The box office return for Captain America: Brave New World has surpassed three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s lowest-grossing movies. That’s probably not the news Marvel Studios was hoping to hear from its first big blockbuster film of 2025, but that’s where we’re at with Captain America: Brave New World. Marvel Studios is looking to rebound after some disappointing box office returns, and there was hope after the success of last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine. While Captain America: Brave New World has its supporters, the theatrical return leaves a lot to be desired. However, the fourth Captain America movie has a higher box office return than three other MCU movies.

Captain America: Brave New World just went into its fifth weekend in theaters and already gave up the top spot to Mickey 17. There’s also new competition from Novocaine and Black Bag. Brave New World ended the weekend with a domestic gross around $5 million. This places the film ahead of 2015’s Ant-Man ($180 million), 2011’s Thor ($181 million), and 2021’s Black Widow ($183 million).

[RELATED: What’s Up With Red Hulk’s Fire Powers in Captain America: Brave New World?]

All three of these movies come with some caveats. For example, Ant-Man came after the first two Avengers movies and was the first solo movie for a lesser-known hero. Thor came at a time when audiences weren’t familiar with the MCU and before Chris Hemsworth became a household name. Finally, we end with Black Widow, which unfortunately was released right at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek made the controversial decision to do a simultaneous release with Black Widow, dropping it on Disney+ for a premium fee at the same time it debuted in theaters. Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over loss of profits since it didn’t make nearly as much in theaters.

Captain America: Brave New World has a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score

Captain America: Brave New World can’t even boast that it did well with critics. The Rotten Tomatoes score for Captain America: Brave New World also ranks near the bottom of the MCU. At the time of the film’s release in February, it held a 47 percent “rotten” rating on the review aggregator. At the time of this writing, the score has gone up one percent to 48 percent.

ComicBook critic Evan Valentine wrote in a 3.5 star review, “One of the biggest surprises of Captain America: Brave New World was how it lived so well in the shadow of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. There are a few funny moments but, for the most part, Brave New World is a film that takes itself quite seriously and truly dives into its more mature overtones throughout. Gone are aspects of the multiverse and wise-cracking variants muddying up the screen and instead, Brave New World takes a much more grounded approach to the film’s benefit.”

Captain America: Brave New World is expected to arrive on Disney+ around May 15, 2025, which is roughly 90 days after release. Three months is usual timeline for a blockbuster’s premiere on Disney+, with only notable exceptions being major box office hits like Deadpool & Wolverine that stayed in theaters for over 109 days.

May 15th is a Thursday, matching the early Thursday night premiere of Captain America: Brave New World on February 13th as well. Marvel and Disney have stuck pretty close to that 90-day window, which gives theaters ample time to showcase these Marvel Cinematic Universe films before they find a streaming home on Disney+.

How do you rank Captain America: Brave New World to other films released in the MCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Captain America: Brave New World Has 4th Lowest MCU Box Office (Here Are the Other 3) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Giancarlo Esposito was initially slated to play a different Serpent Society villain before becoming Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World. In an interview with Empire, the Emmy-nominated actor has revealed that Marvel initially considered him for the role of King Cobra before pivoting to Sidewinder during the film’s additional photography phase. This casting shift occurred as part of Marvel’s broader strategy to ground the Serpent Society characters for their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, moving away from the more fantastical elements present in the comics. The revelation provides new insight into the film’s production process, which underwent significant changes, including reshoots that delayed its release from March 2024 to February 2025.

“I was on the phone with [producer] Nate Moore, who prepped me to be, possibly, a character called King Cobra,” Esposito shared. The star also shared his excited reception of the character. “I loved [it], because if I’m walking around the neighborhood, African-Americans go, ‘What’s up, King?’ I love it. They call me King, baby! I mean, that’s the highest honor. But as it turned out, there [are other Kings] in the Marvel world, and this was connected to the Serpent Society.” However, Marvel ultimately determined that King Cobra wasn’t the best fit for Captain America: Brave New World.

[RELATED: Everything We Know About the MCU After Captain America: Brave New World]

“Nate said, ‘We can give you all the characteristics of King, but we think he should be Sidewinder,'” Esposito explained about the Captain America: Brave New World overhaul. “And they spoke about creating a character that was really grounded, in a mercenary fashion. They wanted to ground the movie when they went back in to do some additional shooting, and their focus now was on this additional character. So, it was a bit of a whirlwind for me. I focused myself, and I went in there and knocked it out. And I’m hoping to be in this universe a little longer.”

Will the Serpent Society Return to the MCU?

In Marvel Comics, the Serpent Society stands as one of Captain America’s most persistent foes. First appearing in Captain America #310 in 1985, the organization was founded by Seth Voelker, aka Sidewinder, who recruited various snake-themed villains to form a structured criminal enterprise with benefits like healthcare and protection for its members. The comic version of Sidewinder possesses teleportation abilities through his advanced cloak, while other members, like King Cobra, have enhanced strength, flexibility, and snake-like powers. The Society typically appears in colorful, snake-inspired costumes, with each member adopting serpentine abilities that match their codenames.

Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah took a distinctly different approach with the Serpent Society for their MCU debut. In an interview with Variety, Onah explained the reasoning behind the more grounded interpretation: “In publishing, these characters dress up in snake-like outfits and have snake-like powers. Some of them are so over the top that they can even be a little bit cartoonish.” The filmmaker revealed that during development, they explored various versions of the Serpent Society, including more comics-accurate interpretations. “We leaned into versions that were a bit more heightened and also versions that were a bit more grounded,” Onah said. “We found that the more grounded version, though it didn’t have some of the really fun, cool stuff in publishing, just felt way more authentic to the film.” This decision aligned with the political thriller tone of the Captain America film series.

Despite the grounded approach in Brave New World, the door remains open for a more fantastical version of the Serpent Society in future MCU projects. The film concludes with Esposito’s Sidewinder imprisoned but promising revenge against Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). This deliberate setup, combined with Esposito’s expressed desire to remain in the MCU “a little longer,” suggests Marvel may have plans for the character’s return. Future appearances could potentially introduce more comic-accurate elements of the Serpent Society, including Sidewinder’s teleportation abilities or other members with serpentine powers.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently playing in theaters worldwide.

Would you prefer Esposito to have played King Cobra in Captain America: Brave New World? Do you think the MCU will feature a comic-accurate Serpent Society at some point? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Giancarlo Esposito Reveals the Character Marvel Originally Cast Him As (and Why It Was Perfect) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s 2025 did not get off to a rousing start, as Captain America: Brave New World has proven to be a box office disappointment. Now roughly a month into its theatrical run, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is poised to be one of the franchise’s lowest earners. In a preview of this weekend’s box office, Variety notes that Brave New World is projected to earn about $5 million domestically. As of this writing, the film has grossed $177.2 million in the U.S. and $371.8 million worldwide, which “isn’t nearly enough to offset its massive $180 million price tag,” according to the outlet.

Variety says that once Brave New World‘s time in theaters is over, its global total will be in the same ballpark as Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which grossed $402 million and $476 million worldwide, respectively. As of this writing, Brave New World is the fourth-lowest-grossing MCU film of all time, ahead of only Captain America: The First Avenger, The Incredible Hulk, and The Marvels.

Debuting in mid-February, Captain America: Brave New World posted the year’s biggest opening weekend so far, grossing $100 million over the extended Presidents’ Day weekend. However, that was a fairly soft debut, trailing what Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earned during the same window back in 2023. From the start, Brave New World was plagued by poor word of mouth, and those mixed reviews hurt its box office prospects.

[RELATED – How Thunderbolts* Can Turn the MCU Around After Captain America: Brave New World]

Captain America: Brave New World did not have strong legs commercially, enduring a steep 68% drop in its second weekend. It didn’t pass The First Avenger‘s totals ($176.6 million domestic, $370.5 million worldwide) until after its fourth weekend in theaters. Brave New World held onto the top spot on the charts for three consecutive weeks before losing last week to Mickey 17.

While Captain America: Brave New World was never envisioned as a record-breaking blockbuster, Disney and Marvel were definitely hoping for stronger results than this. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is poised to be a prominent figure in the MCU moving forward, leading the Avengers in the upcoming Doomsday and Secret Wars. Brave New World was designed to establish Sam in that role and get audiences excited about the character’s future. Those who have seen Brave New World agree Mackie delivers an enjoyable performance, but the overall film clearly didn’t land with the desired intent. It’s especially troubling that Brave New World hasn’t recouped its production costs yet; its budget was smaller than other recent Marvel movies.

This development puts extra pressure on Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps to perform very well at the box office this summer. Fortunately, there are signs that will happen. The former is currently in the midst of a unique marketing campaign that makes the film feel like a fresh entry in the larger shared universe, while the latter’s debut trailer racked up an impressive amount of views in its first 24 hours. Of course, this doesn’t guarantee Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four will be sizable draws, but it shows there’s still an opportunity for the MCU to rebound this year.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Officially a Box Office Disappointment for MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World introduces the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest gamma-powered threat as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) becomes the Red Hulk during the film’s explosive third act. Throughout the movie, subtle clues hint at Ross’ unstable condition long before his full transformation. Each time the President experiences intense anger, he noticeably heats the surfaces of objects he touches, leaving behind scorched handprints. Then, when Ross finally unleashes his Red Hulk form during the climactic White House confrontation, his metamorphosis is accompanied by fiery particles surrounding his crimson body, with nearby materials visibly charred from the intense heat. Despite these unmistakable visual cues, Captain America: Brave New World never addresses these thermal abilities, leaving many viewers wondering about the explanation behind Red Hulk’s apparent fire powers and how they differ from Bruce Banner’s (Mark Ruffalo) more traditional Hulk transformation.

Heat generation has been a defining characteristic of Red Hulk since his 2008 debut in Hulk #1. Writers Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness created him with thermal powers as an integral element of his design, deliberately differentiating him from Banner’s green Hulk counterpart. In the comics, Red Hulk’s body functions as a living heat generator with a baseline temperature much higher than a normal human’s. His temperature rises proportionally with his anger, eventually generating enough heat to melt metals, ignite nearby materials, and create a visible thermal aura.

[RELATED:  Will the MCU Have an Adamantium vs. Vibranium War in Black Panther 3?]

This heat ability represents a fundamental feature of his gamma mutation, not an auxiliary power. The thermal output comes directly from how his particular physiology processes rage and channels gamma energy. While Banner’s cells convert radiation entirely into physical enhancement, Ross’ transformation directs a significant portion of that energy into heat production. At maximum rage, Red Hulk can even channel thermal energy through his optic nerves to produce focused heat beams from his eyes. This physiological difference explains the visual heat signatures consistently shown throughout Brave New World.

The Science Behind Red Hulk’s Heat Powers

Marvel Comics established a scientific basis for the Red Hulk’s fire powers. Banner was exposed to pure gamma radiation during a bomb test, leading to an uncontrolled, instantaneous transformation. In his turn, Ross underwent a specialized procedure engineered by Intelligencia that combined gamma radiation with cosmic energy. This hybrid approach created his unique heat-based powerset, along with its inherent limitations. Red Hulk reaches a breaking point when his anger and temperature hit extreme levels. Rather than growing continuously stronger like Banner, Ross becomes unstable when overheated. That means his elevated body temperature works against him, causing disorientation and vulnerability.

Captain America: Brave New World incorporates these core elements visually without explanation. The film establishes Ross’s condition through escalating heat signatures that grow more pronounced as his anger increases. Still, Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) strategy against Red Hulk aligns perfectly with exploiting this established weakness. Instead of attempting to match the Red Hulk’s strength, Captain America leads Ross on an extended chase culminating at an emotionally significant location. This approach aims at exhausting Ross’ energy reserves while simultaneously cooling his rage. If the movie had spent a few scenes establishing the comic-accurate present of Red Hulk’s fire powers, the battle could drastically improve, as it would underline Captain America’s strategic thinking when faced with an unstoppable force.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently available in theaters.

Did you like the MCU version of Red Hulk? Do you think his heat powers will be better addressed in the future? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post What’s Up With Red Hulk’s Fire Powers in Captain America: Brave New World? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After just a few weeks of release, Captain America: Brave New World, has topped the domestic box office for three weekends, but is already beginning to fade from people’s memories. The general reception to the title was extremely mixed, but not even in a way that inspires endless debate or discourse over its terribleness like the original Batman & Robin or Catwoman discourses. Brave New World was greeted with a shrug by audiences and has, appropriately enough, fallen off after failing to elicit any significant responses from moviegoers.

