Every superhero story has its villain, and for Captain America: Brave New World, fans were treated to The Leader. Actor Tim Blake Nelson was enhanced via practical effects and makeup for the character, who is visibly mutated, but the design ended up being somewhat different from how he looked in the comics.
Now, Blue Whale Studios, who worked on the character’s design and effects for the MCU film, has opened up about its original take on Sam Sterns’ alter ego, one that is much closer to the comics.
The Atlanta-based special effects company originally decided to play into a very sickly look for the character. The effects artists revealed the design on their Instagram, which included an engorged head and pale green skin. However, it’s a pretty straightforward design and doesn’t include any of the finer mutation details they added for the final version. They also included a video of prosthetics being applied to Nelson in their post, which is a really cool peek behind the curtain for this character.
“We were originally brought on to design and apply the practical makeup for The Leader on the incomparable Tim Blake Nelson in Captain America: Brave New World,” Blue Whale Studios said. “As often happens in film, the story evolved, and during reshoots, the creative direction shifted. Our version was ultimately not used in the final cut. Still, we remain incredibly proud of the work we created.
“Drawing inspiration from the original comic book art, we developed a look that felt both grounded and iconic — true to the source while achieving a refined, natural realism. Technically, we were thrilled with how lightweight and comfortable the final makeup was for the actor — an achievement made possible by the dedication of an extraordinary team.”
This original design actually bears a big resemblance to the character’s first appearance in the Marvel comic universe. The Leader was first introduced in 1964’s Tales to Astonish #62, but interestingly enough, his final design also has a comic connection. As he appears in Brave New World, The Leader looks closer to the more recent appearances from the character in 2018’s Immortal Hulk.
The Leader was first hinted at as a potential MCU villain all the way back in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Sam Sterns is exposed to Bruce Bannon’s blood in that film, which is filled with Gamma radiation. At the time, he was still a normal human being — but time clearly made him what he is at the start of Brave New World.
In May last year, reports indicated Captain America: Brave New World was undergoing reshoots to help introduce Breaking Bad, Star Wars, and The Boys actor Giancarlo Esposito’s new villainous character into the fold. Esposito plays Sidewinder, leader of the Serpent Society, in the film.
Ahead of the film’s revease, five-time WWE world champion Seth Rollins confirmed his role was cut following extensive rewrites of the script and subsequent reshoots.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
