I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon.
-Chris Evans on returning as Steve Rogers, January 2023
Though Evans was kept out of the studio’s 5-hour cast reveal, insiders were onto Marvel’s ploy, with Daniel Richtman reporting that he would be returning not as Captain America but rather as Nomad, toting Mjolnir and sporting a new outfit. However, it was unclear just how large of a role he might play.
Now, following the official confirmation of his return via one of four teasers for the 2026 film, Anthony and Joe Russo have revealed Evans‘ Rogers will have a “central role” in Avengers: Doomsday.
While fans are already generating pre-emptive hate over Evans‘ return to the MCU, it’s probably worth noting and at least considering that “central” and “large” are different words. Rogers could easily have central role in Avengers: Doomsday without detracting from the screentime of the heroes who have been central to the Multiverse Saga (not that there really are many). Clearly, Rogers’ actions in Avengers: Endgame will be retconned into having some part to play in the Incursions threatening the Multiverse and despite notions to the contrary, there’s no logical reason why they would not.
Marvel Studios won’t be making a splash by revealing its upcoming slate in Hall H during SDCC this weekend but that doesn’t mean the powers that be at the studio aren’t working hard on putting it together. As of now, the studio has only scheduled films through 2028, but as always, Marvel Studios’ One Above All, KevinFeige is kicking the can quite a bit further down the road. “It’s traditionally a five-year plan,” he said. “I think it goes to 2032 right now.”
With the studio looking to release between 1 to 3 films a year and having only officially commented on a few projects in the works (Black Panther 3, X-Men and the long-delayed Blade film), that leaves quite a few holes to fill on that new slate. Given the looming success of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a sequel to that film seems all but a sure thing and there are plenty of other projects that have either been rumored or known to be in development but, as of now, Feige would only offer up a tease of how the studio hopes to return to one of its greatest strengths.
“We were talking about a structure of an upcoming post-‘Secret Wars’ movie that I won’t name,” he said during a recent press event. “But I will say, like Shang-Chi, [it’s] getting back to what genre haven’t we done and want to do and how could this movie be that genre? [We would] focus on a singular storyline by embracing a certain genre we haven’t seen in a while.[It’s] remembering what cinema is and what movie going is and what entertaining audiences is,” said the Marvel boss.
While that’s about all he gave away in terms of teasing upcoming projects, Feige did reveal that the seven-year plan will see 2027’s Multiverse Saga finale, Avengers: Secret Wars, “reset” the Marvel Cinematic Universe rather than reboot it.” “Reboot is a scary word,” said Marvel’s Big Cheese. “Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines.”
According to Feige, resetting the MCU means recasting roles, some of which have been filled by beloved actors for more than a decade…or two. “X-Men is where that will happen next,” he revealed while talking about the studio’s upcoming film, which he confirmed will be helmed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier. However, the future won’t just feature new actors as Cyclops and Jean Grey; it will also include the studio eventually recasting the roles of Captain America, Iron Man and Black Panther, among others.
They have been a place to tell stories about young people who feel different and who feel Other and who feel like they don’t belong. That’s the universal story of mutants, and that is where we’re going.
-Kevin Feige on Marvel Studios X-Men
“Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now searching for a new James Bond,” said Feige of Sony’s efforts to relaunch the 007 franchise. “David [Corenswet], the new Superman — he was awesome. That will always be the case,” Feige said of seeing new names take over roles from previous stars. “I think it’s hard for anybody to do that when an actor has done such a great role,” he said of replacing actors such as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in iconic roles before adding. “How are they going to ever replace Sean Connery [as James Bond], right?“
It’s interesting that Feige chose to sat down with reporters rather than attempt to thrill fans at SDCC; however, given the major changes to the plans the studio revealed at SDCC ’19 and SDCC ’22, the days of the major slate reveals may be behind Marvel Studios or, at the very least, they’ll be done in much smaller doses. For now, it’s clear that the bulk of the studio’s attention is being directed toward making sure Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars leave fans satiated with the Multiverse Saga before taking yet another step into the unknown in 2028.
Outside of the Avengers films, Marvel Studios’ next film, Thunderbolts*, will demand more from audiences than any other MCU film to date. Thanks to its ensemble cast, the Jake Schreier-helmed film looks to serve as a sequel or follow-up to more projects than any other non-Avengers film in the MCU’s 17-year history.