Still, the troubled production of Brave New World will go down in infamy since, even by the standards of post-2019 MCU movies, this feature had one of the most tormented creative processes in the history of Marvel Studios. Even the days of the original Iron Man being largely improvised while the fate of Marvel Studios hung in the balance look rosy compared to all the turmoil Brave New World went through. Nothing better encapsulates all that pain than the fact that the feature went through a drastic name change from Captain America: New World Order to Brave New World. How did that overhaul happen exactly?

Where Did the New World Order Name Come From?

Back in July 2022, at the usual Marvel Studios Hall H panel at the San Diego International Comic-Con, Marvel Studios finally announced a release date for a feature film follow-up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Occupying the famous first weekend of May slot Marvel had cornered would be Captain America: New World Order. This feature carried a title that had already been deployed for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s debut episodes, a signifier of just how intertwined the MCU movies and TV shows were becoming.

Immediately, controversy erupted over the title given how the term “New World Order” had been a cornerstone of anti-semitic and racist conspiracy theory groups in the late 2010s and early 2020s. That’s not exactly the kind of image that Marvel wanted to conjure up when promoting a new Captain America movie that was meant to enthrall the masses and sell toys to kids. Still, given the precedent of New World Order being used as that Falcon and the Winter Soldier title, it seemed like Marvel wouldn’t budge on changing the fourth Captain America movie’s name.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World’s President Ross Continues a Weird MCU Flaw]

After all, when Marvel Studios announces a motion picture’s title, it typically sticks to that name. In the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are no examples of announced MCU movies changing their titles during production save for Avengers: Infinity War Part I & II eventually becoming Infinity War and Endgame. Even when directors drop out of certain projects and creative visions for individual films drastically change, Thor: Ragnarok, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: The Dark World retained their names. There was no reason to expect New World Order to get jettisoned until it suddenly was dropped in June 2023 in favor of Brave New World.

Why the Brave New World Name Change?

Given that the term “Brave New World” only appears inside Captain America: Brave New World through voice-over narration on a news program in the film’s final scene, it’s doubtful changing this title specifically altered Brave New World. So what was behind this unprecedented move of changing an announced MCU movie’s name? Changing that Captain America name undoubtedly saved Marvel Studios and Disney from more controversy. However, given the endless controversy over Ruth Bat-Seraph in Brave New World and her presence in the final film, it’s clear Marvel Studios brass didn’t entirely listen to pre-release critiques over the feature.

Changing this title seems to have been partially done to instill a more immediately positive energy into Captain America: Brave New World since the original title had an ominous air to it. More pressingly, though, this title change epitomizes what a difficult production Brave New World allegedly was. No wonder Marvel Studios brass went back and forth on what this movie would even be called, given how this project was plagued by indecision. Brave New World went through extensive reshoots that allegedly tweaked everything from the fate of the Red Hulk to the presence of the Serpent Society to the appearance of Samuel Sterns/The Leader and so much more.

So extensive were those creative disputes that Brave New World was delayed nine months from its original May 2024 perch to a February 2025 launch. Everything about this final theatrical Disney movie that former Disney CEO Bob Chapek oversaw (he was in charge when Brave New World set its principal cast members and principal photography start date) was plagued by chaos. Why wouldn’t Captain America: Brave New World’s name also be plagued by problems? Going from New World Order to Brave New World was an early glimpse into just how tormented this Captain America title would be. No wonder the final product was something so lacking in personality that audiences have been largely indifferent to it.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

What did you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How Did Captain America: New World Order Become Brave New World? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Four weeks into its theatrical run, it’s official that Captain America: Brave New World will not be the lowest-grossing installment of the Captain America franchise. This weekend, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is projected to earn around $8.7 million domestically, which would increase its U.S. total to about $177 million. Captain America: The First Avenger, which debuted back in 2011, finished its Stateside run with $176.6 million. Even if Brave New World doesn’t top The First Avenger‘s haul in this particular weekend (these are estimates that could fluctuate), it’s all but a guarantee it will earn more by the time its run is done.

After retaining the top spot on the box office charts for three consecutive weekends, Captain America: Brave New World slid to second place this weekend. Coming in first is director Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17; the sci-fi film starring Robert Pattinson is poised to earn between $18-20 million domestically in its opening, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Premiering over Presidents’ Day weekend, Captain America: Brave New World got off to a solid — if somewhat soft — debut of $100 million over the extended holiday frame. Unfortunately for Marvel and Disney, the film did not have strong legs. Brave New World fell 68% in its second weekend, marking one of the steepest drops in MCU history. Only infamous Marvel flops Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels had larger declines in their second weekends.

[RELATED – How Thunderbolts* Can Turn the MCU Around After Captain America: Brave New World]

Captain America: Brave New World was plagued by mixed reception, earning uneven reviews due to what many perceived to be flat storytelling. Its Rotten Tomatoes critics score is the lowest of the four Captain America films by far, illustrating there was not much widespread enthusiasm for the project. Additionally, Brave New World made unwanted headlines after reports came out detailing the movie’s troubled production.

Thanks to a production budget of around $180 million, Brave New World should be able to avoid the same fates as Quantumania and The Marvels. It was not as expensive as some of Marvel’s other recent offerings, so it has a clearer path to turning a profit. But that won’t be much of a solace for Disney and Marvel; The First Avenger was released in the MCU’s infancy, a time before the franchise became one of the dominant forces in pop culture. That it’s taken this long for Brave New World to clear The First Avenger on the box office charts is not a great sign as Marvel builds towards the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. Any hopes of Brave New World coming close to the numbers posted by The Winter Soldier ($259.7 million domestic) or Civil War ($408 million domestic) have long been dashed.

It’ll be interesting to see if Brave New World‘s performance has any impact on the development of future Captain America sequels. A fifth Cap movie hasn’t been announced, but Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is going to be a significant part of the franchise moving forward, serving as the leader for the next iteration of the Avengers. While Brave New World has its fair share of issues, most are in agreement that Mackie’s performance is a highlight, so perhaps there’s still potential for him to headline another solo outing down the line. With a stronger script, Captain America 5 could be a solid box office hit — particularly if Mackie is a standout in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

The post Brave New World Won’t Be the Lowest-Grossing Captain America Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After fighting Sam Wilson on the big screen in Captain America: Brave New World, Red Hulk turns his sights on the next Big Bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The only problem is Red Hulk didn’t go hunting for this villain — they picked a fight with the Red Rampage. There’s a new person in charge in the Marvel Universe, and his name is Doctor Doom. Victor Von Doom is now the Sorcerer Supreme, and is using his new powers to take over the world. Part of Doom’s strategy includes eliminating threats before they can rise up against him, so of course that means Red Hulk is first on his list. WARNING: Spoilers for Red Hulk #1 below!

Red Hulk #1 comes from the creative team of Benjamin Percy, Geoff Shaw, Bryan Valenza, and VC’s Cory Petit. In a change of pace, it begins with Red Hulk already a prisoner of Doctor Doom. The amount of time Red Hulk is Doctor Doom’s captive is also unknown. The Thaddeus Ross we find in a Latverian cell is disheveled with an overgrown beard and long white hair running down his head. Has it been six months? Or maybe a year? Doctor Doom isn’t telling. It’s a rough spot for Red Hulk to be in, but if there’s one thing you can be confident in, it’s that Thaddeus Ross is a survivor.

Why Doctor Doom captures Red Hulk revealed

Doctor Doom roughs Red Hulk up in his cell after Thaddeus makes the mistake of mouthing off. Once Doom leaves, Red Hulk hears a faint tapping from the walls. He makes out that the tapping is Morse code, with the first part of the message containing the person’s name and the second part stating they are a prisoner as well. Among the prisoners with Red Hulk are a Deathlok and Machine Man, along with a general, a college professor, and the leader of a cartel.

[RELATED: Benjamin Percy Sets the Stage for Red Hulk’s Showdown With Doctor Doom]

Throughout the next several days they stay in contact through Morse code. Just like with Red Hulk, the others are being used by Doctor Doom to run through different scenarios ranging from data breaches to interrupting shipping ports to orchestrating an attack during a religious holiday. They all have one thing in common — they’re all acts of war. In other words, Doctor Doom is building a think tank dedicated to global war. But what Doctor Doom doesn’t realize is Red Hulk now has a think tank of his own. But instead of inciting war, their objective is to get free and stop Doctor Doom.

Red Hulk and Machine Man escape their cells after outsmarting one of Doctor Doom’s Doombots. Red Hulk #1 ends with Thaddeus Ross deactivating his inhibitor collar and Hulking out just as a group of Doombots start closing in.

Red Hulk is out to stop Doctor Doom’s Marvel takeover

Marvel’s Red Hulk series may have launched as a part of its “One World Under Doom” publishing event, but there should be enough meat on the bone for it to continue as an ongoing series long after “One World Under Doom” ends. There should also be added interest in the comic after Harrison Ford debuted as Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World. The movie ended with Red Hulk being sent to the Raft, a prison for superpowered individuals. But more than likely Red Hulk will be one of the many characters to return for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Part of the big appeal of Avengers: Doomsday is two-fold: first, Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom. Second, the Russo Brothers are also returning to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Any apprehension regarding the MCU should be put to rest with that double dose of news delivered at San Diego Comic-Con. This means we could eventually see Downey’s Doctor Doom face off against Ford’s Red Hulk on the big screen, mirroring the showdown that’s about to happen in the comics.

Red Hulk is also a part of Marvel’s new Captain America comic. Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 debuted to coincide with Captain America: Brave New World and features both Sam Wilson and Red Hulk in starring roles.

The post Red Hulk Moves on From Captain America to Feud With the Next Big MCU Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has need of revitalization following the mediocre reception of Captain America: Brave New World, and Thunderbolts* can provide that spark. The MCU’s newest movie spotlights Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as Captain America for the first time on the big screen, while introducing new characters like Red Hulk (Harrison Ford), Sabra (Shira Haas), Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), and Copperhead (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson). The MCU’s next movie, Thunderbolts*, differs in that its core team of antiheroes have already appeared in the franchise before. Consisting of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian/Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost/Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov (Olga Kurylenko), Thunderbolts* main characters will converge to take on a dangerous mission under the direction of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Freyfus) in the Jake Schreier-directed film.

Much of Brave New World’s criticism targets the movie’s incorporation of too many new characters and inability to give them all enough to do. Thunderbolts* has the potential to improve in that area, as the movie fixates on recurring characters and continuations of their already established stories. The MCU has gone without a truly impressive non-sequel movie for quite some time, and Thunderbolts* promises to turn things around.

[RELATED – How SPOILER’s Captain America: Brave New World Story Sets Up Their Thunderbolts* Role]

Thunderbolts* Won’t Repeat Captain America: Brave New World‘s Shortcomings

Although other MCU movies have succeeded in introducing multiple new characters, Captain America: Brave New World simply took on more than it could handle. An overabundance of players in its narrative rendered the film overly convoluted, and most of the new characters were not adequately developed by the end. On the contrary, Thunderbolts* relies on familiarity with its characters rather than bringing in multiple major figures for the first time. Only Sentry (Lewis Pullman) stands as a key new addition to the MCU in Thunderbolts*, thus the film shouldn’t have trouble completing his introduction.

Accordingly, Thunderbolts* will likely avoid feeling overstuffed like Brave New World. Based on the movie’s trailers and currently available plot information, it appears that the main characters in Thunderbolts* will be together a lot, indicating that the story won’t jump around too much. Moreover, Thunderbolts* enters the MCU as a standalone film rather than a genuine sequel, despite its many returning personalities. Thus, Thunderbolts* can resume the individual storylines of Yelena, Bucky, Alexei, John, Ava, and Antonia while building their relationships with each other. Brave New World‘s status as a follow-up project to the 2021 Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier meant that audiences had homework to do before watching the film despite its inclusion of so many new faces.

Thunderbolts*, on the other hand, will certainly intrigue those who have seen Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and other relevant titles, but new viewers shouldn’t have trouble understanding the movie, as much of the entire team is appearing on screen for the first time together. Even though there are some prior links between Yelena and Alexei and Bucky and John, for example, the primary appeal of Thunderbolts* remains its offering of both familiar and fresh elements. The upcoming film could reinvigorate the MCU given that most of the franchise’s recent movies have been sequels.

Thunderbolts* Can Pave the Way for the MCU’s Future Movies

As a true team-up movie involving existing non-Avengers characters from different corners of the MCU, Thunderbolts* is attempting a concept rarely before seen in the franchise. 2023’s The Marvels orchestrated a similar idea, although it involves a smaller team of three rather than a squad of seven in Thunderbolts*. If the structure of Thunderbolts* succeeds, the MCU should look to organize unique team-ups in future movies. Implementing this strategy more often would enable fan-favorite characters to compile more appearances closer together. The morally gray heroes of Thunderbolts* aren’t likely to feature prominently (if at all) in the MCU’s upcoming big events, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, so this type of grounded projects allows them to shine both individually and as a group without forcing them into any major overarching narrative. All in all, Thunderbolts* boasts enormous potential as a standalone character-driven story that draws excitement from fans’ knowledge of its characters.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters. Thunderbolts* opens in theaters on May 2nd.

