The official teaser for the next Captain America movie has revealed new and returning MCU characters. One is drawing interest because of her contentious background in the source material.
Who is Sabra in Marvel Comics?
Ruth Bat-Seraph was first introduced in 1980 as the first Israeli superheroine, with mutant powers and superhuman strength. She is also known by her superhero alias Sabra, which may also mean a person born in Israel or a cactus fruit.
As an agent of Mossad or the Israeli Secret Service, Sabra fought stereotypical terrorists in the region.
Due to this, calls for a boycott of Brave New World have persisted since 2022 when it was announced that Ruth will make her first MCU appearance in the movie, to be played by Israeli actress Shira Haas.
Critics are concerned about Sabra’s character “glorifying the Israeli army and police,” with the issue further complicated by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Marvel Introduces Ruth Bat-Seraph, not Sabra, in Cap 4
In response, Marvel previously released a statement: “While our characters and stories are inspired by the comics, they are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience. The filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago.”
In Captain America 4, Ruth will not play a mutant superhero, but a high-ranking U.S. government official trusted by President Thaddeus Ross. Not much is known about the reimagined role, but she is likely an expert in combat and covert operations as a former Black Widow.
Reportedly, the name Sabra will not be used in the movie.
This is not the first time the studio updated a comic book profile for a supportable big-screen debut. Controversies surrounding the stereotypical characters of Wong (Doctor Strange) and Fu Manchu (Shang-Chi) in the comics led Marvel to reimagine these parts, with positive results.
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in cinemas in February 2025.