Originally developed as a sequel to 2021’s Black Widow, Thunderbolts* has evolved significantly–perhaps more than any MCU project ever–over the past few years. While it will still feature Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova as the lead and introduce Lewis Pullman‘s not-so-mysterious Bob, it will also feature a heavier-than-originally-expected dose of Sebastian Stan‘s Bucky Barnes. Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen and Olga Kurylenko will all also reprise their MCU roles and team up with Yelana and Bucky to take on Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ baddie, Val, and her enigmatic OXE group.
You’re talking about a group of characters that have done a lot of bad things, and maybe are struggling with feeling good about themselves. There’s an element that does speak to mental health, and loneliness, and how some of the darkness that we experience in our lives can’t be necessarily fixed, but can only really be made lighter through connection and finding others.
-Jake Schreier
With so many characters and their stories intersecting in Thunderbolts*, the upcoming film might require a bit more prep time than some of Marvel Studios’ recent projects. If you’re still reading, you’re probably ready to get started and so, as is our way, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before… Thunderbolts*.
Tier One
If you’ve never seen a single second of any of Marvel Studios’ films or streaming series, these Tier One projects should be considered the bare minimum to get yourself ready for Thunderbolts*. These four projects will introduce you to the film’s main characters and set the stage for you to follow the next steps on their journeys.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
🍅 80%
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
🍅 90%
Truthfully, Captain America: The First Avenger is tough to slot on a list like this until you realize it’s a fictional universe and nothing actually matters. That said, while a fair argument can be made for its inclusion in Tier One, a counterargument can be made that, for all intensts and purposes, the James Buchanan Barnes introduced in TFA died in the fall from the train. While he’s no longer the Winter Soldier, Bucky is not–and never has been–the character from this film. Pairing Captain America: The Winter Soldier with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier does enough to prepare a first-timer for Bucky’s role in Thunderbolts*; however, TFA does provide additional context for Bucky’s tortured persona and why he’s striving so hard to change the world around him.
So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.” “Did it make him stronger?” “Yes. But there were other… effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man.
-Abraham Erskine, Captain America: The First Avenger
And after you logic your way through all of that, the simple fact remains that even though it’s not the first film in which it’s mentioned, Captain America: The First Avenger is chronologically the first time the Super Soldier Serum is a factor in the MCU. It’s continued to play a role in several projects and will do so again I Thunderbolts*.
While it’s not the first appearance of Bucky Barnes–that came in Captain America: The First Avenger—Captain America: The Winter Soldier is THE definitive Bucky film. Over a decade later, the 2014 film remains unparalleled as an action-packed thriller and helped set Sebastian Stan on the path to MCU royalty.
Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
🍅 87%
While the last film in the Ant-Man franchise may well be remembered as one of Marvel Studios’ worst films, Ant-Man and The Wasp, the franchise’s second installment, is a fun ride worth taking. It served a surprisingly major role in The Infinity Saga but if you’re prepping for Thunderbolts*, you’re watching it to get to know Hannah John-Kamen‘s Ava Starr, aka Ghost. Thunderbolts* is Ava’s first MCU appearance since Ant-Man and The Wasp, so there’s a lot to catch up on, including how her powers have evolved since we last saw her.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Actually, it’s Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. I know it’s hard, but I don’t like to repeat myself, so you can just call me Val. But don’t call me Val, just keep it in your head.
-Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)
🍅 85%
Marvel’s second streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier might do the heaviest lifting of any project on the list. Not only does the 6-episode introduce Wyatt Russell‘s John Walker, who looks to play a pretty major role in Thunderbolts*, it also tells a key chapter in Bucky’s story and introduces Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val, who is responsible for assembling the Thunderbolts. The project also adds to the Super Soldier Serum narrative by introducing Isaiah Bradley, the Flag Smashers and by creating a new Super Soldier when Walker injects himself with the newest version.
They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of serum in his system. After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood. I was a god. I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different.