Are you looking forward to Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How Thunderbolts* Can Turn the MCU Around After Captain America: Brave New World appeared first on ComicBook.com.

From its initial Marvel Cinematic Universe introduction as a hidden kingdom possessing extraordinary resources to its later struggles with global engagement, Wakanda’s story has consistently revolved around vibranium. This rare metal transformed the African nation into a technological marvel while simultaneously making it a target for those seeking to replicate or steal its power. The first Black Panther film showed T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) choosing to share Wakanda’s resources with the world, breaking centuries of isolation. Wakanda Forever then revealed the consequences of this decision, as other nations attempted to obtain vibranium by any means necessary, ultimately leading Shuri (Letitia Wright) to reverse course and return to a more protective stance. This complex relationship between Wakanda and its signature resource sets the stage for what could become the defining conflict of Black Panther 3.

Captain America: Brave New World transforms this simmering tension into an imminent crisis by introducing adamantium as a direct challenge to Wakanda’s technological dominance. During a critical presentation to world leaders, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) unveils adamantium—harvested from the Celestial Tiamut’s remains—as a metal that surpasses vibranium in strength. In addition, Ross emphasizes that, unlike vibranium, adamantium won’t be controlled by an “isolationist nation,” positioning it as a symbol of technological independence from Wakanda’s influence. This framing isn’t merely scientific, transforming adamantium into a geopolitical weapon designed to undermine Wakanda’s unique standing. Furthermore, Ross’s emphasis on international cooperation for adamantium distribution directly challenges Wakanda’s historically restrictive vibranium policies, suggesting a future where multiple nations wield metal-based technology rivaling vibranium tech.

Will Black Panther 3 Pitch Vibranium Against Adamantium?

In Black Panther, T’Challa’s decision to reveal Wakanda to the world represented a fundamental break from centuries of tradition. Against the counsel of many advisors, he established a new vision based on outreach rather than protective secrecy—directly opposing Erik Killmonger’s (Michael B. Jordan) wishes to use Wakandan technology to dominate other nations. However, Wakanda Forever revealed this idealism had unintended consequences. Rather than fostering mutual respect, the revelation of vibranium’s potential triggered a global race for the resource.

Under CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) oversight, Western powers escalated covert operations targeting Wakanda’s resources, including deep-sea mining that eventually led to contact with Talokan. By the film’s conclusion, Shuri made the difficult choice to reverse her brother’s policy of openness, accepting responsibility for Namor’s (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) attacks to protect Talokan’s existence. This strategic decision effectively returned Wakanda to isolation, as the nation sacrificed its international standing to protect another hidden civilization, becoming viewed as a military threat rather than a valuable ally.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Makes Me Wonder How Many MCU Events The Leader Has Influenced]

The introduction of adamantium in Brave New World arrives at precisely this moment of diplomatic vulnerability for Wakanda. For the United States military, adamantium offers a genuine path to technological parity with Wakanda after years of failed attempts. For Valentina’s CIA, it renders covert vibranium theft operations unnecessary. Most significantly, President Ross’s framing of adamantium as a collectively managed resource marks a deliberate ideological challenge to Wakanda’s historical approach to resource control.

At the conclusion of Wakanda Forever, Namor tells his cousin that their alliance with Wakanda positions Talokan to gain a powerful ally when surface nations inevitably turn against the African kingdom. Adamantium’s emergence as an explicitly anti-Wakanda resource could be precisely the catalyst that brings this prediction to fruition. This sets up the perfect foundation for Black Panther 3‘s central conflict. 

Beyond the physical properties of these metals lies a deeper philosophical divide. Wakanda and Talokan represent societies where technological development remains deeply interconnected with societal values and spiritual traditions, evolving organically over centuries. Adamantium, by contrast, represents a more extractive approach: recently discovered and rapidly weaponized. This elevates the conflict from mere resource competition to a fundamental disagreement about the relationship between power, technology, and cultural identity.

As Ryan Coogler develops the next installment in his acclaimed franchise, the vibranium-adamantium conflict provides a natural evolution of the themes that have defined the series. The first film explored isolation versus engagement; the second examined the consequences of engagement. The third can now explore how Wakanda survives when the technological uniqueness at the core of its identity faces a legitimate challenge. Whether this conflict manifests as outright war or forces new diplomatic frameworks, adamantium’s introduction guarantees that Wakanda’s position in the MCU will fundamentally change.

Do you think Black Panther 3 will show a war between vibranium and adamantium technologies? How do you believe Wakanda will respond to this new threat? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Will the MCU Have an Adamantium vs. Vibranium War in Black Panther 3? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It was previously unthinkable for an MCU movie to have a second-weekend drop at the box office larger than 61%. That’s all changed with Phase Four and Five of this franchise, with titles like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Black Widow establishing a new worrisome norm for this franchise. Nearly all of the biggest Marvel Cinematic Universe second weekend drops have occurred in the last few years, with The Marvels having the worst plummet of all with a 78% fall-off. This past weekend, Captain America: Brave New World scored another hefty drop for the saga with a devastating 68% decline.

A few years ago, these would’ve been unthinkable declines for not only any MCU movie but also any title opening over $80+ million, with exceptions like the Twilight sequels or Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now, such massive drops are the standard norm for the MCU, with only Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine bucking this trend in recent years. It’s clear this franchise is in trouble and it’s high time the Marvel Cinematic Universe implements one specific tactic to stave off these grim second weekend declines.

Stop Making the MCU Inaccessible To General Audiences

Movies take a long time to make. This is especially true for massive blockbusters, that could end up being years of work for everyone involved. General audiences are still only just now, five years later, finally seeing MCU projects like Ironheart and The Fantastic Four: First Steps even though Kevin Feige announced both at a Disney investor meeting in December 2020. This means the MCU movies are still, halfway through this decade, still in the 2018-2023 mindset that this saga’s films and TV shows could directly intermingle. The thought process was that audiences would go gaga for this in the streaming era just like they’d embraced individual character films colliding for big Avengers movies.

Captain America: Brave New World was announced back in April 2021 right after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s series finale and before MCU movies began returning to theaters. The lengthy development and creative process means that Brave New World was conceived and launched in two radically different entertainment landscapes. It turns out it’s a lot harder to assign audiences multiple six or nine-hour chunks of television compared as homework for an MCU movie compared to just a couple of movies. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, and Quantumania all suffered in word-of-mouth (among many other factors) because they required knowledge of Disney+ shows to understand what was going on.

[RELATED: I Think It’s a Great Idea for Marvel to Delay Nova and Strange Academy]

It’s one thing to hinge a Spider-Man movie on appearences from two separate Spider-Men sagas that each grossed a combined $1+ billion worldwide. It’s another to make Brave New World contingent on both a 17-year-old movie and also a four-year-old miniseries. In the past, something like Doctor Strange or Black Panther worked perfectly fine as standalone movies for anyone who wandered into the theater. Even 2012’s The Avengers was relatively coherent for those who hadn’t seen previous Phase One titles. Now, modern MCU films live and die by their dense lore, which limits who can see and enjoy their movies.

Only the folks who memorize MCU wiki pages can possibly hope to comprehend the images flickering on-screen, which inherently restricts the box office potential of these features. Once the die-hard fans watch these titles, who else is going to want to watch something like Brave New World?

Make More Accessible Standalone MCU Features Again

May 2025’s Thunderbolts*, which features a team-up of various Phase Four and Five movie and TV show characters (plus MCU fixture Bucky Barnes), doesn’t look to be countering this worrisome MCU trend of inaccessibility informing how frontloaded these movies have become. However, July 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps certainly appears to fit the bill as something that can resonate with moviegoers of all stripes. Rather than being rooted in Disney+ mythology, First Steps has emphasized a zippy retro vibe in its marketing that works for MCU fans and newbies alike.

With Marvel Studios preparing to pursue massive lore-heavy movies like Avengers: Secret Wars, this outfit needs to remember to also make accessible, lore-lite MCU titles to stave off further frontloaded box office runs. 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t resonate with people because it was teeing up additional movies, audiences from all walks of life connected to the characters and soundtrack. Black Panther, similarly, wasn’t a hit because of its connections to further MCU features. It was because it provided an emotionally satisfying cinematic experience in the moment. These kinds of singular, standalone motion pictures are among the MCU’s biggest and leggiest box office hits.

They’re also the kind of movies that stick around in theaters for months on end rather than falling off a cliff after one weekend like recent MCU titles. Marvel Studios needs to embrace accessibility once again in its movies rather than solely worrying about intertwining theatrical films and TV shows like it did at the dawn of this decade. The innately lengthy creative process for any movie means the MCU won’t change overnight. However, this accessibility problem needs to be straightened out to avoid further box office plunges in the future.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

The post Marvel Studios Needs to Fix This MCU Problem to Save Their New Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

On your left. Captain America: Brave New World has lapped two lower-earning Marvel Studios movies at the global box office, ensuring the Anthony Mackie-fronted fourquel won’t go down as the lowest-grossing installment in the now 35-movie Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first event movie of the year, Captain America flew into theaters on Feb. 14 and collected $100 million over the four-day Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day weekend to take Marvel’s 35th consecutive No. 1 at the domestic box office, but a 68% drop in its second weekend was the third worst for the MCU behind 2023’s The Marvels (78%) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (69%).

But after 10 full days in theaters, Captain America: Brave New World has winged it to $141 million domestically and $148 million internationally for an estimated global cume of $289 million, surpassing the $265 million worldwide total of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. That MCU movie was the franchise’s lowest-grossing entry until Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels finished its four-week run in theaters with just $199.7 million back in 2023.

RELATED: All 35 MCU Movies Ranked From Worst to Best (According to Fans)

Also starring Harrison Ford as U.S. President Ross/Red Hulk (replacing the late William Hurt, who first played the character in The Incredible Hulk), Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/the Leader (who hadn’t appeared since 2008’s Hulk reboot), Brave New World serves as a quasi-sequel to the second-ever MCU movie that was anything but a box office smash.

Marvel’s Edward Norton-starring followup to their summer blockbuster Iron Man had the lowest domestic opening for any Marvel Studios movie ($55 million), a record it held for 15 years — until The Marvels bombed with its $46 million launch in November 2023, months after Quantumania managed a $106 million start that February. (The Ant-Man threequel ultimately earned a relatively puny $463 million at the global box office, the lowest of the trilogy.)

With no comparably big-budgeted movies on the schedule until Disney’s own live-action Snow White on March 21, Brave New World would have to leg it out to overtake 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, which grossed $370 million the summer before The Avengers became the first MCU movie to reach the $1 billion milestone. First Avenger, which introduced Chris Evans as scrawny soldier-turned-super soldier Steve Rogers, is currently the fourth-lowest movie of the long-running franchise behind the pandemic-era release Black Widow ($379 million).

Brave New World is only the third Marvel Studios movie to receive a “rotten” score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes — 49%, a notch above Eternals (47%) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (46%) — but is also the only one to earn a B- CinemaScore, the worst grade of the entire franchise. Verified audiences were more receptive, giving the new Cap an 80% fresh on the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter, which is on the lower end for the MCU but higher than films like The Incredible Hulk (69%) and Captain Marvel (45%).

Starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, with Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford, Captain America: Brave New World is now playing only in theaters.

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Acclaimed video game auteur Hideo Kojima’s public confusion about Captain America: Brave New World has reignited the debate about Marvel Studios’ increasingly complex narrative strategy linking theatrical releases with streaming television series. After viewing the film in IMAX, the creator behind Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding expressed significant difficulty following key plot elements, particularly those tied to Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) journey to becoming Captain America and the current state of the Avengers team. His comments arrive as the film faces serious box office challenges, having dropped 68% in its second weekend to earn just $28.3 million domestically, bringing its worldwide total to $289.4 million against a $180 million production budget.

Following his IMAX viewing, Kojima expressed his confusion on X: “I vaguely remember Sam receiving the shield in Endgame, but when did he officially become Cap? Is it because I haven’t seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?” His pointed observations about requiring knowledge from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to fully understand Brave New World touch upon a persistent criticism of Marvel’s recent releases. While Sam Wilson’s inheritance of Captain America’s shield occurred in Avengers: Endgame, crucial character development for supporting players like Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) and Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) happened primarily in the Disney+ series. This narrative structure has created potential barriers for viewers who haven’t followed Marvel’s streaming content, similar to how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness relied heavily on plot points from WandaVision and The Marvels continued story threads from Ms. Marvel.

