Yahoo News Kevin Feige teases Harrison Ford's presidential role in Captain America: New World Order
Mr. President, welcome to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After starring in practically every pop culture tentpole you've ever loved, Harrison Ford will soon add another iconic franchise to that list, starring in next year's Captain America: New World Order. The 80-year-old actor will appear opposite Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, and he'll be taking over the role of Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, the military leader first played by the late William Hurt.
In a recent interview with EW, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige opened up about welcoming Ford to the MCU — and he revealed that when New World Order begins, Ross has graduated from military general to president of the United States.
"This has been a dream for years, ever since Jon Favreau cast Harrison Ford in Cowboys and Aliens," Feige explained. "I was always very jealous of that, so to have him finally in the MCU is just incredible. It's like, I can cross that off the wishlist."
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images Harrison Ford
As Feige noted, there's a certain serendipity to casting Ford as the U.S. president, especially since the actor has tackled that role before. "[Harrison is] tireless with the amount of work that he does," Feige said. "This is certainly a big part for Thaddeus Ross. He's the president of the United States in the film. And with Harrison, you think about Air Force One, and you think about some of his confrontations with the president in Clear and Present Danger."
Ross is a key character in Marvel comics, and Hurt originated the role in the MCU, first starring in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. He later appeared in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Black Widow, before passing away at the age of 71 in 2022.
Per Feige, the relationship between Mackie's Sam and Ford's Ross will play a major role in New World Order. "There's a dynamic between President Ross and Sam Wilson," the Marvel boss explained. "They have a history together, but in this film, we'll be seeing the dynamic between Captain America and the president of the United States in a way that is just incredible."
Earlier this month, Ford explained why he wanted to join the superhero world. "I thought, 'Everybody else seems to be having a great time,'" Ford told The Hollywood Reporter. "I watch all these terrific actors having a good time. I like doing something different to what I've ever done and pleasing people with it. So I'll try a piece of that."
Captain America: New World Order is scheduled to hit theaters May 3, 2024. For more, read EW's full Q&A with Feige.
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