"Captain America: Brave New World Launches Avengers 2.0 Era"

It has been almost six years since the Avengers disbanded after defeating Thanos and mourning the loss of Tony Stark. The anticipation for their return has been building, and with new Avengers movies slated for 2026 and 2027, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is gearing up to reassemble its mightiest heroes. The first step in this exciting journey starts with 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 highlights that the most iconic Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always had Captain America at their core. After Steve Rogers passed his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU needed time to develop Wilson into the leader the team required. This transition was not easy for Wilson, a theme explored in the six-part Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. By the time of Brave New World, Wilson confidently embodies Captain America, ready to take on his next challenge: leading the new Avengers.

As revealed in a pre-release marketing clip, the opening of Brave New World features President Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford following the late William Hurt, asking Wilson to revive the Avengers project. This request might surprise long-term fans, given Ross's history with the Sokovia Accords, which led to the Avengers' division. However, as Julius Onah, director of Brave New World, explains, "He was a guy who had this real legacy that could maybe be defined by his anger. But the man that we're meeting now is an elder statesman, a diplomat, turning a new leaf, understanding the errors of his past and wanting to do better. He wants to initiate the Avengers because they could be a benefit to the world."

As a general, Ross understands the tactical advantage of having the Avengers. Yet, he doesn't plan to recreate the team exactly as it was before. With Captain America now an official role within the U.S. government, as seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Wilson works directly with the President. This suggests that a Captain America-led Avengers team would function as a branch of the U.S. defense department.

"Ross is the man who passed the Sokovia Accords," says Moore. "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

President Ross's renewed interest in the Avengers likely stems from the discovery of a world-changing substance. The Celestial that turned to stone at the end of Eternals has been revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 to be a source of Adamantium, Marvel's renowned super metal and an alternative to Wakanda's Vibranium. With nations poised for an Adamantium arms race, having a superhero team becomes a strategic necessity.

"I think certainly any nation that has a group of Avengers has a leg up over anyone else," says Moore. "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 motive behind this new Avengers team suggests a potentially rocky relationship between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America. 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 man President Ross envisions for his Avengers. The answer to who will lead this government-controlled team could be found in the 2025 MCU project, Thunderbolts, featuring anti-heroes like John Walker, who briefly assumed the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier but tarnished Steve Rogers's legacy. Perhaps Walker and his morally ambiguous allies will become Ross's Avengers, fittingly given Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt.

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 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. Regardless of specifics, Brave New World marks a pivotal step in Wilson's journey since he took up the shield, setting him on the path to lead the Avengers.

"Historically the Avengers have been led by a Captain America, and Sam Wilson is very much so a worthy one," says Onah. "But part of telling this story is also reinforcing, illustrating, and dramatizing for an audience: why is he worthy?"

Wilson's worthiness stems from his empathy, which Onah describes as his superpower. Despite being just a man with a shield and mechanical wings, Wilson's ability to understand the perspectives of both allies and enemies enables him to wield the shield effectively, embodying 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."

Wilson must act quickly. Following Brave New World, only two movies stand between us and Avengers: Doomsday. It's likely that Captain America will appear in both Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps as he recruits his team for the 2026 event. Though a shorter buildup than the five films leading to 2012's The Avengers, iconic characters like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner may be ready to answer the call. The reassembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.