Captain America 4's Rumored Wolverine Connection May Change The MCU Forever

Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine alongside Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth in "Deadpool & Wolverine", bringing the fan-favorite mutant to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A key aspect of Wolverine that makes the hero so powerful may play a significant part in another project: "Captain America: Brave New World." New rumors suggest Adamantium will be weaponized and potentially fall into the hands of the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson).

According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH on a paywalled post on X (formerly Twitter), Adamantium, the metal used to make Wolverine practically indestructible, factors into "Captain America: Brave New World." The report suggests that following Adamantium's discovery, those who harness it learn it can absorb radiation and use it as a weapon against Hulk-like creatures powered by gamma radiation. The rumor hints Japan acquires the liquid and turns it into a metal before the Leader takes it. 

"Captain America: Brave New World" features characters from "The Incredible Hulk," such as Nelson's Leader as the main antagonist, the return of Liv Tyler's Betty Ross, and Thunderbolt Ross, with Harrison Ford taking over for the late William Hurt. Ford's Ross is rumored to turn into the Red Hulk during the movie, setting the stage for a potential showdown between the red giant and the Leader. In the process, Adamantium could become an important plot device in the MCU's future.

In the comics, Adamantium has been used for several prominent items and applications — including Captain America's shield (made from Vibranium and an experimental Adamantium), Wolverine's claws and skeleton, coated with Adamantium during experiments in the Weapon X program, and secondary Adamantium being part of the outer shells of different versions of Ultron. The MCU opts to change things up, with Captain America's shield being made with just Vibranium. There's also no mention of Adamantium regarding Ultron or other characters made from the metal in the comics, such as MODOK.

If the report is correct, "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Deadpool & Wolverine" may not be the only upcoming projects where the metal appears. "Daredevil: Born Again" could follow Bullseye's comic book story from "Daredevil" #181 (by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Joe Rosen), where the villain suffers a severe spinal injury later repaired with Adamantium. In Netflix's "Daredevil," Bullseye was last seen having surgery for a similar injury, so he may be treated with the metal, explaining how he returns during the series. Ultimately, Adamantium becoming a key material in the MCU makes sense, allowing the world to dive deeper into comic book connections.