If you were holding out hope that a certain Star Wars legend would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after making his debut in one of this year's most exciting big screen hits, it sounds like that won't be happening any time soon. Harrison Ford has seemingly all but confirmed that he won't be returning to his role as Thaddeus Ross a.k.a Red Hulk.
In an interview with Variety, the first-time Emmy Award-nominee (for the Apple TV+ comedy-drama series Shrinking) was asked directly if Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige had successfully convinced him to appear in another MCU movie in the future. Ford provided a very concise and straightforward answer that might not be what fans were expecting.
"Nope."
Ford didn't expand on his answer or further explain why he isn't interested in returning to the MCU for a future project, including Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, and the outlet didn't press for the actor to elaborate either. However, Ford did mention that he had no plans to retire, saying "they need old people, too, to play old people’s parts." So, maybe Feige still has a chance!
While Ford isn't a stranger to starring in big screen blockbuster franchises, having played Han Solo in the Star Wars movies and bringing Indiana Jones to life in the series' five films, Captain America: Brave New World was his first time starring in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He took over the role of Thaddeus Ross from William Hurt, who played the role in the MCU until his death in 2022.
In Captain America: Brave New World, Ross' presidency became complicated for a number of reasons, none more so than his health issues that led him to taking pills that later cause him to turn into the Red Hulk. Once he returns to his normal self with help from Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the new Captain America, Ross resigns and gets locked up at The Raft.
Obviously, there's always a way to bring characters back into the MCU in other movies or shows because of the wealth of source material to fall back on. Even though Ford's character arc seemed open and shut by the end of Captain America: Brave New World, you can never say never to Thaddeus Ross and Red Hulk somehow becoming a thorn in the Avengers' side in the future.
Ford's "nope" when it comes to reprising his role seems rather definitive for now, and it's understandable for the MCU at large since Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday are now the focus following the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But there's no doubt fans would love to see Red Hulk again. Feige could still manage to convince Ford to come back!
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