Dr. Wilfred Nagel, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Black Widow (2021)
🍅 79%
Released simultaneously in theaters and via Disney Premier Access on D+, Black Widow not only finally gave Scarlett Johansson the lead after spending a decade in the MCU but it also introduced her messy family of Russian spies. Popping back Nat’s life after decades away, Florence Pugh‘s beautifully flawed Yelena Belova, David Harbour‘s bellicose and bombastic Alexi Shostakovich, Russia’s very own Super Soldier, and Rachel Weisz‘s shifty Melina Vostokoff helped show a more vulnerable side of the character. The chemistry between Pugh and Harbour was a highlight of the film and something to look forward to again in Thunderbolts*. And if you’re watching, stick around for the PCS which leads directly into the next project on the list…
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
🍅 84%
Given how little screentime Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val has had in the MCU, it stands to reason that the project in which she’s on screen the most is a must watch heading into Thunderbolts*. While it still isn’t a truly heavy dose of the character, it does provide plenty in the way of exposing the kind of person she is whilenalso revealing her lust for power and what she’s willing to do to acquire it.
Tier Two
Tier Two projects occupy an interesting place on The Ultimate Lists. While they’re never required viewing, they always offer something that can add to the viewing experience of the upcoming project.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
🍅 68%
After being forgotten for a decade and a half, The Incredible Hulk is cool again…or at least relevant. Bruce Banner’s work on Project Gamma Pulse was meant to recreate Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. Obviously that didn’t go as planned…TIH includes not one but two Super Soldiers gone wrong in Banner and Emily Blonsky. When will these people learn?!?!
Hawkeye (2022), Episodes 4-6
🍅 92%
One of the studio’s strongest beginning-to-end streaming series, Hawkeye features a three-episode appearance by Pugh‘s Yelena that while not necessary to enjoy Thunderbolts* will add to your enjoyment of it. Yelena’s time in Hawkeye–most of which is spent enjoyably with Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop–is fascinating and allows for further excavation of the deeply rooted issues the former Red Roomer deals with.
Tier Three
For completists only…
Tier three projects may offer nothing more than cameos, passing references or relevant background information for upcoming projects but nothing in them will ever make or break a fan’s viewing experience.
The Avengers (2012)
🍅 91%
The best example of what type of information can be expected from Tier Three projects comes right off the bat: you’re watching this one just to visit Stark Tower for the first time. The building is a central location in The Avengers and, 13 years later, is again in Thunderbolts*, though now under new ownership.
Iron Man 3 (2013), Post-credit Scene
🍅 79%
Following Stark Tower becoming Avengers Tower in the final moments of The Avengers, the next visit to the facility can be found in the PCS to Iron Man 3 where the science bros are talking some things out.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
🍅 76%
The last project in which Avengers Tower serves as a key location in the Sacred Timeline, AoU sees the facility fully realized as a true home base for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Following the events of the film, the Avengers moved out of the tower and into the Avengers Compound in upstate New York.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
🍅 90%
While Cap and Iron Man throwing down is the main attraction, Bucky’s very naughty past is what incites the Civil War. A great watch and full of plenty of interesting details about Bucky’s past and post-TWS present, skipping Captain America: Civil War won’t impact your viewing of Thunderbolts* but a watch/rewatch will help you better understand the new Bucky Barnes.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
🍅 92%
A brief trip to Avengers Tower reveals that the Happy is in charge of moving out the team’s things so that the new owner can take possession…that new owner is, of course, Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val!
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
🍅 85%
Avengers: Infinity War is always worth a watch though it really doesn’t have much to offer in the way of preparing for Thunderbolts*. A little bit of Bucky’s story is told here, including revealing what he’d been up to In Wakanda, but beyond that, just enjoy it for the action!
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
🍅 94%
Like Infinity War, Endgame offers a bit of Bucky but the real interest here, if there is any, is the ripple effect Nat’s death will eventually have on Yelena…but Yelena isn’t in the film, so just knowing Nat died will suffice. You could also argue that the Time Heist adds some additional context to what was going on inside Avengers Tower during the Battle of New York but how important will that be?
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
🍅 48%
Because Bucky is in it…for a minute.
About Thunderbolts*
The film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
In Thunderbolts* Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
-Official Synopsis for Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*
Jake Schreier directs Thunderbolts* and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek and Jason Tamez serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Joanna Calo and Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin.
In late 2022, following a swell of online support for him to play Charles Xavier in Marvel Studios’ X-Men franchise, Giancarlo Esposito took matters into his own hands in an attempt to land an MCU role. During a fan panel at Rose City Comic Con 2022, Esposito explained how the fan casting led to having his people reach out to Marvel Studios. “I finally had to have my people call Marvel and explain that, you know, that this is a fan want and we would love to work with you,” Esposito told the crowd.