[RELATED: Everything We Know About the MCU After Captain America: Brave New World]

The irony of Kojima – renowned for crafting convoluted narratives in games – getting lost in Marvel’s storytelling web hasn’t escaped notice. However, his critique emphasizes Marvel’s current release strategy increasingly requires audience engagement across multiple platforms and formats to fully appreciate their theatrical releases. This multi-platform dependency represents a significant shift from the studio’s earlier phases, where films remained largely accessible to casual viewers while still rewarding dedicated fans with deeper connections. Unsurprisingly, Captain America: Brave New World is struggling to break even.

Captain America: Brave New World Keeps Struggling at the Box Office

The accessibility concerns highlighted by Kojima appear to be impacting Brave New World‘s commercial performance. The film’s 68% second-weekend decline places it among the MCU’s steepest drops, trailing only The Marvels (78%) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (70%) in terms of percentage decrease. These numbers become particularly concerning when considering the film’s $180 million production budget, which, while lower than recent Marvel entries like Quantumania ($388.4 million) and The Marvels ($270 million), still requires significant box office returns to achieve profitability.

Brave New World needs to reach a minimum of $450-500 million globally to break even when accounting for marketing costs and theater revenue splits. This target grows increasingly challenging as the film struggles to maintain momentum, despite positive reviews for Harrison Ford’s performance as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross and Giancarlo Esposito’s portrayal of Sidewinder. The film’s B- CinemaScore matches the franchise’s lowest audience rating, suggesting word-of-mouth may continue to impact its commercial prospects in the coming weeks.

While Brave New World faces limited competition until Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 arrives in March, its box office trajectory raises significant questions about Marvel’s theatrical future. As Marvel Studios prepares for upcoming releases like Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps, finding a balance between maintaining their interconnected universe and ensuring theatrical releases remain accessible to casual viewers becomes increasingly crucial for sustained box office success.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters worldwide.

Do you agree with Hideo Kojima’s criticism of Captain America: Brave New World? Join the discussion in the comments!

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The cast for Captain America: Brave New World is immense. The first-ever theatrical motion picture headlined by Sam Wilson’s iteration of Captain America not only featured staples of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but also contained key players from The Incredible Hulk and even a Celestial from Eternals. Naturally, the final film was very overstuffed. There was so much going on that even Wilson himself ended up feeling sidelined in what was supposed to be his big theatrical movie break. Inevitably, supporting players like Leila Taylor or Joaquin Torres/Falcon had barely anything substantive to do.

However, three specific Brave New World characters, all of them rooted in decades of Marvel Comics lore, were especially wasted by this movie’s scattershot narrative tendencies. This trio of characters exemplifies the creative shortcomings of a motion picture too enamored with “redeeming” Harrison Ford’s President Ross to ever create interior worlds for its supporting players. Behold and grieve for the lost potential of this trio of Brave New World supporting characters.

Warning: Captain America: Brave New World spoilers below

Samuel Sterns/The Leader

Lord knows it’s always good to see Tim Blake Nelson in any movie. The concept of seeing Nelson reprise his Incredible Hulk role as Samuel Sterns, now fully transformed into his green-skinned comic book villain counterpart the Leader, sounds like a fantastic idea. However, doing that within Brave New World just opened up countless cans of worms for this production. For one thing, Brave New World never figures out a good hero/villain dynamic between Wilson and Sterns. Their adversarial relationship feels incidental rather than reverberating with more specific personal details.

More pressingly, Sterns isn’t in Brave New World too much. When he does show up, his most distinguishing feature is how he can apparently walk on foot from suburban houses to isolated military bases within only an hour or two. His eventual shrug of an ending (where he gives himself up at a hospital where Torres is being cared for) solidifies how boring he is as Brave New World’s antagonist. The script seems so ready to barrel towards Ross as Red Hulk that it forgets to give the Leader anything to do, a sharp contrast to all his fun heightened villainy in the comics. Tim Blake Nelson really deserved better for his MCU comeback.

Seth Voelker/Sidewinder

[RELATED: Every Captain America Movie Ranked Worst to Best (Including Brave New World)]

Consider this section a memorial to the potential of the entire Serpent Society and not just their leader, Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito). Brave New World takes all the enjoyably maximalist visual tendencies of the Serpent Society (a group of baddies who look out for each other while wearing colorful snake-themed garbs) and turns them into a generic Black Ops team. What fun is that in a superhero movie? None of the Serpent Society members leave an impact in their minimal screen time, especially with those drab outfits.

Sidewinder, meanwhile, only gets a trio of scenes to exist in. Esposito has some roguish charms in his screen time, but he’s mostly there to deliver exposition and create action shots for Brave New World’s trailer. A legendary actor like him deserves more. Ditto the Serpent Society, which had so much more potential to leave an impression.

Isaiah Bradley

Introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is one of the most fascinating Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, not to mention (like his comics counterpart) one rooted in real-world American horrors. The possibilities were endless in bringing this character to the big screen for the first time. Instead, Brave New World opts to once again falsely incarcerate Bradley just so Wilson has the motivation to travel down a web of conspiracy. Sitting behind bars is all the Brave New World writers could think of for Bradley to do in this feature.

Worst of all, after Bradley’s been ignored in so much of Brave New World’s run time, the movie’s ending fails to account for how emotionally traumatic this experience would be to this man. Once again falsely imprisoned by his country, Bradley just drops a “what took you so long?” quip to Wilson upon securing his freedom. It’s another sign of how Brave New World doesn’t treat this character like a human being. Many Marvel Comics fixtures drew the short straw in Brave New World’s egregiously overstuffed script. However, the lack of imagination in utilizing Isaiah Bradley is especially insulting.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

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Sometimes reality has a sense of humor. Just as Marvel’s latest Captain America film hits theaters, newly appointed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard walked into her office to find her own version of the hero’s iconic shield waiting for her. The ceremonial gift came during her first week on the job, making for a welcome gesture that bridges the gap between superhero fantasy and political reality. The presentation speaks to a larger trend of government institutions finding new ways to connect with contemporary culture, especially as superhero narratives have become increasingly intertwined with discussions of power, responsibility, and national identity. At a time when fictional heroes often grapple with questions of institutional trust and leadership, the gesture takes on particular significance coming from one of the nation’s top intelligence positions.

“Thank you to the @ODNIgov workforce for your warm welcome this week! I’m looking forward to working with you to ensure the safety, security, and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard shared on X.

The timing couldn’t be more coincidental, with Captain America: Brave New World currently in theaters showing Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson grappling with what it means to carry that very same shield. But this isn’t just about coincidences – there’s something deeper at play when a real-world intelligence agency embraces superhero symbolism.

Back in 1940, when Captain America first burst onto comic book covers throwing a punch at Hitler, creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby knew exactly what they were doing. They weren’t just creating another superhero; they were crafting a symbol of American values wrapped in red, white, and blue. Cultural scholar Jason Dittmer points out in his book Captain America and the Nationalist Superhero that there’s always been a fascinating tension between what the shield represents: the government’s power versus the American people’s ideals.

That’s what makes the ODNI’s gesture so interesting. Here’s a government agency deliberately picking up a symbol that, in recent Marvel stories, has often stood for questioning authority as much as defending it. During recent press interviews, Mackie himself highlighted this complexity, noting that Captain America represents “honour, dignity and integrity” – qualities he suggests aren’t always reflected in current American institutions.

So what happens when a high-level intelligence director gets their own version of this famous shield? It’s a bit like watching fiction and reality have a conversation about power, responsibility, and American identity. The shield has meant different things to different people – from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson in the Marvel universe, from wartime propaganda to modern political commentary in our world.

The fact that a government agency would embrace this symbol now when conversations about American values and power are happening both on screen and in real life, says a lot about how superhero stories have become more than just entertainment. They’re part of how we talk about who we are as a country. Maybe that’s why the ODNI’s gesture feels so profound. In giving Gabbard her own shield, they’re not just making a pop culture reference – they’re acknowledging how these symbols of fictional heroism have become part of our national conversation about leadership, power, and responsibility.

Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters now.

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In a series of revealing interviews following the premiere of Captain America: Brave New World, director Julius Onah has pulled back the curtain on several intriguing plot elements that almost made their way into the final cut. The film, which interweaves geopolitical tensions with superhero action, originally considered a deeper exploration of the mysterious Celestial Island and the introduction of adamantium to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Speaking with Variety, Onah disclosed how these elements were carefully balanced to maintain the movie’s core focus on Sam Wilson’s investigation into a potential presidential assassination plot. According to Onah, the massive alien structure emerging from the Indian Ocean served as more than just a backdrop.

“Celestial Island was always going to be a part of this story, because it was a fun way to explore the larger geopolitical ramifications of a gigantic space alien being emanating from the Indian Ocean,” Onah said. “The key was to not have it be something that drowns out or overwhelms the movie, but to arrive at it in a way that felt organic. So again, Sam’s investigation is what ultimately takes us there.”

The creative team ultimately decided against physically visiting the location, despite having developed several versions of such sequences but the introduction of adamantium, the virtually indestructible metal famously associated with Wolverine, presented another delicate balancing act. Onah revealed that the material’s debut in the MCU was approached from an unexpected angle. Rather than focusing on its traditional comic book applications, the film positions the material as a source of international tension.

“We were all discussing how fun and surprising would it be to use [adamantium] as a geopolitical football — not just make it, you know, the most obvious iteration that you might have seen with Wolverine,” Onah said.

[RELATED – Captain America: Brave New World Director Reveals Whether or Not Red Hulk Died in Earlier Versions]

The decision to keep the story anchored in Washington D.C. instead of venturing to Celestial Island emerged from both practical and thematic considerations. Onah explained that it ended up feeling like the correct “emotional and thematic place.”

“We played with a few versions of that [Visiting the actual island], but you never want to overwhelm the movie with too many elements that aren’t necessarily moving forward the story in the way you want,” he said. “But the destination of the movie ultimately had to come full circle back to DC, where we first met Sam and the Winter Soldier, where obviously Ross is now president, where in proximity of DC, Baltimore, Isaiah’s story began. That really felt to me like the correct emotional and thematic place.”

These creative decisions aligned with the film’s broader approach to grounding fantastic elements in reality, as evidenced by the treatment of the Red Hulk character, who remains speechless throughout the film to emphasize the primal nature of Ross’s transformation.

The careful modulation of these elements reflects a broader strategy in the MCU’s evolution: balancing cosmic scope with intimate character drama. While Celestial Island represents the universe-expanding potential of the franchise, the decision to keep it as a peripheral element rather than a central location demonstrates a commitment to character-driven storytelling. This approach suggests that future MCU films might continue to acknowledge their cosmic elements while maintaining a focus on personal stakes and earthbound conflicts.

The film, which stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson alongside Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

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While Captain America: Brave New World is projected to remain in first place at the box office this weekend, it is also poised to have one of the steepest drops in history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to Deadline, Brave New World is estimated to bring in around $28 million domestically during its second weekend, which would be a substantial 68% decline from its debut. While that hold is stronger than the drop-offs seen by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (70%) and The Marvels (78%), it still ranks near the bottom when compared to all of the titles in the franchise.

There are a handful of MCU films in the same ballpark as Captain America: Brave New World, as they dropped somewhere in the 67-67.8% range. This group includes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (67%), Spider-Man: No Way Home (67.5%), Thor: Love and Thunder (67.7%), and Black Widow (67.8%). Depending on how Brave New World performs over the rest of the weekend, it could end up with the MCU’s third-lowest drop of all time.

Captain America: Brave New World easily posted the biggest opening weekend of the year so far, grossing $100 million domestically over the extended Presidents’ Day weekend. However, from the jump, there were indications it would not be one of the MCU’s top earners. Its haul from preview screenings was lower than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, setting the stage for a relatively underwhelming debut. Brave New World received mixed word of mouth, which negatively impacted its box office prospects.

[RELATED – I Still Love the MCU – Which Is Why I Want It to Be Better]

Due to those factors, the expectation was that Brave New World would be front-loaded. Going into the weekend, projections indicated it would gross about $30+ million. Brave New World sports a production budget of around $180 million, a figure that’s actually much smaller than most recent Marvel movies.

While Brave New World should still be able to turn a profit by the end of its theatrical run, this is still a disappointing development for Marvel. The project is fairly important within the overall framework of the Multiverse Saga, establishing Sam Wilson as the next leader of the Avengers. Though Anthony Mackie’s performance in the leading role was praised as one of the film’s highlights, Marvel and Disney were likely hoping for a much stronger turnout, building excitement for the MCU’s future. In the post-Endgame era, many of the franchise’s offerings have struggled to make a sizable impact, forcing Disney to scale back on productions as it tries to get its prized property back on track. Any hopes that Brave New World would mark the beginning of a turnaround have been dashed.

