It has been nearly six years since the Avengers disbanded after defeating Thanos and the tragic loss of Tony Stark. However, the world's need for its mightiest heroes is ever-present, and with new Avengers movies slated for 2026 and 2027, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is poised to reassemble the team. The journey to form the next generation of Avengers starts in "Captain America: Brave New World."
"We know people miss the Avengers and we miss the Avengers," says Nate Moore, a veteran producer at Marvel Studios and a key figure behind the fourth Captain America film. "But we knew if we jumped right back into the Avengers after Endgame, we wouldn't give people a chance to miss it."
Moore emphasizes that the most iconic Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always been anchored by Captain America. After Steve Rogers passed the shield to Sam Wilson in "Avengers: Endgame," the MCU needed time to develop Wilson into the leader he needed to become. This process was not easy for Wilson, as explored in the Disney+ series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," which detailed his struggles with assuming the mantle of Captain America. By the time of "Brave New World," Wilson confidently dons the red, white, and blue. Yet, his next challenge is even more formidable: leading the new Avengers team.
A pre-release marketing clip for "Brave New World" reveals that President Ross, now played by Harrison Ford following the passing of William Hurt, asks Wilson to spearhead the Avengers' revival. This might surprise long-term fans, considering Ross's role in enacting the Sokovia Accords, which led to the team's division. However, as "Brave New World" director Julius Onah explains, Ross has evolved into an elder statesman, a diplomat seeking redemption and understanding the necessity of the Avengers for global stability.
"He was a guy who had this real legacy that could maybe be defined by his anger," Onah notes. "But the man that we're meeting now is a man who is an elder statesman, who's a diplomat, who's turning a new leaf, who sees and understands the errors of his past and wants to do better. [He wants to initiate] the Avengers because they could be a benefit to the world."
Given Ross's military background, he recognizes the tactical advantage of having the Avengers under his command. In "Brave New World," Captain America is now officially part of the U.S. government, with Wilson directly working under the President. This positions a Captain America-led Avengers team as an extension of the U.S. defense department.
"Ross is the man who passed the Sokovia Accords," Moore adds. "He certainly realized that the Avengers left unchecked may not be the best idea for anyone. And so I certainly think he understands that power is more beneficial to him if it's under his command, and he figures why not do it first before somebody beats me to the punch."
Sam Wilson must now embrace Captain America's ultimate responsibility: leading the Avengers. | Image credit: Disney / Marvel Studios
Ross's renewed interest in the Avengers may be driven by the discovery of Adamantium, a super-metal derived from the Celestial turned to stone at the end of "Eternals," as revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2024. With Adamantium sparking a potential global arms race, having superheroes on the side of the U.S. becomes crucial.
"I think certainly any nation that has a group of Avengers has a leg up over anyone else," Moore states. "And Ross is a general, so certainly he understands what a tactical advantage is!"
How Sam Wilson/Falcon Became Captain America in the Comics
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The underlying motives for this new Avengers team suggest potential friction between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America. Steve Rogers was famously against government control, and Wilson has been striving to uphold his predecessor's ideals throughout his superhero career.
"I really focused on the emotional journey that Sam was taking," says Onah. "It was really cool to then put him opposite somebody who had divided the Avengers in the past. Because of that history, Sam was put into prison. The Sokovia Accords, all the stuff that Ross pushed forward as Secretary of State [came into play]. These are things that when these two men walk into a room, that tension between them is palpable."
If Wilson isn't the leader Ross envisions, the 2025 MCU project "Thunderbolts" might hold the answer. This film introduces a team of anti-heroes, including John Walker, who briefly took up the Captain America mantle in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" but tarnished the legacy left by Steve Rogers. It's possible that Walker and his morally ambiguous allies could become Ross's Avengers, especially given Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt.
Should this scenario unfold, Wilson could form an independent team just in time for Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Doctor Doom in "Avengers: Doomsday" in 2026. Regardless of the specifics, "Brave New World" marks a crucial step in Wilson's journey since he first took up the shield, leading him toward becoming the Avengers' leader.
Director Onah highlights Wilson's worthiness to lead, emphasizing his empathy as a superpower. "Historically the Avengers have been led by a Captain America, and Sam Wilson is very much so a worthy one," Onah says. "But part of telling this story is also reinforcing, illustrating, and dramatizing for an audience: why [is he worthy]?"
Wilson's ability to empathize and understand both allies and enemies enables him to effectively wield the shield and embody the values it represents. "I think that's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," Onah states.
"I don't think Sam would be prepared to lead the Avengers until he truly believed that he was Captain America," adds Moore. "And our goal as filmmakers was to take him on a journey of questioning whether or not he made the right decision. Hopefully by the end, [we’ll have] him and the audience go 'There certainly could be no one else'. He is Captain America, and hopefully he takes the tools from this movie to be able to lead the Avengers."
With only two films between "Brave New World" and "Avengers: Doomsday," Wilson must act swiftly. He is likely to appear in both "Thunderbolts" and "Fantastic Four: First Steps" as he recruits his team. While this timeline is shorter than the buildup to 2012's "The Avengers," familiar faces like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner may be ready to answer the call. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins with "Captain America: Brave New World."