But I feel as if there may be some mileage with me and Marvel. I know I love what they do. I know I love creativity. So who knows what could happen? Keep putting it out there.
Marketing for Captain America: Brave New World has contained plenty of Esposito’s Sidewinder, attempting to establish the character as some sort of menacing threat to Sam Wilson. And while nobody believes that Captain America is in any true danger from Sidewinder, it hasn’t stopped Esposito from over hyping the character.
Last Summer, Esposito teased Sidewinder as “a badass” and a departure from his usual roles. In a new interview with ABC, he repeated those claims, saying, “You’ve never seen me play a character like this. This guy knows how to use a rifle, a pistol, knives, (he’s) very very physical, active with his physicality, punches, kicks, all that.” And while that all checks out against the evidence available in the footage that’s been shared ahead of the film, Esposito also made a claim that caps into question his ability to be taken seriously when talking about Sidewinder.
“Part of the incorporation of Sidewinder’s colors I brought into the costume that I’m wearing,” he said. “I’m hoping that it gives them inspiration in movies to come that will allow me to take on more of that serpent persona.“
While it’s clear that Esposito will be playing a far more grounded and less flamboyant version of Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World, don’t tell him that. Perhaps Esposito’s comments about the similarities between the film and comic book characters costumes refer to the collar on his trench coat being similar in color to the comic book counterpart’s cape; perhaps his character has some fabulous footwear we haven’t seen just yet; perhaps, like with the character itself, Esposito is making a mountain out of a mole hill.
In April 2021, following the season finale of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, trade reports revealed that a fourth Installment in the Captain America franchise was in development at Marvel Studios. Written by TFATWS scribes Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson and starring Anthony Mackie, Captain America 4 was created to give Sam Wilson the spotlight in a film after years in the MCU’s background. Nearly three years, a few delays and a major overhaul later, Captain America: Brave New World is about to hit theaters and take Wilson on a wild ride.
He is in a new position. Stepping up to be the leader as Captain America is going to be a new set of challenges for him. And in this story, a big part of his journey is how do you define that leadership? That’s the thing that he hasn’t had to deal with just yet. As the Falcon, he was always there supporting the rest of the team, but now he’s the man leading the team and I think that’s going to be a really exciting journey to go on with him.
Originally subtitled New World Order, the new Captain America film developed into something many fans didn’t see coming: a follow-up to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Though Thunderbolt Ross has had an ongoing presence in the MCU, Ross’s daughter, Betty, disappeared entirely and the promising setup of Samuel Sterns as a gamma-mutated super genius never took shape. To this end, Captain America: Brave New World is truly and unprecedented intersection of quite a few narrative trails which means not only does it have some heavy lifting to do but so also do fans before heading to the theater. With that in mind, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch before Captain America: Brave New World!
Tier One
Tier One consists of the non-negotiable, bare minimum projects one should be familiar with in order to be dialed into the action in Captain America: Brave New World. While the stories of several characters are more fully fleshed out in other projects, these three would provide enough foundation to enjoy the new Cap film.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
🍅 68%
Long the red-headed stepchild of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Louis Leterrier‘s action-packed has come back into fashion over the past few years. While Thunderbolt Ross has appeared in four other projects over the years, every other character and open thread from The Incredible Hulk seemed to have been abandoned until The Abomination appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021. The next year, the character played a much larger role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the TIH renaissance was on.
One of the things that really drew me to this project is The Leader is a man who operates from intellect. And it’s so great to have an adversary who is working with this incredible intellect to really put Sam through the wringer in this story. And again, it’s a paranoid thriller; it’s this grounded adventure where I think everything that happens in this film feels so real and intense because of who this adversary is. What he’s going to have to go through in this film is because he’s got an adversary who is so terrifyingly intelligent.
Captain America: Brave New World will not only see Sam Wilson face the physical threat of the Red Hulk but also be forced to engage with a different kind of threat: the cerebral Samuel Sterns (don’t call him The Leader, though!). In addition to the wonderful Tim Blake Nelson as Sterns, Cap 4 will also mark the return of Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, daughter of President Thaddeus Ross and former love of Bruce Banner, though it is her antagonist relationship with her father that will be explored in the film. Now, if they’d just let Leonard Samson get his green on…
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)
🍅 85%
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier thoroughly examined Sam’s reluctance to become the Symbol of Truth and the Sentinel of Liberty. Sam’s hesitance grew into something more and eventually led to the decision to hand the shield over to the U.S. government. Though he’s now resolved his internal conflict over whether or not he should be Captain America, Sam’s shaky relationship with that government will be a factor in Captain America: Brave New World.
