The MCU has always gone to gargantuan lengths to make its movies palatable to as many audience members as possible. Sometimes, that means last-minute changes that frustrate just about everyone on set.
While rumors swirled that, on Captain America: Brave New World, Harrison Ford mirrored his on-screen Red Hulk performance a little too closely even when the cameras weren’t rolling — earning him the label of a “curmudgeon” — the film’s director is now stepping forward to dispute those claims.
Speaking to Vulture, an anonymous crew member alleged that most people on set felt the film was doomed from the start. While their primary frustration was with constant script changes made to avoid offending anyone, they also expressed disappointment in Ford’s behavior.
“Harrison Ford was one of the crankiest performers I ever dealt with. Which was sad. I’m a fan. But he was very much a diva. I don’t know if you remember, but he got in a plane crash. He couldn’t even raise his left arm above his chest. We have to suit up 80-something Harrison Ford in these motion-capture dots. To me, it seemed like he hated it and didn’t want to do it.”
Despite the specificity of these claims, which suggest at least some truth, director Julius Onah called Variety to push back on allegations of on-set discord. More seasoned in Hollywood diplomacy, he chose his words carefully:
“All I can speak to is my experience with Harrison. He was an utter professional. He is a guy who’s incredibly serious and passionate about his work. The creative process is one where you have these really meaningful and, at times, passionate conversations, but it was always working towards a target where we were making the best version of the film possible.”
Captain America: Brave New World is more interesting as an industry checkpoint than as entertainment. The film isn’t intriguing — point blank. Some even consider it the worst MCU entry yet. But in reality, its production has nothing to do with it and it wasn’t even all that different from other Marvel movies. The MCU has always prioritized being inoffensive, focused more on escapism through sneaking in Easter eggs than exploring actual themes, and dealt with its fair share of on-set disputes. Ford isn’t even the first Hulk actor to clash with the crew — Ed Norton was reportedly so controlling that he was replaced by Mark Ruffalo. The only real difference now is that people suddenly have started caring about how the sausage was made.
The truth is, the MCU is no longer the most dominant force in pop culture. You could blame it on the definitive finality of Avengers: Endgame or Kevin Feige’s creative decisions since then, but it’s clear these films don’t feel like must-see cinematic events. It’s the same reason some fans balked at Amazon taking full creative control of the Bond franchise, worried it would become yet another cinematic universe modeled after the MCU’s heyday. There’s no risk in that. Maybe Marvel shouldn’t have gotten cold feet about using Thaddeus Ross as a Trump allegory despite concerns about a “politicized” environment. That would’ve been a real risk — something worth actually discussing.
There are more MCU movies on the way, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps already looks like it’s forging its own path — it’s a period piece, seemingly set in a completely different universe. You could say the same about Thunderbolts*; its cinematography alone suggests a departure from the usual MCU aesthetic. Moving forward, Marvel needs to keep pushing boundaries and deliver experiences fans haven’t seen before. For better or worse, they can no longer just put out a direct sequel to a film from 17 years ago and expect it to work. The fans deserve and expect more.
Harrison Ford is a living legend. Anyone working with him hopes for a pleasant experience with their hero. Whether he was really that grumpy on the sets of the film or only a few staff members formed a bad opinion of the actor, if that’s the biggest takeaway from your movie, maybe it’s time for some soul-searching.
