Marvel changed Sabra’s comic-book identity and affiliations for Captain America: Brave New World, recasting Ruth Bat-Seraph as a trained Black Widow agent and security adviser to President Thaddeus Ross. Producer Nate Moore said the changes were “not to the extent of what was reported online or what was guessed online”—a comment about the scale of reported changes, not a claim that the character was left unchanged.
How Sabra’s comic-book background differs from the film role
In the comics background described by Entertainment Weekly, Sabra is the name associated with Ruth Bat-Seraph, an Israeli mutant, skilled combatant, and agent of Mossad, Israel’s secret service. The film account uses the name Ruth Bat-Seraph and gives her a different training and government role.
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| Aspect | Comics background reported by Entertainment Weekly | Film version reported by Entertainment Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Sabra is associated with Ruth Bat-Seraph. | Ruth Bat-Seraph. |
| Abilities and training | A mutant and skilled combatant. | A trained Black Widow agent. |
| Affiliation and role | An agent of Mossad. | A security adviser to U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, working for the U.S. government. |
The distinction is more than a change in job title: the reported film version shifts the character from the comics’ Israeli intelligence and mutant background to Black Widow training and a U.S. government position.
What Nate Moore said about the changes
In an interview published on February 7, 2025, Moore responded to online reports and guesses about the adaptation: “Not to the extent of what was reported online or what was guessed online.” The remark does not mean there were no changes; the differences in background and role are described in the same Entertainment Weekly report.
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Moore said Marvel wanted to connect Ruth to the Red Room mythology associated with the Black Widow stories, and to the idea that the Red Room was international rather than only a Russian state apparatus. He explained: “We always thought it was interesting to anchor the character of Ruth in the Red Room mythology. One of the things I think is really cool about the Black Widow film is suggesting that the Red Room was more than just a Russian state apparatus, that it was international. But Ruth’s point of view in the movie is really cool because it’s no secret she works for the U.S. government and she’s working with Thaddeus Ross.”
He also framed the adaptation as a difference of medium, saying film and comics require different choices. What he said Marvel wanted to retain was Ruth’s attitude: “she’s a hard-charging, very self-possessed woman who knows exactly what she wants, and she’ll go through anybody to get it.” That is Moore’s description of the character’s temperament; it does not resolve how viewers interpret the political significance of changing her affiliations.
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- As he takes on the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must unravel a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Why the adaptation drew criticism and concern
Marvel announced Israeli actor Shira Haas as Sabra/Ruth Bat-Seraph at the 2022 D23 Expo. According to Entertainment Weekly, Marvel told Variety at the time that it would take “a new approach with the character,” without detailing what that meant. Later film material described Ruth as a high-ranking U.S. government official.
The change became contentious because the comics character’s Israeli identity and Mossad affiliation were central to how some audiences understood Sabra. Entertainment Weekly reported that some commentators, including the American Jewish Committee and Israeli media outlets, initially objected that the film was stripping away that identity. The report also described unease among supporters on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict about including the character amid heightened political tension. Those are reported reactions, not evidence of a single or measured consensus among either group.
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Gizmodo’s contemporaneous account also contrasts Sabra’s comics background with the film role, but summarizes Moore’s remarks through Entertainment Weekly rather than reporting a separate interview with him.
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