Marvel Studios’ upcoming film, “Captain America: Brave New World,” is generating excitement with its lineup of new villains, including the Leader, the Red Hulk, and a new supervillain organization. The return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Leader and the MCU debut of Harrison Ford as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross’ Red Hulk have fans buzzing with anticipation. Additionally, Giancarlo Esposito is set to debut as a brand-new MCU villain, leading a group that could potentially replace a classic supervillain organization in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This new film promises to feature a mix of grounded and fantastical narratives akin to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
At Marvel Studios’ SDCC presentation in July, Giancarlo Esposito made an exciting revelation by announcing that he would be portraying the character “Sidewinder,” also known as the “King of the Serpent Society,” in the upcoming film “Captain America: Brave New World.” This announcement generated significant buzz among fans as it hinted at the long-anticipated introduction of the Serpent Society to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Serpent Society has been a subject of speculation for MCU enthusiasts since as early as 2014 when Kevin Feige initially announced “Captain America: Serpent Society” as one of the projects in Phase 3. However, this turned out to be intentional misdirection, as Feige later surprised fans by revealing “Captain America: Civil War” with the presence of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. on stage.
The Serpent Society, an organization of snake-themed villains, has been a recurring adversary for Marvel Comics’ Captain America since its debut in 1985’s “Captain America #310.” Formed by Sidewinder, the Society operates as a collective to provide protection and share profits among its members, resembling a villainous labor union.
The potential inclusion of the Serpent Society in the MCU has generated a lot of excitement. This introduction could open the door to a plethora of new villains entering the franchise, including iconic characters such as the Viper, the Cobra, and Diamondback (distinct from the version featured in “Luke Cage”). Fans are eagerly anticipating the integration of these formidable adversaries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Serpent Society, a secretive and formidable new supervillain organization, could be seamlessly incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, serving as a fitting replacement for the largely absent HYDRA. First introduced in 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” HYDRA played a significant role in the early phases of the MCU but has been notably absent for almost a decade. Its last notable appearance was in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
Given Captain America’s street-level hero persona, the introduction of a new group of low-level villains such as the Serpent Society presents an intriguing opportunity. Previously, HYDRA had fulfilled this role for Steve Rogers’ Captain America while also being central to the storyline in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” where it was unveiled to have infiltrated SHIELD. With the absence of HYDRA, the Serpent Society, also briefly known as Serpent Solutions, could step in to provide grounded and relatable challenges for Sam Wilson’s Captain America. In Marvel Comics, Sam Wilson clashed with the Serpent Society, particularly Sidewinder, thus indicating the potential for this storyline in the MCU’s future. This sets the stage for the Serpent Society to become an ongoing threat for Sam Wilson, offering a fresh and compelling narrative direction for the character.
In the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the organization known as HYDRA played a significant role in the development of the storyline. Many fans felt that Marvel Studios could have further explored the potential of HYDRA, but it was eventually removed from the franchise after the events of “Age of Ultron.” Interestingly, it seems that the Serpent Society, another intriguing group from the Marvel comics, may not be receiving a similar treatment in the near future.
There have been hints that the Serpent Society could make a comeback, particularly in the realm of Disney+ series. After the casting of Giancarlo Esposito in the MCU, there have been suggestions that his character could potentially appear in a Disney+ series following his debut in “Captain America: Brave New World.” This information, originally reported by Legion of Sand, has led to speculation that the Serpent Society might be making its return in the small screen format.
As of now, there hasn’t been any official confirmation about the appearance of the Serpent Society in any upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series. However, there is a strong possibility that the organization could be integrated into one of the MCU’s street-level narratives, such as “Daredevil: Born Again” or “Ironheart.” It’s worth noting that Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder and the Serpent Society might make a comeback in a Disney+ series specifically dedicated to the group, providing them with more depth and development than we’ve seen with HYDRA in the MCU so far. It’s also speculated that “Captain America: Brave New World” could set the stage for the Serpent Society to emerge as the next major supervillain group in the MCU.
