AceShowbiz - Another Hollywood top class actor is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Harrison Ford has been recruited to star in the next Captain America movie as a character who is familiar to fans of Marvel movies.

The 80-year-old acting vet will be playing Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross a.k.a. General Ross in "Captain America: New World Order", which will feature Anthony Mackie reprising his role as Sam Wilson. Ford is taking over the role from the late actor William Hurt, who died earlier this year at age 71.

Hurt first appeared as Ross in 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" and returned for 2016's "Captain America: Civil War" and subsequent Marvel movies. Sam Elliott, meanwhile, played the part in 2003's "Hulk".

Ross is a top-ranking military official, first introduced in the Marvel comics in 1962, who comes to lead the team of anti-heroes known as the Thunderbolts. The team of anti-heroes will be getting their own movie, which is set to be directed by Jake Schreier and released on July 26, 2024, but there are conflicting reports about whether Ford will star in "Thunderbolts" film as well or not.

Meanwhile, the fourth Captain America movie has Julius Onah on board to serve as its director. "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" creator Malcolm Spellman writes the script for the upcoming superhero pic with the show's staff writer Dalan Musson and will produce alongside Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. It is slated for release on May 3, 2024.

The movie will also mark the first Captain America solo pic since Chris Evans' Steve Rogers passed the baton to Mackie's Sam Wilson. Back in July, the "Knives Out" star supported the Winter Soldier depicter as the new Cap. "Sam Wilson is Captain America," so the 41-year-old star tweeted at the time.

While "Captain America: New World Order" will be Ford's first foray into the MCU, he is no stranger to a big movie franchise. The actor is best known for his portrayal of Han Solo in the "Star Wars" film franchise, his titular role in the "Indiana Jones" film series as well as Rick Deckard in the "Blade Runner" movies.