You Won’t Recognize Giancarlo Esposito's Captain America 4 Villain in His Previous MCU Appearance

We just got a peek at what Giancarlo Esposito might have looked like as the big bad in Captain America: Brave New World. It comes from Marvel concept artist Michael Blackbear Uwandi, and it leans into a very cool, very nerdy angle: the Serpent Society, techwear, and an invisibility-friendly outfit. Inside baseball fans, this one is for you.

The alt look for Sidewinder

On Instagram, Uwandi shared explorations for Esposito as Seth Voelker, aka Sidewinder. The design riff ties the Serpent Society idea to specific cultural serpent lore; for Sidewinder, Uwandi pulled from the Naga Raksha and abstracted it into something sleek and modern. Because the character can turn invisible, he wove that power into the clothing instead of just slapping on a CGI effect. It is a smart, grounded way to sell a pretty comic-book-y ability.

'Serpent Society for Captain America Brave New World. Keeping to the techwear theme, I tied each member to a cultural serpent that reflects their identity. For Sidewinder, I drew from the Naga Raksha, abstracting its design while keeping elements of the original character. Since he can turn invisible, I hinted at that ability through his clothing.'

To be crystal clear: this is concept art. It shows what could have been at one point in the process, not a guarantee of what ends up on screen. The Serpent Society tag here is also intriguing given Marvel has flirted with that name in the past. Whether it is a full team presence or just an aesthetic touch, it is a fun clue.

So what is Brave New World actually about?

The movie brings Anthony Mackie back as Sam Wilson, now fully Captain America, and drops him into a geopolitical mess after a sit-down with the newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross. From there, Sam has to unravel a global plot before the real mastermind flips the entire world to see red. Julius Onah directs, and yes, Giancarlo Esposito is playing the villain, Sidewinder.

• Main cast: Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Giancarlo Esposito (Seth Voelker/Sidewinder), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/Falcon), Shira Haas (Ruth Bat-Seraph), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), Xosha Roquemore (Leila Taylor), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns), Harrison Ford (Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk)
• Directed by: Julius Onah
• Writers: Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musso, Julius Onah, Peter Glanz
• Producers: Kevin Feige, Nate Moore
• Release window: February 2025

Quick reality check

If you see random chatter claiming box office numbers or Disney+ availability already, ignore it. Brave New World is slated for theaters in February 2025. We are not at the streaming stage yet.

This concept art was first picked up by Brandon Schreur at SuperHeroHype. Credit to Michael Blackbear Uwandi for the designs and the peek behind the curtain.