Captain America: Brave New World might be able to hold on to the No. 1 position for a third straight week, as there aren’t any high-profile titles releasing next weekend. After that, though, it’ll probably start its slide down the charts, with Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 (already earning enthusiastic reviews) on the horizon in early March. Fortunately for Marvel, there are still plenty of opportunities to bounce back later this year. Thunderbolts* looks like it could be a fun crowd-pleaser to kick off the summer movie season, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps is generating a lot of buzz. Hopefully, Brave New World will just be a blip on the radar of an otherwise highly successful 2025 for the franchise.

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Before it landed in theaters, Captain America: Brave New World underwent a variety of changes and tweaks, something a number of big-budget movies have gone through over the years. In addition to a title change, production was paused on the film due to the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, which allowed director Julius Onah to alter the trajectory of the film in a more significant way than other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the sequel now out in theaters, Onah has weighed in on some of the tweaks made along the way, which includes addressing the fate of Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross and Red Hulk.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

In the movie, Ross takes a pill three times a day that Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) claims will keep his heart healthy, only for the film’s conclusion to reveal that the pills were laced with radiation, slowly subjecting Ross to the process that allowed Bruce Banner to become the Hulk. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson bests Red Hulk in combat, resulting in Ross being imprisoned in the Raft, seemingly leaving Red Hulk behind.

As far as whether Onah had ever considered more definitively killing off Red Hulk, the filmmaker confirmed there were some slight tweaks but that nothing came close to being permanent.

“You explore many different iterations of it. There was never a version where he explicitly died, but there were certainly versions of it where maybe the public didn’t know what his fate was after what happens towards the end of the film,” Onah admitted to Variety. “But I think you’re introducing such a massive fan-favorite character, and, as we all know, it’s not very easy for a Hulk to perish.”

[RELATED – Did Captain America: Brave New World Change Red Hulk’s Fate in Reshoots?]

In one of the first teasers for Brave New World and in set photos from the production, there were sequences in which Sam Wilson, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), and many more attended a funeral. The casket in the sequence is covered in an American flag, so while Onah might not have explicitly stated that this was meant to be a funeral for Ross, his remarks about one potential ending has sparked speculation among fans. If this funeral was seemingly for Ross, it’s possible that another version of the finale ended with Ross being more gravely injured and taken into captivity while the public was led to believe he perished.

Given the nature of the MCU and superhero movies as a whole, it’s hard to ever really consider someone to be definitively dead, but by Brave New World ending with Ross feeling remorse and regret for his actions, he’s offered more closure for his character’s journey.

Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters now.

Do you think Red Hulk should have died in the movie? Let us know in the comments below!

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Bucky Barnes‘ unexpected return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes with a surprising new direction for the character. In a recent interview with Variety, Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah revealed details about Sebastian Stan’s cameo appearance in the film, which finds the former Winter Soldier campaigning for Congress. The scene, which serves as both a callback to Sam Wilson’s past and a setup for future MCU storylines, went through several iterations before landing in its final form, showing Marvel’s continued evolution of long-standing characters. The revelation marks another significant shift in the MCU’s approach to character development, as familiar faces take on unexpected new roles in the expanding universe.

“There was always going to be a scene calling back to Sam’s history, and there were a few different permutations of it. Bucky has always been there from the first draft that I was involved with, but in slightly different positions in the movie,” Onah explained to Variety.

The director revealed that Bucky’s appearance shifted throughout development, appearing at various points in the film before finding its perfect placement.

“The question just became what’s the most interesting and surprising way to see him?” Onah continued. “At some points, he was there in the very beginning of the movie. At some points, it was just at the very end of the movie. But then ultimately [the scene] became something that is a really fun surprise and also an emotional moment that helps move Sam along in his story. I think that we landed on a place that was really fun and exciting and emotional.”

[RELATED – SDCC 2024: Bucky Barnes’s New Government Role in Thunderbolts* Revealed]

The political career twist for Bucky appears to set up his role in the upcoming Thunderbolts film. While Onah admitted, “Well, you know, I’m not privy to every element of what’s going on in the MCU,” he noted that the character transformation aligns with Marvel’s broader storytelling goals. “I think with all of these films, there’s what’s been present in publishing, but the MCU is always trying to surprise and redefine these characters. There’s an element as well of Bucky’s character going through these changes and trying to redefine himself from what we expected of a guy who used to be a Hydra-controlled assassin. So I think they were leaning into a fun, unexpected way to put Bucky on a surprising journey — and that’s where it landed. ”

When asked if Barnes would be running to represent a district in New York City, Onah responded, “I would say maybe that’s a safe presumption.”

The cameo represents a significant departure for Barnes, who has traditionally been portrayed as a soldier and assassin. His move into politics points to Marvel’s willingness to take established characters in unexpected directions, particularly as the MCU continues to expand its narrative scope beyond traditional superhero stories.

Brave New World marks Anthony Mackie’s first feature film as Captain America, continuing the story from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ series. The film, which opened over Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day weekend, follows Wilson as he investigates a conspiracy involving President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford.

Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters now. Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2nd.

What did you think of Bucky’s appearance in the movie? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Captain America: Brave New World Director Addresses Sebastian Stan’s Cameo & Bucky’s MCU Future appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warning: Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World features the official MCU debut of the Serpent Society, but there are some key differences when compared to the source material. The movie’s director, Julius Onah, has explained why the filmmakers deviated from the comics when bringing the villains to life on-screen. Speaking with Variety, Onah discussed several elements of Brave New World, including the decision to depict the Serpent Society in a grounded manner. He shared that there was some debate over which direction to go in, but the creative team ultimately went with the option that best fit the film they were trying to make.

“This is another case of the grounded aesthetic and tone of the film. Serpent Society had always been a part of the story since I joined, but as you are probably well aware, in publishing, these characters dress up in snake-like outfits and have snake-like powers,” Onah said. “Some of them are, you know, so over the top that they can even be a little bit cartoonish. As we were iterating through how to bring them into the MCU, we leaned into versions that were a bit more heightened and also versions that were a bit more grounded. We found that the more grounded version, though it didn’t have some of the really fun, cool stuff in publishing, just felt way more authentic to the film.”

He continued, “You always want to honor publishing. You always want to honor what the fans love, but at the same time you want to do what’s right for the movie. So I wouldn’t say it was ever what it was in the comics, but it leaned towards that a little bit more. As we got further in our process, it was just clear, this wants to sit in a [grounded] tone.” Onah also cited that inspiration from thrillers like Day of the Jackal and Point Blank influenced his decision.

[RELATED – Captain America: Brave New World Director Explains Why The Leader’s Design Was Changed for the MCU]

In Captain America: Brave New World, the members of the Serpent Society are secondary antagonists. The group is led by Sidewinder, the character portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. The Serpent Society acts as a catalyst for the plot, as Samuel Sterns hires the organization to steal Japan’s Adamantium as part of his plan to incite an international incident. While the film portrays the Serpent Society as “simply” former special-ops soldiers, in the comics, the group is a team of snake-themed villains.

During development of Captain America: Brave New World, the Serpent Society went through significant changes. At one point, WWE star Seth Rollins was set to appear as one of the group’s members; despite filming his scenes, his role was ultimately cut. Esposito’s Sidewinder was a very late addition, becoming part of the film during reshoots.

While some Marvel fans would prefer to see a comics-accurate Serpent Society on-screen, Onah’s decision making process is understandable. Captain America: Brave New World is billed as a political thriller, aiming for a grounded and serious tone. The MCU hasn’t shied away from showcasing heightened elements from the comics in the past, but this project arguably wouldn’t have been the best fit for that approach. For the purposes of this film, it made more sense to reinterpret the Serpent Society, allowing the group to greater align with the movie’s aesthetic. Even for a film with a Red Hulk fight, snake-themed villains might have stood out like a sore thumb.

It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for the MCU’s Serpent Society. Sidewinder promised Sam Wilson he’d be out for revenge whenever he is released from prison. Another solo Captain America movie has not been officially announced, but Anthony Mackie hopes such a project comes to fruition at some point. Outside of perhaps Thunderbolts*, there doesn’t appear to be a natural spot for the Serpent Society for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga. Fans might have to wait a while before they return, but hopefully the Serpent Society isn’t discarded. It would be a shame if a talented actor like Esposito was relegated to one minor supporting role in the MCU.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Director Explains Why a Comic-Accurate Serpent Society Was Cut From the Film appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warning: Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World

In Captain America: Brave New World, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross becomes President of the United States, raising questions about who his vice president is. Fans didn’t learn that bit of information in the movie, and now director Julius Onah has explained why. The filmmaker did a deep dive into Brave New World with Variety and touched on the MCU’s political landscape. Onah stated that while there were some discussions about revealing who Ross’ VP is, the creative team opted not to, as Brave New World was already juggling several characters and storylines. In an effort to keep things focused, Onah wanted to keep audiences’ attention on the Sam Wilson/President Ross dynamic.

“Those conversations happen from time to time. But when you’re telling a story like this, you don’t want to throw 900 characters at the audience,” Onah said. “This was simply a case of there were enough different balls up in the air that staying focused on that relationship between Sam as Captain America and Thaddeus Ross as our president felt essential. Ultimately, we decided, let’s not delve into that. It wasn’t too pertinent to how this story was being told from an emotional, thematic standpoint.”

When asked if he knows who Ross’ vice president is, Onah played coy. “Let’s see where that’s going to go as we as we advance in this crazy universe of the MCU,” he said.

[RELATED – Captain America: Brave New World Left Out A Key Character From A Future MCU Franchise]

The identity of the VP is a key detail considering Ross’ story arc in Brave New World. After his Red Hulk rampage at the White House and fight against Captain America, Ross resigns from office and is locked away in the Raft. This means Ross’ vice president has been sworn in as the new Commander in Chief, which could have major ramifications on the MCU moving forward. In Brave New World, Ross expresses a desire to relaunch the Avengers; it’s unknown where his running mate stands on that topic.

At the end of Brave New World, Sam Wilson makes clear his plan to assemble a new Avengers roster. Sam disagreed with Ross over how closely the team should work with the U.S. government, which could become an issue with whoever the MCU’s new president is. Anthony Mackie is set to reprise his Captain America in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Captain America: Brave New World earned mixed reviews, receiving criticism in part for what some felt was flat storytelling. As the film attempted to pick up threads from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Eternals, and The Incredible Hulk, it had a lot on its plate. Trying to integrate another character — one as significant as Ross’ VP — would have run the risk of stretching the narrative thinner, so it was arguably the smart choice to keep the vice president anonymous. The relationship between Sam and Ross is one of the better elements in Brave New World; it would have been tricky to pull that off if Sam had another political figure he was constantly interacting with. As interesting as it would have been to know who succeeds Ross, Marvel will reveal that when the time is right.

It’s possible fans will learn who the MCU’s new president is in the near future. This summer’s Thunderbolts* features Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the director of the CIA, in a key supporting role. She appears to be assembling the titular team of “heroes,” seemingly in an effort to honor Ross’ wishes to rebuild the Avengers. Given her position in the CIA, perhaps Valentina is working closely with the new President of the United States on this project.

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Captain America: Brave New World is proving to be one of the more divisive movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and not in the way that those split-screen trailers hinted at. Of the many plot elements and production decisions that Marvel fans are now debating, there has been one discussion that rings out louder than the rest: the design and overall impact of Samuel Sterns/The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson).

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

The big “reveal” in Captain America: Brave New World is that General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross swept in during the aftermath of The Incredible Hulk‘s “Battle of Harlem” between Hulk and Abomination, and detained the man responsible for creating Abomination. However, Ross continued feeding Sterns gamma to boost his enhanced intellect – to the point that Sterns was able to chart a path of probabilities and geopolitical influence that brought Ross from the military to politics, and eventually the presidency. When “President” Ross didn’t honor a promise to free Sterns, The Leader used his powers of insight and calculation to push geopolitics to the brink, and engineer Ross’s downfall.

It’s a big moment when The Leader first emerges from the shadows in the bunker underneath Camp Echo One – and arguably a moment that landed with a resounding thud for many viewers. Brave New World introduces a radically different design for The Leader than what fans know from Marvel Comics, with Sterns’ gamma-irradiated brain having grown out of the confines of his skull, like some grotesque cranial mushroom. However, between the deviation in design, and the extensive reshoots that were done, the Leader’s look fluctuated between menacing and outright hilarious. There are already waves of Leader memes springing up on social media, and the character design (and its inconsistency) has become the focus of entire reaction videos and chat threads.

Why Captain America: Brave New World Went With THAT Design for The Leader

In a new interview with Variety, Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah addressed the design of Samuel Sterns/The Leader, and why the film went with it.

