It has been nearly six years since the Avengers disbanded after the defeat of 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 bring the team back together. The journey to reassemble the Avengers 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 emphasizes that the most iconic Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always had Captain America at their core. Following Steve Rogers passing the shield to Sam Wilson in "Avengers: Endgame," the MCU has taken time to develop Wilson into the leader he needs to be. This transformation was not immediate, as Wilson grappled with the weight of becoming Captain America. The six-part Disney+ series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," delved into his struggles, culminating in "Brave New World" where Wilson confidently dons the red, white, and blue. Yet, as he masters the role of Captain America, he faces a new challenge: leading the next Avengers team.
A pre-release marketing clip for "Brave New World" reveals that President Ross (now played by Harrison Ford, taking over from the late William Hurt) approaches Wilson to restart the Avengers initiative. This might puzzle long-term fans, given that Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross was the architect of the Sokovia Accords, which led to the Avengers' split. So why would Ross now seek to reassemble them?
"He was a guy who had this real legacy that could maybe be defined by his anger," explains Julius Onah, director of "Brave New World." "But the man that we're meeting now is an elder statesman, 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."
As a general, Ross understands tactical advantages well. However, his vision for the new Avengers differs from the original. Following "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," Captain America is now an official role within the U.S. government, and in "Brave New World," Wilson works directly with the President. This suggests that a Captain America-led Avengers team would effectively be 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."
Ross’s interest in reassembling the Avengers may not solely be for future films but rather due to the discovery of a world-changing substance. The Celestial turned to stone at the end of "Eternals" is revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2024 to be a source of Adamantium, Marvel's renowned super metal and a valuable alternative to Wakanda's Vibranium. With this resource now accessible in the ocean, nations are poised to engage in an Adamantium arms race, making a superhero team 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
If there is an ulterior motive behind the new Avengers team, it suggests a potentially rocky relationship between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America. Steve Rogers was staunchly against government control, and Wilson has always strived to uphold his predecessor's values.
"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."
It's possible that Sam Wilson is not the man President Ross envisions leading the Avengers. The answer might lie in the upcoming MCU project, "Thunderbolts," set to release just months after "Brave New World." "Thunderbolts" 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 the legacy. Perhaps Walker and his team could become the President's Avengers, fittingly given Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt.
If that scenario unfolds, Wilson would be free to form his own independent team of superheroes, ready for the arrival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in "Avengers: Doomsday" in 2026. Regardless of specifics, "Brave New World" marks the next step in Wilson's journey since he picked up the shield, leading inevitably to his role as the Avengers' leader.
Onah emphasizes Wilson's worthiness to lead the Avengers stems from his empathy, which he considers the character's superpower. Wilson, equipped only with a shield and mechanical wings, relies on his ability to understand both allies and enemies, embodying the values the Vibranium shield represents.
"I think that's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," Onah says.
"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."
Wilson's journey must accelerate as only two films stand between "Brave New World" and "Avengers: Doomsday." It's likely that Captain America will appear in both "Thunderbolts" and "Fantastic Four: First Steps" to recruit his team before the 2026 event. While a shorter path than the five films leading to 2012's "The Avengers," heroes like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner may already be ready to answer the call. The reassembly of Avengers 2.0 begins with "Captain America: Brave New World."
