attitude towards Sam Wilson’s decision to take up the Captain America mantle, the veteran warmed up to Sam and came to terms with his past after Sam immortalized his legacy at the Smithsonian museum. Unfortunately, the Captain America: Brave New World trailer shows Isaiah Bradley going rogue during a presidential event, which suggests that he’s being mind-controlled or manipulated by a villain.

The Leader

One of the characters who’s most likely to be Captain America: Brave New World‘s main villain is Samuel Sterns a.k.a. The Leader. Sixteen years after his debut in The Incredible Hulk, Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns is set to play into the global conspiracy at the center of Captain America: Brave New World‘s plot. The first trailer only shows the villain from behind in a single shot, where he says “global power is shifting”. Given his genius-level intellect and ambitious world-conquering goals in the comics, the Leader may be the one aiming to wreak havoc worldwide.

Sabra

Captain America: Brave New World‘s first trailer provided the first glimpse at Shira Haas’ Ruth Bat-Seraph. In the comics, Ruth is an Israeli superhero called Sabra, but in the MCU, this character may be very different. The MCU’s Ruth Bat-Seraph is a former Black Widow who works with President Ross as “a high-ranking U.S. government official”. Ruth’s Black Widow past makes her likely to double-cross President Ross and Captain America, turning her into a potential secondary antagonist in Captain America: Brave New World, though she may not be powerful or influential enough to be the movie’s main villain.

Why Red Hulk Is Mostly Likely A Major Villain

President Ross’ 16-Year MCU Story Reaches A High Point With His Transformation Into Red Hulk

President Ross seems to be putting his differences with Sam Wilson aside, but his grudge against superheroes hasn’t subsided. Ross tried to replicate the Hulk’s power with Emil Blonsky in The Incredible Hulk and tried to control every superhero and vigilante’s actions with the failed Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War. Now, Ross’ jealousy of Bruce Banner’s alter ego will pay off in the form of Red Hulk, finally transforming the Hulk’s first human enemy into a full-fledged MCU supervillain. Captain America: Brave New World, in turn, could be the beginning of a new stage in Ross’ MCU journey.

Captain America: Brave New World Is Hiding Its Real Main Villain

Marvel Owes One Of The MCU’s Earliest Antagonists His Main Villain Role

Similarly to Thaddeus Ross, Samuel Sterns began his villainous journey in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, where he started to transform into the Leader during the movie’s climactic fight. But unlike Ross, Sterns hasn’t appeared in any movie or show since then. Marvel Studios may be taking advantage of Samuel Sterns’ absence to reveal the details of his plan during Captain America: Brave New World. To achieve this, Marvel seems to be hiding Sterns as much as possible, only hinting at his involvement in the trailers. Previously, Alexander Pierce and Baron Zemo’s villainous plans were kept off their respective movies’ trailers.