Of course, as Captain America, Sam will no longer be part of the supporting cast but instead have his own. One key member of that support network will be Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon, who made his MCU debut in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. He’ll play an integral role in the film as Cap’s wingman, so if you haven’t introduced yourself to the character yet, becoming acquainted is a must.
Sam’s whole thing is: he went on this journey, this Avenger story over six movies with Steve because of his respect and admiration for Steve. When Captain America, he says, when Captain America shows up at your door, you answer in the movie Captain America: Winter Soldier. That being said, it is, you know, it is the pain, the idea of not being able to go on these missions, not going to be able to help his friend. You know, there are still people out there that really appreciate camaraderie and friendship […] Just like everybody else, you don’twant to see Steve Rogers go away. You don’t want to see Captain America go away. Because just like Captain America was your Cap, Captain America was Sam Wilson’s Cap. So, you know, that is why he says at the end of Endgame, it feels like, when he is holding the shield, it is someone else’s. It feels like it is yours. He was a fan like everybody else.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier also introduced Isaiah Bradley, a Korean War veteran who was given the Super Soldier Serum against his will in the 1950s. Bradley, played by the incredible Carl Lumbly, returns in Captain America: Brave New World and plays a major role in getting the plot up and running after he attempts to assassinate President Ross. Lumbly is magnificent as Bradley, who played a key role in Sam’s decision to become Captain America.
If none of the reasons listed above are enough to get you to press play on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, you could always just watch it to enjoy Daniel Bruhl‘s return as Zemo.
Tier Two
If Tier One projects are essential, Tier Two projects are supplemental. Any important events from Tier Two projects are likely to be covered in the body of the film, making watching/rewatching those projects non-essential; however, seeing them in their original context is always better than having them explained to you from someone else’s perspective. Tier Two projects also include all of Sam Wilson’s other appearances for those who’d like to have his MCU history fully fleshed out before seeing Captain America: Brave New World.
There’s a lot we’re going to bring to the table. Again, this is a new set of challenges and a new set of adversaries. I love classic, paranoid thrillers and that’s a big part of the inspiration for this film. We want to find action that is grounded and tactile and give him new things to do that you haven’t seen in those other films. I don’t want to spoil too much, but let’s just say we are planning some really, really exciting things.
Watching Tier Two projects will preemptively answer a lot of “who are those guys?” and “what’s that thing doing there?” types of questions, both for those who haven’t looked back on them for a while and for those who have never seen them before.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
🍅 90%
“On your left.” Sam Wilson’s introduction to the MCU came in one of Marvel Studios’ most complete films and one that director Julius Onah has said inspired some of his choices on Captain America: Brave New World. Though Sam’s personal history is explored much more deeply in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, some key pieces of his past are revealed here, including his time in the military and his work as a counselor.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
🍅 76%
Though he claims avenging isn’t his thing, by the end of this one, Sam Wilson is officially an Avenger! Though he doesn’t have a large role here, the film does help establish Sam’s deep, trusting relationship with Steve Rogers. It’s also the first and only appearance of Dr. Helen Cho, whose son, Amadeus (at least that’s the relationship from th comics), will debut in Captain America: Brave New World.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
🍅 90%
Necessary here because of the absolute comedy that is the Bucky/Sam frenemies routine, Civil War is also worth watching just to remember how magnificent the MCU became as it headed into the final third of the Infinity Saga.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
🍅 85%
If Sam Wilson hadn’t proven himself as a big-timer yet, Infinity War put an end to the debate. First helping take a pair of the Children of Thanos down a peg as part of Cap’s Secret Avengers, then providing air support during the Battle of Wakanda, Sam established himself as one of the MCU’s bravest heroes. And while that reputation will certainly come under fire again in Captain America: Brave New World, never forget the danger a man without superpowers ran toward to defend the Earth!
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
🍅 94%
The first steps on Sam Wilson’s journey to becoming Captain America came when Old Man Rogers gifted him with the shield in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame. The final conversation between the two friends set into motion a cascading series of events, the fallout of which will still be dealt with in Captain America: Brave New World. As important as this moment is to Sam’s ongoing character development, this isn’t in Tier One because a version of it will certainly be included in the movie.