“You’re making a movie that is more grounded in terms of its visual aesthetic and style, so you want to make sure that even with these heightened characters, it fits into the world of the film,” Onah explained. “When you think about the arc of his character and the humanity that’s been taken away from him, there’s a monstrosity to him, and I really wanted to lean into that, so the moment you see him, you understand what’s propelling him as a character and his desire for retribution.”

To be fair, the idea of “monstrosity” is a core theme of Brave New World. Those split-screen trailers were really hinting at a story about the true nature of who people are, despite the public face they wear (and how that idea relates to Sam Wilson as Cap). In that sense, the Marvel Comics version of The Leader – with his egg-shaped elongated head – wouldn’t have conveyed enough of the “monster” theme tied to the character.

[RELATED: Has The Leader Been Behind Other Major Events In The MCU?]

Of course, not every Marvel fan agrees with that logic: some alleged concept art of alternate designs for The Leader has already surfaced, revealing concepts that were much more comic-accurate. Onah confirmed that the process of getting the villain’s look right onscreen took a few tries:

“We started off with an entirely practical version of it. You still see a lot of that practical work, in terms of prosthetics and paint stuff of that sort. It was great for Tim, because he’s very immersive in terms of what he likes to do as a performer. I remember one day on set, somebody jumped when they saw him. And then when we put it together in the movie, I wanted to push it even further, to make sure that that jump could come [over] on screen. So we did enhance with visual effects, just to push it to that edge of something that hopefully wasn’t too off-putting, but again, helped you understand emotionally what was driving him.”

Ironically, the sophistication of the prosthetics, makeup, and visual effects to create The Leader may have become an unattainable line that the filmmakers couldn’t reach again during reshoots. That certainly looks to be the case: there are scenes in Brave New World where Tim Blake Nelson’s makeup as The Leader looks far less sophisticated than it should.

Captain America: Brave New World is now in theaters.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Director Explains Why The Leader’s Design Was Changed for the MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Amidst rumors of star Harrison Ford’s “diva”-like behavior during filming of Captain America: Brave New World, director Julius Onah has offered his defense of the veteran actor. While breaking down the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie with Variety, the filmmaker touched on reports that painted an unsavory picture of Brave New World‘s production, which claimed Ford was difficult for crew members to work with. Onah spoke about his personal experience collaborating with Ford, praising the Hollywood legend’s strong performance and commitment to the project. Detailing the “love and respect” the cast and crew has for Ford, Onah had only glowing things to say about the actor.

“Look, I can’t speak to anything that anybody is speculating on or speaking about off the record. All I can speak to is my experience with Harrison. He was an utter professional,” Onah said. “He is a guy who’s incredibly serious and passionate about the work. The creative process is one where you have these really meaningful and, at times, passionate conversations, but it was always working towards a target where we were making the best version of the film possible. I think Harrison gave a phenomenal performance in the film. I was so honored to work with him. I learned so much from him, and the entire cast has nothing but love and respect for him, and the crew as well. That’s the experience I had in the making of this film, and that’s the truth of what our filmmaking was on set.”

In Captain America: Brave New World, Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. The character’s transformation into Red Hulk and subsequent battle against Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) was a centerpiece of the film’s marketing campaign. Last year, Ford joked that it took “being an idiot for money” to join the project, but he spoke highly of his experience.

[RELATED – I Still Love the MCU – Which Is Why I Want It to Be Better]

As Brave New World received mixed reviews and is poised for a massive drop at the box office, the film has also made unwanted headlines due to a report detailing the film’s troubled production. In addition to being plagued by expensive reshoots, some crew members took issue with Ford’s behavior on set, with one person calling the actor “one of the crankiest performers” they’ve been around. The source claimed “A-list egos” contributed to creating a tense environment during filming.

Publicly, at least, Ford seemed to embrace joining the MCU. He famously “Hulked out” on stage at Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con panel last year and said he was “proud” to be part of Brave New World. Ford’s said he was inspired to sign on to the film after seeing other actors have fun making Marvel blockbusters. Obviously, he wouldn’t say anything negative about the movie while promoting it, but based on Ford’s comments and Onah’s statement, it sounds like there weren’t many (if any) issues. It’s worth mentioning that other sources have said there’s “no truth” to the claims that Ford was a problem on set, so there are conflicting accounts. Fans may never know the full truth, but Onah is doing all he can by sharing his side of the story.

It’s unknown if Ford’s Ross will return in a future MCU project. The ending of Brave New World seemingly wrapped up the character’s arc, so it might be difficult to organically find a spot for Ross in an upcoming movie or TV show. Still, Ross’ legacy could continue to be felt throughout the rest of the Multiverse Saga; the creation of the Thunderbolts team appears to have stemmed from Ross’ desire to relaunch the Avengers. Even if Ford doesn’t have a cameo in that film, the character might be referenced.

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Captain America: Brave New World‘s arrival in theaters has once again sparked discussion about the state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Endgame. It’s been no secret that Marvel Studios has lost a step – a few steps, if we’re all being honest – and it hasn been more than disappointing to see the franchise failing to achieve the same kind of power and resonance it once had. However, despite going on over half a decade without the MCU hitting like it used to, my love of the franchise hasn’t died (yet). I still very much love the MCU – which is why I’m still rooting for it to get better.

Any MCU fan, new or old, has spent countless minutes re-watching that now-classic climactic sequence from Endgame: Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) thinks he’s the last man standing on the battlefield against Thanos and his alien army, only to hear Sam Wilson/Falcon’s (Anthony Mackie) iconic “On your left,” in his earpiece, before Doctor Strange and other mystics open Sling-Ring portals and deliver an army of Marvel heroes to stand alongside Cap.

There was a reason that moment in Endgame is so profound and rousing for so many fans: it was more than just a payoff to Avengers: Infinity Wars and Avengers: Endgame – it was the culmination of the entire MCU Infinity Saga, and over a decade of films. More than that, though: Endgame‘s ‘Last Man Standing’ sequence, and all of those familiar MCU heroes returning to life and to the fight, was an undeniable prompt for a flood of memories and emotions that are invariably tied to the MCU; all the places we were, and the events happening in our lives when we saw each of those preceding movies; for older fans, the years upon years that were waited to see this epic collectionof Marvel characters realized in live-action at all, let alone coming together for one big epic showdown on the big screen. Kevin Feige, The Russo Bros, and the other filmmakers involved with Endgame knew what kind of moment they had earned, and they didn’t waste the chance ot let fans recognize and bask in it, together.

When you hear fans talk about the MCU not being like it used to be, they’re mostly referring to all those rousing emotions that came rushing to the surface dring Endgame‘s ‘Last Man Standing’ sequence. Not only were (most) of the MCU movie releases fun events worth a trip to the theater, the interconnected nature of the films (however loose it was at times) made investment in each of them feel worthwhile in the long run. That larger investment of time and interest also served as a bridge to other like-minded fans who were locked-in for the whole larger saga, creating one of the most robust and passionate fanbases ever. In the post-Endgame era, that sense of necessary viewing for MCU content has been all but lost – and with it has gone any sense of a coheisve larger narrative, and fanbase to discuss and debate it. It hit especially hard during the pandemic and the years trying to bounce back afterward, while a deluge of Marvel content hit the big and small screen: the sense of being one large, unified community gone, replaced by a confusing roadmap of different IPs on various platforms, with differing levels of investment amongst the fans. The sense of community has faded, while the actual MCU products have (overall) delivered less in the way of big, epic, or beloved moments. It’s not wrong to feel like some of the luster is gone.

We all know by now that Marvel Studios and Disney fell under new leadership when Disney CEO Bob Chapek replaced his predeccssor Bob Iger in Feburary of 2020. Chapek was caught up in the rush of the COVID-19 pandemic and like so many other media companies, he leaned into streaming as the new Gold Rush in entertainment. No need to deeply reshash it here (that’s for a future bestseller to do), but the plan didn’t work out: MCU products flipped to a “quantity over quality” mantra (on both the film and TV sides); oversaturation of watered-down product made entire characters and franchises D.O.A.; it was such a misfire that Chapek was shown the door in 2022, and Disney-Marvel Studios has been attempting to right the ship since then – while taking additional hard hits from things like the Hollywood Strikes in 2023.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Marks the End of Marvel Studios’ Darkest Era]

We’ve already broken down how Captain America: Brave New World is completely stained by the high-water mark of the MCU’s oversaturation era. That film was all but ripped apart by being stretched between the transitions in Disney leadership (Chapek being fired, Iger being brought back), and it shows. However, if you’re a longtime MCU fan who has been keeping up with everything behind the scenes, you know that now is the time and place to shake off the disappointment, and hope again.

Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ in March; that show was completely retooled and re-shot after its initial batch of episodes (offering a very different take on Daredevil) failed to impress Disney and Marvel executives. So far, Born Again looks like a spiritual successor to the Netflix Daredevil series that fans actually want to see; after that, we’ll be back to a classic Marvel Studios summer kickoff with Thunderbolts* in May – a film that is generating overwhelmingly good hype after its trailers. Marvel Studios rolled the dice big time on its Fantastic Four: First Steps teaser trailer launch, but so far the odds are looking very much in that film’s favor. Between them, Daredevil will likely prove the MCU can still use revisit IPs from the larger Marvel Entertainment brand (key to the franchise’s soft-reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars); Thunderbolts* can prove that the larger interconnected history of the MCU can still be mined for smart and impactful crossover stories, and Fantastic Four will prove that there are still viable characters and IPs in Marvel’s stable capable of launching new blockbuster IPs.

If all three of those goals are met, it will be undeniable that the MCU is back, and fan will have all the reasons needed to feel good and celebrate the franchise again. Like Cap on that battlefield, we could disover that, at its lowest point, the MCU has strong calvalry ready to ride in turn the tide. And I (along with you) will be assembled and ready for it.

And yes, there’s no doubt that (unless the Russos have a miracle twist up their sleeves) the “grand finale” of the Multiverse Saga in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars wil likely feel like a rushed and disjointed affair. But Doomsday and Secret Wars can still be great event films that get us to the real promised land hardcore fans are looking at: Phase Seven, and a rebooted Marvel Cinematic Universe (no more multiverse) where the Avengers, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men and every other Marvel character and property are all part of one franchise, at last.

Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and TV series are streaming on Disney+. Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters; Thunderbolts* has a release date of May 2nd; Fantastic Four: First Steps has a release date of July 25th, and Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ on March 4th.

The post I Still Love the MCU – Which Is Why I Want It to Be Better appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a 16-year absence, Marvel Studios finally returns to one of its earliest plot threads with Captain America: Brave New World, which serves as both Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) first theatrical adventure as the star-spangled hero and a direct sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The new film sees Mackie’s Captain America investigating a complex conspiracy that brings back Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns and reveals he’s now working with Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, now President of the United States. This unexpected connection bridges the gap between the MCU’s earliest days and its current phase, revealing how certain characters have been pulling strings from the shadows since the beginning.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

After The Incredible Hulk, Ross’ career took a remarkable trajectory that seemed driven by increasingly sophisticated political strategy. What started as a military path evolved into a complex web of political maneuvering that eventually saw him appointed as Secretary of State under President Matthew Ellis (William Sadler). This transformation from military commander to political operator marked a significant shift in his approach to handling enhanced individuals and superhuman threats. As Captain America: Brave New World reveals, this shift occurred thanks in large part to Samuel Sterns’s ability to calculate probabilities from the shadows.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Makes Major Changes to the Origin of Adamantium]

After witnessing how Bruce Banner’s blood granted Sterns enhanced intelligence in The Incredible Hulk, Ross saw an opportunity. Instead of removing the gamma radiation from Sterns’ system, Ross increased the dosage, transforming the scientist into a superintelligent being, known to Marvel Comics fans as The Leader. Ross then imprisoned Sterns at Camp Echo One, using his incredible cognitive abilities to develop advanced technology and calculate the probability of various political moves. This arrangement continued for over 16 years, with Ross exploiting Sterns’ enhanced intellect to eventually become president. The nature of Ross and Sterns’ collaboration raises serious questions about the MCU as a whole, as the Leader is probably connected to some of the franchise’s defining events.

Major MCU Events The Leader May Be Responsible For

The Leader and Thaddeus Ross’ relationship forces us to re-evaluate key moments of the MCU.

The Raft is the underwater prison introduced in Captain America: Civil War, and represents one of the most sophisticated containment systems for enhanced individuals ever created. First housing Steve Rogers’ team of former Avengers, the facility has become increasingly central to the MCU’s power structure. The Netflix series of Marvel shows expanded its significance, with the facility containing threats like Willis Stryker (Mike Colter) from Luke Cage and Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor) from Jessica Jones. Most recently, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier revealed that Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) was transferred there by the Dora Milaje, proving the facility’s continued importance in containing enhanced threats. So far, no MCU project addresses the creation of the Raft, but the ambitious engineering achievement could easily have been developed by the Leader.

