Summary:
- Giancarlo Esposito is rumored to play a major villain in the upcoming movie, Captain America: Brave New World.
- The acclaimed actor is no stranger to such roles, having portrayed different villains from Breaking Bad and The Boys.
- Esposito is expected to play an antagonist who controls things from the shadow, rather than putting himself on the line.
After recently confirming his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Giancarlo Esposito appears to have his first role in the MCU lined up. According to a new report, the acclaimed actor will make his debut in Captain America: Brave New World.
According to Murphy’s Multiverse, Esposito is, surprisingly, set to play a villain in Brave New World, the MCU’s first film of 2025. The insider report hints that Esposito’s character in the Captain America sequel will be an “antagonistic agent of chaos,” following a script overhaul by Matthew Orton.
Esposito’s potential role as Sam Wilson’s new foe in Brave New World aligns with his history of playing charismatic yet despicable villains. He brought to life the menacing Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and the spinoff series Better Call Saul. Additionally, he played Moff Gideon in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and the sinister Stan Edgar in The Boys, alongside his role as Antón Castillo, the malevolent cartel leader in the game Far Cry 6.
However, even with the hint, it’s very hard to pinpoint which character Esposito will play in the upcoming movie. The actor is known to play villain roles, but not the heavyweight ones that put themselves on the line, but rather the ones that control things from the shadow. The upcoming role in Captain America: Brave New World could follow a similar pattern, just like how Zemo puppeteers the feud between the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War.
Earlier this month, Esposito confirmed his upcoming MCU appearance, though he didn’t reveal the exact role that he’ll play. He has expressed interest in playing Professor X in the upcoming X-Men reboot, however, it seems that the role has already belonged to another actor.
During a CCXP panel, Esposito hinted at big plans for his upcoming MCU, telling fans they would learn about his character “sooner rather than later” and that the role would “knock you out of the park.” Alongside his rumored role in Brave New World, he has also been linked to the Fantastic Four reboot as a potential candidate for Doctor Doom.
Brave New World will star Anthony Mackie as the lead, his first major role since taking over the Captain America mantle from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame.
In this movie, Sam Wilson is expected to face challenges from multiple fronts, with story details highlighting conflicts between him and “Thunderbolt” Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, who has now become the President of the United States. With his newfound power, Ross wants to reform every superhero and vigilante under his command, which contradicts Sam and Steve’s beliefs.
Since Captain America: Brave New World already has two confirmed villains in Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk (Harrison Ford), and The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), there’s a chance that Esposito will play a mastermind who controls every event from the shadow. This theory also goes well with the political theme that the fourth installment is heading to.
Brave New World is slated to hit theaters on February 14, 2025, and we’re all excited to see whether Esposito will appear in the movie or not.