“At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam never accepted the shield. Sam never said he was going to be Captain America. Sam never said he wanted to be Captain America.”
-Anthony Mackie, Inverse, February 2021
Black Widow (2021)
🍅 79%
Like Avengers: Age of Ultron before it, Black Widow continues to provide meaningful context to other projects. The fall of the Red Room and Ross’s pursuit of Nat will be used, no doubt, to explain how Shira Hass‘s Ruth, a former Widow, finds herself in the employ of the President of the United States. If you’ve never watched it before, Black Widow is a damn good movie for the first 67% of its runtime.
Eternals (2021)
🍅 47%
While Captain America: Brave New World will undoubtedly contain the necessary exposition to explain that the source of the film’s MacGuffin, adamantium, unexpectedly rose from the ocean, it’s better to experience it by watching Eternals. Truth be told, it’s completely fine to skip to the second half of the film to watch the big action unfold because nothing that happens before then will matter to Captain America: Brave New World…or any other MCU project…ever.
Tier Three
Tier Three projects are akin to side quests. Nothing here will depend or enrich anyone’s Brave New World experience, though there are enough loosely connected points to make a case for watching them.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)
🍅 79%
In the case She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, those loosely connected points come in the form of the continued efforts to produce more Hulks. The series made a key point about the utility of Banner’s blood compared to Jen’s and introduced Skaar, son of Hulk. The proliferation of Hulks in the MCU is something that’s been discussed for years and is finally happening and this project ties right into it, making it a Tier Three addition.
About Captain America: Brave New World
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
The film is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in U.S. theaters on February 14, 2025.
After a quiet year theatrically in 2024, Marvel Studios has three films scheduled for release in 2025, including its first February release since Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Finally taking center stage in a film, Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson will take on Harrison Ford‘s ragey Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, but despite being a serious threat, the President is only a puppet whose strings are being pulled by far more sinister baddie.
Sixteen years after the next chapter in his story was set up in The Incredible Hulk, Tim Blake Nelson‘s Samuel Sterns returns in Captain America: Brave New World as the nefarious, super-intelligent supervillain, The Leader. And while he’s been hidden in the shadows in all of the film’s marketing materials, a fantastic look at the character has been revealed via new promo art.
Notably, Nelson’s Leader is certainly sporting a subdued and noticably less macrocephalic look than his comic book counterpart, though the case could be made that his cranium could still double as a drive-in movie screen. He is, however, indeed green, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
Captain America: Brave New World and The Leader arrive in theaters on February 14th!
Following Marvel Studios’ Hall H presentation at 2022’s San Diego Comic-Con, 2025 was poised to be the most consequential year for any studio in the history of motion pictures. The studio’s One Above All, Kevin Feige, revealed an incredibly ambitious release schedule that included five streaming series and four films including Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. By October, the 2025 slate had already begun to change in the first of a series of cascading moves by the studio that have continued over the past two years. For myriad reasons, projects have shuffled in, out and around in 2025 leaving fans uncertain of what to expect even as time runs out on 2024.
Avengers: Secret Wars was the first casualty, originally being moved to 2026 and then again to 2027. The Fantastic Four was moved from 2024 into 2025 and then moved later into 2025. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, originally scheduled for a May 2, 2025 release was moved into 2026 before being scrapped and reimagined as Avengers: Doomsday. And after a semi-disastrous 2023 for Marvel Studios, a Disney-mandated cutback on streaming series jettisoned the plans to have new episodes of MCU-set series releasing nearly year-round. Now, as the studio seems to be settling in following some rethinking, rescheduling and rebranding, the 2025 theatrical release slate has come into focus.
Captain America: Brave New World-February 14, 2025
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Marvel Studios and a crew of indie veterans who sold out present “Thunderbolts*,” an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova alongside the MCU’s least anticipated band of misfits.
Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, John Malkovich, Paul Walter-Hauser and Natasha Lyonne.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps sees Galactus and Silver Surfer target Earth for destruction.
For the next few days, New York City will be the center of the pop culture world as NYCC ’24 gets underway. Though it’s typically not been used to deliver major breaking news about upcoming Marvel or DC projects, both studios have certainly promoted films and series in the past and will do so again this year.