If that turns out to be the case, then Captain America: Brave New World ended with Sterns being placed in the one prison that’s guaranteed not to hold him.

The Sokovia Accords represent another pivotal development that deserves fresh scrutiny. As Secretary of State, Ross (then played by William Hurt) served as the primary architect and advocate for these regulations. The document’s complex legal framework established unprecedented control over enhanced individuals while maintaining a veneer of reasonable governance, suggesting a level of strategic planning that goes beyond standard political maneuvering. The effectiveness of the Accords in fracturing the superhero community, while appearing to protect public safety, demonstrates a sophisticated long-term strategy that seems almost prescient in hindsight. Now, in light of Captain America: Brave New World, we could equally blame the Leader for the crafting of the Sokovia Accords.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Fails to Explain a Key Sam Wilson Plot Point]

Ross’ calculated opposition to the Avengers throughout the Infinity Saga also reveals a pattern of increasingly sophisticated political maneuvers. His interventions – from championing the Accords to pursuing Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) – systematically eroded the team’s cohesion and autonomy. This raises disturbing questions about whether Ross was in control of the whole situation or a puppet in the Leader’s schemes.

Looking at the MCU timeline through this new lens raises fascinating questions about causality and influence. How were critical decisions about enhanced individual regulation shaped by Samuel Sterns? What strategic calculations led to the specific design of the Sokovia Accords? Finally, could the LEader be playing a long game that has yet to be revealed? The threads connecting these events may run deeper than anyone suspected, suggesting that some of the MCU’s most significant developments were guided by a mind working several moves ahead on the geopolitical chessboard. As Sam works to rebuild the Avengers, Marvel Studios has the opportunity to rewrite the MCU’s history and cement the Leader as a major MCU villain – even after the Multiversal Saga.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently available in theaters.

How much of the MCU do you think the Leader helped shape? Share your theories in the comments!

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Marvel fans are making a startling discovery about Captain America: Brave New World that has sparked intense discussion across social media: one of the film’s seemingly minor characters was actually a beloved superhero in disguise. That’s because Navy SEAL Commander Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCullough) is the same character as the fan-favorite Marvel Comics hero Demolition Man, reimagined to the MCU’s grounded standards – for better or worse. This revelation has generated significant buzz among longtime readers who recognize Dunphy as a character with a rich comic book history spanning nearly four decades, leading to both excitement about his inclusion and disappointment about the MCU’s dramatic departure from canon.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

The comic book version of Dennis Dunphy first appeared in The Thing #28 in 1985 as a super-powered wrestler in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. His enhanced strength came courtesy of the mysterious Power Broker organization, establishing early connections to plot elements that would later become significant in the MCU through The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Dunphy’s journey from the wrestling ring to costumed heroics began when he refused to throw a match against Ben Grimm, demonstrating the strong moral character that would define his heroic career.

After leaving the UCWF, he adopted the identity of Demolition Man (commonly known as D-Man), wearing a distinctive costume that intentionally combined elements from Daredevil and Wolverine’s outfits. Throughout his comic book career, Demolition Man became particularly notable for his close association with Captain America, serving alongside Steve Rogers during several crucial storylines and becoming part of a team that included Falcon, Nomad, and Vagabond.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Makes Major Changes to the Origin of Adamantium]

Brave New World‘s dramatic reimagining of Dunphy transforms him from a costumed superhero to a military commander but maintains his core characteristic of loyalty to Captain America. In the film, Dunphy serves as a crucial ally to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), helping investigate the mysterious heart medication being taken by President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford). Sadly, his discovery that the pills contain gamma radiation leads directly to his murder by the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson). While this interpretation differs significantly from the comic version, it preserves Dunphy’s essential nature as someone willing to sacrifice everything to help Captain America uncover the truth.

Captain America: Brave New World Introduces Many Key Marvel Characters

Beyond the secret inclusion of Demolition Man, Brave New World marks a significant expansion of the MCU’s character roster with several major debuts and returns. The film features Harrison Ford stepping into the role of President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, taking over from the late William Hurt, and finally realizing the character’s comic book evolution into Red Hulk. The transformation occurs during the film’s climactic sequence, though Ross ultimately chooses to surrender himself to the Raft super-prison after a devastating battle with Captain America, setting up potential future Red Hulk appearances in the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World also introduces the Serpent Society to the MCU, led by the charismatic Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), who was added during the film’s extensive reshoots. The mercenary group remains active by the film’s conclusion, with Esposito set for future Marvel Television appearances. Additionally, Israeli super-soldier Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) debuted as a former Black Widow and President Ross’s security advisor, marking another significant addition to the MCU’s expanding roster of international heroes. Perhaps most notably, Tim Blake Nelson makes his long-awaited return as Samuel Sterns, last seen in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Now fully evolved into the superintelligent Leader, complete with his signature enlarged cranium, Sterns survives the events of the film and issues ominous warnings about future threats, clearly positioning him for further appearances in the MCU.

Curiously absent from the film is Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson), whose introduction in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Isaiah Bradley’s grandson seemed to be setting up future appearances. Despite his grandfather Isaiah (Carl Lumbly) playing a significant role in the plot, Eli’s omission is particularly notable given his comic book destiny as the young hero Patriot and potential member of the Young Avengers.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

Did you recognize D-Man in Captain America: Brave New World? Would you like to see a comic-accurate version of Demolition Man in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

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Captain America: Brave New World may have just landed in theaters, but that’s not stopping fans from wondering when it’ll be available to stream from the comfort of their homes. Watching a blockbuster superhero movie on the big screen has a lot of appeal to cinephiles, but the addition of streaming services has given audiences another avenue to watch movies — all while staying at home and saving money. Marvel’s catalog of movies can be found on Disney+, meaning that Captain America: Brave New World will join them after its theatrical run. It’s just a matter of when that time will come.

Here’s When Captain America: Brave New World Arrives on Disney+

Luckily, we can look at the previous release patterns for Marvel Studios movies going to Disney+ to get a timeframe for when we can expect Captain America: Brave New World to join the world of streaming. Nothing has been confirmed yet by the studio, but around May 15, 2025 is roughly 90 days after the release of Captain America: Brave New World. Three months is usual timeline for a blockbuster’s premiere on Disney+, with only notable exceptions being major box office hits like Deadpool & Wolverine that stayed in theaters for over 109 days.

May 15th is a Thursday, matching the early Thursday night premiere of Captain America: Brave New World on February 13th as well. Marvel and Disney have stuck pretty close to that 90-day window, which gives theaters ample time to showcase these Marvel Cinematic Universe films before they find a streaming home on Disney+. The larger Walt Disney Company wants to stay in the good graces of theater chains and continue to support them. Having a movie stream any shorter than 90 days hurts theaters in the long run.

Will Captain America: Brave New World Be Available to Stream for Free?

Disney+ currently doesn’t offer free trials for new subscribers, a departure from other streaming services. Usually, there is a seven-day free trial for new subscribers, but that’s not an option for Disney+. Instead, Disney+ offers several pricing options to choose from, including Basic and Premium tiers, along with bundles that include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

How Much Will It Cost to Stream Captain America: Brave New World on Disney+?

If you’re looking to get a Disney+ subscription to stream Captain America: Brave New World, you have several options to choose from. The Disney+ Basic plan comes with ads and is priced at $9.99 a month, which allows you to stream on multiple devices at a time. Disney+ Premium is ad-free and costs $15.99 a month or $159.99 annually, and has downloads on up to 10 devices.

As for bundles, the Disney Bundle Duo Basic comes with Disney+ Basic features (ads) as well as Hulu (with ads) for $10.99 monthly; Disney Bundle Duo Premium has Disney+ Premium features and gets rid of ads for Disney+ and Hulu for $19.99 monthly; Disney Bundle Trio Basic bundles Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ with ads and Disney+ Basic features for $16.99 monthly; and the Disney Bundle Trio Premium removes ads for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for the Disney+ Premium features for $26.99 monthly.

If you want to add an extra member to your account, the pricing breakdown goes this way: Disney+ Basic is $6.99 a month; Disney+ Premium at $9.99 a month; Disney Bundle Duo Basic at $7.99 a month; Disney Bundle Duo Premium at $10.99 a month; Disney Bundle Trio Basic at $11.99 a month; and Disney Bundle Trio Premium at $14.99 a month.

Does Captain America: Brave New World Have a Post-Credits Scene?

There is one post-credits scene in Captain America: Brave New World that helps to set up a major movie in the MCU’s future. You can read all about that here.

What is Captain America: Brave New World About?

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.

Who Stars in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford

The post When Will Captain America: Brave New World Stream on Disney+? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Captain America: Brave New World is projected to retain the top spot on the box office charts in its second weekend, the film is also estimated to see a substantial decline in ticket sales. According to Deadline, the Marvel blockbuster is poised to gross around $30+ million domestically this weekend, a significant drop from the $100 million debut it scored over the four-day Presidents’ Day weekend. That figure is in the same ballpark as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s second weekend gross of $31.9 million. Back in 2023, Ant-Man 3 opened with $120.3 million during the Presidents’ Day window.

This weekend’s high-profile new arrival, Stephen King adaptation The Monkey, is projected to get off to a strong start. Estimates point to the horror film grossing about $17 million domestically in its first three days, which would already exceed the project’s $10-11 million production budget.

Captain America: Brave New World was always predicted to post the best box office opening of the year so far, but its commercial projections weren’t as rosy when compared to other Marvel titles. The film grossed around $12 million from preview screenings that took place on Thursday, February 13, a figure lower than Ant-Man 3‘s $17.5 million.

[RELATED – 5 Movies That Crashed and Burned After a Great Opening Weekend]

The word of mouth didn’t do Brave New World any favors. Heading into its premiere, the film scored mixed reviews; its 49% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes is one of the lowest ratings in MCU history. Brave New World also struggled to impress general audiences, “earning” the worst CinemaScore for an MCU movie (B-). Despite featuring some entertaining performances from Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, many took issue with the film’s storytelling as it attempted to juggle various plot threads and operate as a compelling political thriller.

Like most blockbusters, Marvel movies tend to be front-loaded, meaning they see solid business on the opening weekend before there’s a decline. As a new tentpole opens, the die-hard fans rush out to see it, and then hype dies down. However, the studios typically hope for stronger holds than what Brave New World is projected for. Going from $100 million over four days to about $30 million over three is a significant drop, illustrating the film has not generated much enthusiasm amongst viewers. Brave New World is not facing any direct competition for its target demographic over the next few weeks, and it seems unlikely it will have substantial legs at the box office. The only positive here is that Brave New World cost “only” $180 million to make, so it should still turn a profit.

Entering a critical year, this likely isn’t the start the MCU was hoping for in 2025. It will be interesting to see how Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps perform when they open over the summer. The latter in particular seems to have captured audiences’ attention, as the teaser trailer netted over 200 million views in its first 24 hours. Hopefully, those films are well-received hits reminiscent of Marvel’s glory days, setting the stage for an explosive finale to the Multiverse Saga. With the exception of Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel’s been struggling lately, and it needs a return to form soon.

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Within superhero franchises there often exists a revolving door of different actors taking on the same role. Outside of large-scale universe reboots, there have been more than a few actor replacements in Marvel and DC movies that were overlooked by the masses. Whether a big or small role being recast, movies try to maintain continuity in a character to varying degrees of success. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to theaters with the release of Captain America: Brave New World, it’s a great opportunity to look back at some of the lesser known actor replacements that took place in the realm of superhero movies.

Fans may have forgotten about these eight instances of actors being subtly replaced in superhero movies.

William Hurt/Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross in the MCU

The newest recasting in a superhero franchise occurs in Captain America: Brave New World. In the film, Harrison Ford portrays President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who was previously played by the late William Hurt before his death in 2022. Hurt’s appearances as Ross came in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, and 2021’s Black Widow.

In the wake of Brave New World‘s release, Ford has been widely praised for his debut as Ross, who turns into Red Hulk in the movie. Replicating the austerity Hurt brought to the former army lieutenant and U.S. Secretary of State, but Ford proved more than up to the task. It’s currently unknown if Ford will portray Ross/Red Hulk again in the MCU after Brave New World, but audiences would likely welcome his return.

Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine in the MCU

James “Rhodey” Rhodes a.k.a. War Machine was first played by Terrence Howard in 2008’s Iron Man. 2010’s Iron Man 2 then cast Don Cheadle in place of Howard, who abandoned the project due to a payment dispute with Marvel. Cheadle went on to appear in eight more MCU projects, the most recent being 2023’s Secret Invasion. An Armor Wars project focusing on Rhodey has been in the works for years, however its development has reached a standstill.

