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"Leader's Design in Captain America: Brave New World Inspired by Comics"

by Emery May 01,2025

Every superhero narrative needs a compelling villain, and for Captain America: Brave New World, fans were introduced to The Leader, portrayed by actor Tim Blake Nelson. The character's transformation was brought to life through practical effects and makeup, resulting in a visibly mutated appearance that deviated somewhat from the comic book version.

Blue Whale Studios, responsible for The Leader's design and effects in the MCU film, shared insights into their original concept for Sam Sterns’ alter ego, which more closely mirrored the comic book depiction. The Atlanta-based special effects team initially envisioned a very sickly look for the character, featuring an engorged head and pale green skin, as revealed on their Instagram. While this design was straightforward and lacked the intricate mutation details of the final version, it offered fans a fascinating glimpse into the character's creation process through a video showcasing the application of prosthetics on Nelson.

"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 explained. "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 closely resembled The Leader's first appearance in the Marvel comic universe, which debuted in Tales to Astonish #62 in 1964. Interestingly, the final design in Brave New World draws more parallels to the character's more recent portrayals, particularly those seen in 2018's Immortal Hulk.

The Leader was first hinted at as a potential MCU villain in *The Incredible Hulk* back in 2008. In that film, Sam Sterns was exposed to Bruce Banner's Gamma radiation-infused blood, setting the stage for his transformation. While he remained a normal human at that time, the passage of time clearly led to his altered state at the beginning of *Brave New World*.

Last May, reports surfaced that Captain America: Brave New World underwent reshoots to introduce a new villainous character, Sidewinder, played by Giancarlo Esposito, known for his roles in Breaking Bad, Star Wars, and The Boys. Esposito leads the Serpent Society in the film.

Ahead of the film's release, Seth Rollins, a five-time WWE world champion, confirmed that his role was cut due to extensive script rewrites and subsequent reshoots.

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