Summary
Things are starting to look up forCaptain America: Brave New World,as an early trailer showing has led to a turnabout in public perception about the fate of the upcoming film, which has been suffering a crisis of confidence in the lead-up to its 2025 release.
Captain Americawas an integral part of the MCU’s formative stages, touted as the First Avenger and serving as the moral center of the superteam as they made their way toward the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. The conclusion to the three-phase saga would see Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers hand off his iconic shield and, with it, the mantle of Captain America to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, formerly Falcon. This changing of the guard would be given more weight in the Disney+ showFalcon & the Winter Soldier,andthe decision would be cemented on a meta-levelwhenKevin Feige shut down rumors of Chris Evans' Captain America returning.
Unsurprisingly,Marvel had a newCaptain Americamovie in the worksin short order, with the uncertainty inherent in swapping such an iconic lead with a spiritual successor that fans hadn’t reached a consensus on yet. However, a new report fromThe Directseems to indicate that the upcomingCaptain America: Brave New Worldmight just fare better than some assumed. The report, which compiled responses to a trailer shown to attendees at the CinemaCon event held in April,seems to indicate a massive amount of anticipation and supportfor the project from those who were lucky enough to get a peak at the trailer (which still hasn’t been released for the general audience).
Captain America 4,whichhas confirmed that quite a few heroes and villainswill be making appearances, also stars Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Shira Haas, and the legendary Harrison Ford alongside Mackie in the leading role. While only bits and pieces of the plot are shown in the trailer, and even less are subsequently able to be gleaned from the comments of those in attendance, it seems likely that a new Avengers team might be one of the main focuses of the plot. This positive feedback is something that would have been taken for granted in the glory days of the MCU, likelymaking the fanfare around it a bittersweet proposition for those at the studio.
For a lot of observers and fans,Marvel lettingCaptain America 4’svillain leak via McDonald’s toystook the wind out of their sails because it read asa show of no confidence in the film, especially when compared to the relatively tight lid and proactive moves made surroundingDeadpool & Wolverinea project that is actively being treated like a magic pill by some in the studio. This is exemplified by Ryan Reynold’s character calling himself “Marvel Jesus,” a line that made it into the recent trailer and one that even Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige admits has taken on a new significance for the company. On the other hand,Captain America 4inherently lacks the ability thatDeadpool 3has to go against the mainline MCU conventions because it IS the mainline MCU, and as a result, seems to be less of a priority. This attitude is passed on to the fans, who can detect the lack of emphasis and grandeur that was par for the course over the last threeCaptain Americafilms.
While Marvel might not be setting Captain America up to fail a laThe Marvels’ lackluster treatment leading up to its release, it would still be immensely valuable if the good reports from reviewerscould be bolstered by some studio confidence in the project. With the film’s early 2025 release date and the work being done aroundDeadpool & Wolverineset to subside soon, fans will see whether or not this is done soon enough.
Captain America: Brave New Worldis currently set for theatrical release on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2025.
Captain America
Captain America, created in 1940 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby has become an icon of Marvel Comics. Acting as a major figure in the pages of comics while battling against foes like the Red Skull, Captain America has since jumped to the big screen to appear in various Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