In Marvel’s case, fans will be able to take visit a booth with a display of costumes from Marvel Television’s upcoming streaming series, Daredevil: Born Again. And while anything more may have seemed like wishful thinking, early arrivals at the event caught the first glimpse of a brand new Marvel logo that includes the first look at multiple characters expected to appear in upcoming projects.
The new logo, which is starting to pop up all over social media, not only gives fans great, new looks at Harrison Ford‘s Red Hulk, Anthony Mackie‘s Captain America and a few characters from the 2025 film Thunderbolts* but also a great shot of H.E.R.B.I.E., Jeff the Shark and Galacta, the daughter of Galactus.
New Marvel logo with Fantastic Four, Red Hulk, Thunderbolts*, and more on it at NYCC! pic.twitter.com/cpGdfpKiJd
Though it’s not been confirmed, it is incredibly likely that Jeff and Galacta are simply part of Marvel Comics’ presentation or their video game presentation. On the other hand, the logo also includes close up looks at Daredevil, Wilson Fisk from Daredevil: Born Again and the Human Torch who, along with H.E.R.B I.E., will be seen in 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Additionally, the inclusion of characters from What If…? in the logo all but guarantees the third season of the canonical animated adventure will hit Disney Plus in 2025. As it stands, the studio’s 2025 slate currently includes:
After undergoing a significant post-production overhaul, Captain America: Brave New World debuted a thrilling trailer that had fans up in arms over Marvel Studios revealing Harrison Ford‘s President Thaddeus Ross as Red Hulk. Believing that the studio let the cat out of the bag too soon by revealing what many believed would be a surprise twist saved for the film’s third act, fans were mildly bewildered by Marvel’s decision. As it turns out, the studio may have another trick up its sleeve.
According to a report by industry insider Daniel RPK, The Walking Dead: Dead City and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor Logan Kim has joined the MCU as Amadeus Cho. And while I’m not willing to spoil any plot details, I’ve been able to confirm that Cho will make an appearance (and a very minor one at that) in Captain America: Brave New World.
Introduced in the pages of Marvel Comics in 2005, Cho is one of the Marvel Universe’s smartest characters and was a child prodigy. In his earliest adventures, Cho befriended Hulk and became a sidekick of Hercules’. More recently, Cho absorbed the powers of Hulk from Bruce Banner and became the Totally Awesome Hulk. With ongoing rumors of Captain America: Brave New World potentially setting up a World War Hulks project, the appearance of Cho certainly seems more than a coincidence.
Rumors of a World War Hulk(s) project date back to 2021 when Geeks World Wide first reported that Marvel Studios was developing a project. At one point, it was believed that the studio had regained the rights to distribute a Hulk solo film and that they were ready to begin production on the film in 2022. Obviously, that didn’t happen and MCU star Mark Ruffalo downplayed the notion that such a project was in the works. Though the addition of Cho to the MCU in no way guarantees the studio is finally ready to move on the World War Hulks project, it also feels like it might just push the (green) door open a bit more.
While the appearance of the Serpent Society in Brave New World wasn’t a surprise (set photos revealed a pair of members very early on in production), casting Esposito as its most senior member right smack dab in the middle of the action was. The trailer for the film reveals Sidewinder as an antagonistic agent of chaos and now Esposito may have given away his character’s ultimate goals.
During an appearance at Chicago’s Fan Expo, Esposito revealed some new information about Sidewinder and, potentially, his motives.
Giancarlo Esposito says Seth Voelker/Sidewinder in 'CAPTAIN AMERCIA: BRAVE NEW WORLD' is "a scientist; a great mind."
Presenting Voelker as a great, scientific mind is a change of pace for the character who, in the comics, was more of a criminally minded businessman. However, given the role that the Adamantium race is set to play in Captain America: Brave New World, it seems clear that Sidewinder and his fellow Serpents have their own plans for the mystery metal. And while a scientifically minded Sidewinder is a new take on the character, having a member of the Serpent Society armed with Adamantium would not be. In the comics, Frank Payne, who went by the name Constrictor, was once armed with Adamantium coils that he used to whip and, get this, constrict his enemies.
Combined with a previous revelation by Espositio that his character will be featured in a streaming series after the events of Brave New World, it sounds as though the Serpent Society is in the MCU to stay. If they are to do so and prove a formidable threat against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, having a man leading the pack who can crack the code of how to utilize Adamantium will prove very valuable.
Captain America: Brave New World is set for a February 14th, 2025 release.
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