(Image credit: Marvel)
Giancarlo Esposito, known for his stellar performances, has revealed his journey into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: Brave New World. In his recent chat with Collider, the actor disclosed that he was initially set to portray Klaus Voorhees, AKA King Cobra, before producers decided to change course during reshoots.
The idea came from producer Nate Moore, who approached Esposito to bring the comic character to life. In the comics, King Cobra is an ex-convict whose life dramatically changes after being bitten by a radioactive snake. Known for his battles against Thor, Daredevil, and Mr. Fantastic, King Cobra’s interactions with Captain America and Falcon are legendary. “If I’m walking around the neighborhood, African-Americans go, ‘What’s up, King?’ I love it. They call me King, baby! I mean, that’s the highest honor,” Esposito reminisced.
He further elaborated, “But as it turned out, there are other Kings in the Marvel world, and this was linked to the Serpent Society. They wanted to remain true to the comics, so Nate suggested, ‘We think he should be Sidewinder instead.'”
The role of Sidewinder, originally created by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio, took Esposito by surprise. Sidewinder, or Seth Voekler, transitions from an economics professor to a crime boss after being altered by the Roxxon Oil Company. This mutation gives him the incredible ability to teleport using a special cloak, though these powers aren’t featured in Brave New World. Notably, Sidewinder has faced characters such as Scarlet Witch and Fantastic Four’s The Thing.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Esposito mentioned, “I’m hoping to be in this universe a little longer,” when asked about future MCU possibilities for Voekler. Captain America: Brave New World is currently in cinemas, offering audiences a fresh take on their superhero narratives. For those looking to explore more, keep track of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.