New Captain America 4 Concept Art Reveals Cut MCU Villains: “So Many Cool Ideas for Them”

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In a fresh perspective for the Serpent Society from the Marvel Studios film “Captain America: Brave New World,” discussions have emerged online. The storyline pits Sam Wilson’s Captain America, portrayed by Anthony Mackie, against the Red Hulk (Harrison Ford), the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), and members of SERPENT – specifically Copperhead (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) and Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito). This mercenary group, led by Samuel Sterns, is hired to seize Japan’s adamantium and sabotage a treaty between the U.S. President Thaddeus Ross and Japan.

Initially intended to play a significant part before reshoots, the character Serpent was inspired by the villain group known as the Serpent Society from comics. WWE star Seth Rollins and actress Rosa Salazar were set to portray members of this tech-infused mercenary squad in the movie. They would have squared off against the Avenger early on, as depicted in concept art (below) by artist Michael “Blackbear” Uwandi.

Initially, Uwandi imagined Cap battling the Serpent Society on Instagram,” she posted. “There were so many exciting concepts for this encounter that unfortunately didn’t end up in the final movie.

The illustration depicts Mackie’s Captain America and Danny Ramirez’s Falcon engaged in battle against villains such as Asp, Cobra, Constrictor, Diamondback, and Rattler. Their bodies are adorned with tattoos that mask the deadly cybernetic upgrades of the SERPENTS.

The illustration presents Mackie’s Captain America and Danny Ramirez’s Falcon battling against Asp, Cobra, Constrictor, Diamondback, and Rattler. These villains have their lethal cybernetic enhancements hidden beneath tattoos on their skin.

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The illustration displays a confrontation between Mackie’s Captain America and Danny Ramirez’s Falcon against Asp, Cobra, Constrictor, Diamondback, and Rattler. These adversaries conceal their SERPENTS’ deadly cybernetic improvements with tattoos on their bodies.

Nate Moore, a Marvel Studios producer, notes in ‘Captain America: Brave New World – The Art of the Movie’ that the Serpent Society are long-standing villains of Captain America. They have an intriguing history, and when we adapt them for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), we strive to make them feel realistic while also honoring their original roots.

Instead of the comic-book depiction of SERPENT mercenaries donning vibrant, serpent-themed attire, these characters were conceptualized to align with the espionage-thriller atmosphere of “Brave New World”. Keith Christensen, a visual development illustrator, shares that they brainstormed ways to make the technology seen on the Serpents’ exterior part of their physical selves. He proposed an idea where it could resemble snake skin, creating layers with that milky transparency during shedding, as seen in real snakes.

Christensen explained that he was seeking alternatives to the straightforward term “snake man.” He further mentioned that Director Julius Ohna suggested investigating various cultures’ interpretations of serpent people. This led to creating an array of unusual snake masks inspired by different cultural perspectives, with much of his inspiration stemming from Indonesian mask designs.

The mask on the snake’s head was part of Esposito’s Sidewinder character design, which opted for a more human-like appearance, specifically a trench coat and a militaristic mercenary style.

Captain America: Brave New World is now streaming on Disney+.

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2025-08-05 20:16