It's 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 as pressing as ever. With new Avengers films slated for 2026 and 2027, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is gearing up to reunite the team. The first step in this process unfolds in the upcoming film, *Captain America: Brave New World*.
“We know people miss the Avengers, and we miss the Avengers,” says Nate Moore, a seasoned producer at Marvel Studios and a key figure behind the fourth Captain America movie. “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 history have always been anchored by Captain America. Following Steve Rogers' decision to pass the shield to Sam Wilson in *Avengers: Endgame*, the MCU has focused on developing Wilson's character into the leader he needs to be. This transition was not easy for Wilson, as explored in the six-part Disney+ series, *The Falcon and the Winter Soldier*. By the time we reach *Brave New World*, Wilson has embraced his role as Captain America. Yet, a new challenge awaits him: leading the next generation of Avengers.
Marketing materials for *Brave New World* reveal that the film's opening act involves President Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, who steps into the role previously held by the late William Hurt. Ross proposes the reformation of the Avengers. This might seem surprising, given Ross's history with the Sokovia Accords, which famously divided the team. So why the change of heart?
“He was a guy who had this real legacy that could maybe be defined by his anger,” explains Julius Onah, the director of *Brave New World*. “But the man that we're meeting now is an elder statesman, a diplomat 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.”
Ross, being a general, understands the tactical advantage a superhero team could provide. However, he doesn't intend to recreate the Avengers as they were. Since *The Falcon and the Winter Soldier*, Captain America has become an official government role, and in *Brave New World*, Wilson works directly with the President. This suggests that a Captain America-led Avengers team would essentially operate as a branch of the US defense department.
“Ross is the man who passed the Sokovia Accords,” Moore points out. “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 rise to Captain America's ultimate challenge: leading the Avengers. | Image credit: Disney / Marvel Studios
President Ross's interest in reassembling the Avengers isn't just for cinematic convenience. A significant catalyst for this decision is the discovery of Adamantium, a super metal introduced at San Diego Comic Con 2024. This material, found within the petrified Celestial from *Eternals*, could trigger a global arms race. Having a team of superheroes becomes a strategic necessity in such a scenario.
“I think certainly any nation that has a group of Avengers has a leg up over anyone else,” Moore notes. “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 dynamic between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America is likely to be fraught with tension. Steve Rogers was staunchly against government control, and Wilson has strived to uphold his predecessor's values 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.”
There's a possibility that Sam Wilson might not be the leader President Ross envisions. The upcoming 2025 film *Thunderbolts* could introduce an alternative. This movie features 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 its legacy. Perhaps Walker and his morally ambiguous team will become Ross's Avengers.
If this scenario unfolds, Wilson could form his own independent team of superheroes, perfectly timed for the arrival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in *Avengers: Doomsday* in 2026. Regardless of the specifics, *Brave New World* is a crucial step in Wilson's journey, initiated when he first accepted the shield.
Onah highlights Wilson's worthiness to lead the Avengers, attributing it to his empathy, which he describes as the character's superpower. Despite being just a man with a shield and mechanical wings, Wilson's ability to empathize with both allies and enemies allows him to embody the values the shield 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,” Moore adds. “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 movies separating *Brave New World* from *Avengers: Doomsday*, Wilson's journey is accelerating. It's likely he'll appear in both *Thunderbolts* and *Fantastic Four: First Steps* to assemble his team. This path is shorter than the five films leading to 2012's *The Avengers*, but with characters like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner potentially waiting in the wings, the stage is set for the formation of Avengers 2.0.
