Captain America 4 Just Set Up The Perfect Replacement For Hydra In The MCU

A new supervillain organization appearing in Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World could be the perfect replacement for HYDRA in the MCU. Following major cast and story announcements at this year's SDCC and D23 presentations, anticipation is high for the MCU's next feature film, Captain America: Brave New World. Marking the theatrical debut of Sam Wilson's Captain America, Brave New World will pit the new star-spangled-man against a number of villains, including the Leader, the Red Hulk, and a group that could be a new long-running threat in the MCU.

Custom Image by Kai Young

The return of Tim Blake Nelson's Leader and the MCU debut of Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross' Red Hulk is hugely exciting. The first trailers for Captain America: Brave New World have teased a grounded, down-to-Earth narrative in the style of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, however, so Sam Wilson won't only be facing these fantastical and colorful villains. Brave New World will debut The Boys and Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito as a brand-new MCU villain who leads a group that may be the perfect replacement for an age-old supervillain organization.

Sidewinder & The Serpent Society Will Be Appearing In Captain America 4

Giancarlo Esposito Was Cast In The MCU After Overwhelming Calls From Fans To Include Him

During Marvel Studios' SDCC presentation in July, Giancarlo Esposito revealed that he would be playing the "King of the Serpent Society" in Captain America: Brave New World, Seth Voelker's Sidewinder. The Serpent Society have long been speculated to be introduced to the MCU. Back in 2014, Kevin Feige announced Captain America: Serpent Society as one of Phase 3's projects, but quickly revealed this to be a red herring as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. joined him on stage to promote Captain America: Civil War in its place.

The Serpent Society have been an ever-present threat to Marvel Comics' Captain America since the organization's debut in 1985's Captain America #310. Comprised of snake-themed villains, the Serpent Society was formed by Sidewinder so that the villains could protect each other and share profits, like a villainous labor union. The Serpent Society finally coming to the MCU is very exciting, particularly since the group's debut could introduce a huge number of new villains to the franchise, such as the Viper, the Cobra and Diamondback (not the version from Luke Cage).

The Serpent Society Is Just What The MCU Needs After A Decade Without HYDRA

HYDRA Was A Major Threat To The MCU In Phases 1 & 2

As an expansive, covert and dangerous new supervillain organization, the Serpent Society's introduction could present Captain America: Brave New World with the perfect opportunity to replace HYDRA in the MCU. HYDRA was first seen in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, and had a prominent role throughout Phases 1 and 2 of the MCU, but has been absent from the franchise for almost a decade. Captain America: The Winter Soldier featured HYDRA heavily, as the group was revealed to have been growing within SHIELD, but HYDRA has been all but ignored since Avengers: Age of Ultron.

At his core, Captain America is a street-level hero in the MCU, so introducing a new group of low-level villains such as the Serpent Society is a great idea. HYDRA filled this role for Steve Rogers' Captain America, while the Serpent Society - briefly rebranded as Serpent Solutions - came into conflict with Sam Wilson's Captain America in Marvel Comics. Sidewinder and the Serpent Society will create grounded and relatable problems for Sam Wilson, and could become his new ever-present threat, as the group has been teased to have a larger role in the MCU's future.

Captain America MCU Movie	Year	Villain
Captain America: The First Avenger	2011	Red Skull & HYDRA
Captain America: The Winter Soldier	2014	Winter Soldier & HYDRA
Captain America: Civil War	2016	Baron Helmut Zemo
Captain America: Brave New World	2025	Leader, Red Hulk & The Serpent Society

 

The Serpent Society Could Get More Focus Than HYDRA Ever Did

Giancarlo Esposito Teased An MCU Series In His Future

HYDRA saw a good amount of development in the MCU's early days, but Marvel Studios could have milked the organization even further, though chose to remove it from the franchise following Age of Ultron. It seems the Serpent Society won't be getting this treatment anytime soon. Back in May, shortly after his casting in the MCU, Giancarlo Esposito suggested that his then-mystery character would appear in a Disney+ series following his debut in Captain America: Brave New World (via Legion of Sand), which suggests the Serpent Society will return on the small screen.

Currently, no upcoming series has been confirmed to include the Serpent Society. However, it's very possible that the organization could fit into one of the MCU's street-level stories, such as Daredevil: Born Again or Ironheart. Giancarlo Esposito's Sidewinder and the Serpent Society could also return in an as-yet-unannounced Disney+ series focused solely on the group, which could see them get more development than HYDRA ever did in the MCU's history. Captain America: Brave New World may lay the foundations for the Serpent Society to become the MCU's next major supervillain group.