Today, Cheadle is most commonly recognized for portraying War Machine despite Howard’s debut as the character. In fact, Howard’s presence comes as somewhat of a surprise when rewatching Iron Man since viewers are now so used to Cheadle in the role. Cheadle has portrayed War Machine with sincerity and fortitude, and he stands as one of the MCU’s most underrated performers.

Katie Holmes/Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes in DC’s Dark Knight Trilogy

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy started with the 2005 film Batman Begins with Katie Holmes portraying the character of Rachel Dawes. The role was recast for 2008’s The Dark Knight, as Maggie Gyllenhaal appeared as Rachel in the trilogy’s middle installment. Holmes chose not to return to play Rachel in The Dark Knight in order to pursue other acting opportunities, namely the lead role in 2008’s Mad Money.

While both actors impressed in the part of Rachel, Gyllenhaal’s performance as the character stands out more. The Dark Knight‘s longstanding reputation as arguably the greatest Batman movie and one of the best comic book films of all time is a major factor in Gyllenhaal’s recognition for playing Rachel. Furthermore, Rachel’s death in The Dark Knight shocked and devastated audiences, cementing Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of the character as a lasting memory for DC and Batman fans.

Hugo Weaving/Ross Marquand as Red Skull in the MCU

Hugo Weaving portrayed Johann Schmidt a.k.a. Red Skull, the head of Nazi Germany’s HYDRA, in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame featured a version of Red Skull known as the Stonekeeper, who guards the Soul Stone on Vormir. Ross Marquand was cast to voice a CGI Red Skull in the two films, though his screen time was limited. According to Weaving, he elected not to reprise his role in the Avengers movies when contract negotiations with Marvel fell through.

Weaving brought a menacing rendition of Red Skull to the big screen, as his performance was remarkably true to the sinister comic book villain. Marquand’s tenure as the character was rather brief, but Red Skull’s appearance played a vital role in Thanos and the Avengers’ quests to collect all of the Infinity Stones. Moreover, Vormir was the site of both Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) and Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) deaths, so Red Skull’s presence certainly has stuck in many MCU fans’ memories. Red Skull has not shown up in the MCU since Endgame, but it would be interesting to see if Weaving, Marquand, or a new actor plays him if Marvel decides to continue his story.

[RELATED – Captain America: Brave New World’s Ending & Credits Scenes Explained]

Edward Norton/Mark Ruffalo as Hulk in the MCU

Edward Norton starred as Bruce Banner a.k.a. the Hulk in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, marking the MCU’s second movie. To the astonishment of fans, a sequel never came to fruition and Mark Ruffalo took over the role in 2012’s The Avengers. The reason for the Hulk’s recast involved creative differences between Norton and Marvel regarding the character’s involvement in the franchise. Ruffalo has totaled nine appearances across his 13 years in the MCU, though he has yet to receive a solo project.

Although Norton will always be remembered for introducing Banner and the Hulk to the MCU at the beginning, Ruffalo has since established himself as one of the franchise’s cornerstones. Seamlessly working with humor and emotional gravity as a supporting character in every Avengers movie and several other titles, Ruffalo has impressively juggled the dual personalities of Banner and the Hulk. Ruffalo’s involvement in upcoming MCU projects is unknown at this time, but it’s hard to imagine that fans have seen the last of the Hulk.

Emma Fuhrmann/Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang in the MCU

Emma Fuhrmann featured in Avengers: Endgame as a teenage Cassie Lang, following Abby Ryder Fortson’s portrayal of the character as a young child in 2015’s Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. The daughter of Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) appeared again in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania with Kathryn Newton replacing Fuhrmann. Cassie’s recast was the choice of director Peyton Reed, who wanted a more recognizable star in the role. Having admired Newton’s work in the past, Reed identified the actor as a perfect fit alongside Rudd.

With a total of three actors playing Cassie at different points in the MCU, the character’s continuity is far from smooth. Still, Fuhrmann and Newton each brought a unique sense of wit and charm to their performances. It appears that Newton will portray Cassie whenever she features in the MCU again, which isn’t known yet. Nonetheless, it’s a safe bet that Newton will return in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars alongside Rudd, as well as a potential Ant-Man 4.

Josh Dallas/Zachary Levi as Fandral in the MCU

Josh Dallas appeared in the small role of Fandral, an Asgardian warrior and friend of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), in 2011’s Thor. The character was recast in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, as Zachary Levi replaced Dallas as Fandral. Dallas was unable to reprise his role because of scheduling conflicts with his involvement in the TV series Once Upon a Time. Levi returned to play Fandral in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok and 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

Fandral’s status as a minor MCU character made the recasting an easy transition, as audiences hardly noticed that Levi had taken the place of Dallas. With a few appearances under his belt, Levi has now made the role his own, fitting well in the Thor movies’ comedic elements. It’s not confirmed whether Levi will play Fandral in Thor 5, but it’s likely that the character’s time in the MCU will continue as long as Thor remains a major part of the franchise.

John Turturro/Mark Strong in DC’s The Batman Franchise

Matt Reeves’ 2022 movie The Batman kickstarted a new franchise centering on the titular vigilante. John Turturro portrayed the villainous mob boss Carmine Falcone, who was killed near the film’s end. The 2024 spinoff series The Penguin featured Carmine in flashback sequences with his daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti). Instead of a slightly de-aged Turturro, actor Mark Strong was cast in The Penguin. Turturro revealed that he turned down the chance to play Carmine again due to The Penguin‘s depictions of violence against women.

Although Strong wasn’t afforded much screen time in The Penguin, he offered an authentic portrayal of Carmine that undoubtedly stacks up to Turturro’s version. The Batman star’s performance as the gangster still reigns supreme thanks to his more advanced role, but the switching of actors between the two projects comes across well. Recasts often carry the potential to derail a character and hurt a film, however, both Strong and Turturro excellently communicated Carmine’s subtle toughness and cutthroat attitude.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters. The MCU returns to Disney+ with the premiere of Daredevil: Born Again on March 4th.

What did you think of these casting changes? Let us know in the comments below!

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Captain America: Brave New World is the latest step forward in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga, which will soon culminate with the release of two films: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. There’s not that much runway left until Avengers: Doomsday arrives in 2026, so it fell on Captain America: Brave New World to start steering things toward that event. While Brave New World‘s ending and post-credits scene offered some minor teases of what’s to come in Secret Wars, they did manage to sell what the real intrigue of the film will be.

Avengers: Secret Wars Will Force Heroes to War With Themselves

If you don’t know the basic premise of Marvel’s “Secret Wars” events, they involve select Marvel heroes either being snatched out of their world or surviving multiversal incursion and being brought to a “Battleworld,” a patchwork world made up of fragments from other realities from the the Marvel Multiverse. On Battleworld, the heroes of the main Marvel Universe have to not only face off against traditional villains or foes, but they also have to face their own variants from other realities, or heroes from other worlds that they’ve never met before. It’s why the two Secret Wars events (1984-1985 and 2015-2016) have had such lasting effects on the characters involved (at least the ones who remember): being confronted with alternate versions of their own heroic identities (or having those identities upended entirely) changes their perspectives forever.

This is exactly the thematic line that Captain America: Brave New World introduces in its credits scene. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) goes to visit Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) in his cell at The Raft; Sam is there to goad the Leader about how he beat the gamma-powered villain’s genius probabilities about surviving a fight with President Ross as Red Hulk. However, Sterns retorts that Sam has only won a small battle when there’s still a much bigger war to come. He teases how “the probabilities” have shown him that the multiverse exists and that the war between heroes of different realities is approaching. Sterns poses the question of how Captain America’s noble sentiments about defending the world will play when that task requires him to battle other heroes who are also trying to save their worlds from extinction.

This sets the stage for Marvel Studios and Avengers: Secret Wars directors the Russo Bros. to make a version of Avengers: Secret Wars that is a worthy cinematic event, while also telling a story that has depth and meaning for the characters involved, as well as the viewers’ understanding of these characters.

[RELATED: Everything We Know About the MCU After Captain America: Brave New World]

Keeping with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America, for instance: Sam’s Cap could conceivably get to Battleworld and have to face both some variant of Steve Rogers’ Captain America (say… the evil Hydra Version?), as well as a variant version of Bucky’s Captain America, as well as any variants of himself and/or The Falcon persona. After Brave New World, Sam having to battle Steve and/or Bucky in a three-Cap showdown is at once a sick echo of Captain America: Civil War; premium-grade fan-service cameo and character variant work, as well as a duel that would resonate with any MCU fan who has followed the arc of Captain America’s story throughout the franchise.

And that’s just the kind of work Avengers: Secret Wars can do with just one veteran character of Marvel movies and TV shows. If the Russos works their Avengers: Endgame magic again, then Secret Wars will be full of powerful mirror reflections and/or self-reflections of the Avengers characters we know and love, while the newer characters get to step up and earn their spot as not just saviors of the universe, but all universes.

Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026; Avengers: Secret Wars has a release date of May 7, 2027.

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While Captain America: Brave New World featured the Marvel Cinematic Universe debut of Red Hulk and the Leader’s return, one character in particular was a natural inclusion and somehow didn’t make it into the finished product. One of the highlights of an MCU project is the anticipation of what characters or storylines will be set up in a project. For Captain America: Brave New World, that includes namedropping Adamantium, Sam Wilson leading a new team of Avengers, and much more. While seeing Red Hulk, Leader, and Falcon was cool, they don’t make up for the fact that a character that would have made all the sense in the world was missing from Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World follows the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Disney+ series featuring Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The show featured Sam wrestling with the weight of taking on the mantle of Captain America and also introduced the first Black super-soldier, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly). Isaiah helped influence Sam’s decision to become the new Captain America and even had a key role in the plot of Captain America: Brave New World. But where was Isaiah’s nephew, Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson)? Eli’s absence was pretty conspicuous, as he’s a future member of the Young Avengers, going by the hero name of Patriot.

Captain America: Brave New World could have set up the Young Avengers

Marvel had plenty of storylines to juggle in Captain America: Brave New World, but one of the easiest was continuing to lay the groundwork for the Young Avengers. First introduced in 2005, the Young Avengers replaced Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the fallout of “Avengers Disassembled.” The group has gone through several iterations over the years, but their loyal following has remained persistent. You could say it’s so persistent that Marvel Studios has started sprinkling candidates for the Young Avengers throughout the MCU.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Marks the End of the MCU’s Darkest Era]

It all started with WandaVision, the first Marvel series to debut on Disney+. There we got the introductions of Billy (Wiccan) and Tommy (Speed), the sons of Vision and Scarlet Witch. Next came The Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Eli, the nephew of Isaiah Bradley who takes on the superhero moniker of Patriot. Other Young Avengers we’ve seen in the MCU include Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, Kid Loki in Loki, America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, That’s not including Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Even though Ms. Marvel was never a Young Avenger in the comics, her character has started the process of forming the team in the MCU. The post-credits scene in The Marvels featured Ms. Marvel paying a visit to Kate Bishop to inform her that she was putting together a team, and that she also had her eye on Ant-Man’s daughter Cassie Lang. This all but confirms the Young Avengers will eventually join the MCU in some capacity, especially after Wiccan was revealed to be in the cast of Agatha All Along. That series ended with Wiccan and Agatha going off to find Wiccan’s brother, Tommy aka Speed.

Why did Captain America: Brave New World neglect to include Patriot?

Captain America: Brave New World featured Isaiah Bradley being used as a pawn in the Leader’s evil scheme of revenge against President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). Isaiah went from being invited to the White House by Sam Wilson to being brainwashed by Leader and attacking President Ross, ultimately being arrested and sent to prison. Sam did visit Isaiah in jail, but there could have also been a scene with Sam checking in with Eli to see how he was holding up. We also got a training sequence between Sam, Isaiah, and Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) that could have easily included Eli, if for no other reason than to remind fans that he does exist in the MCU, and is a potential candidate for the Young Avengers.

There are several potential reasons why Patriot wasn’t in Captain America: Brave New World. It could have come down to a time issue and trying to cram so many characters into the film. Or the creators behind Brave New World wanted to keep the focus on Isaiah’s journey without Eli getting lost in the shuffle. We also have to factor in the reshoots that inserted Giancarlo Esposito as Serpent Society leader Sidewinder, as well as scenes being cut. For example, WWE Superstar Seth Rollins played a Serpent member but his scenes were cut from the film. We don’t know if Eli was originally in Captain America: Brave New World and had his scenes cut, but if his role was left on the cutting room floor, it’d be a disappointing fact to learn.

Hopefully, the MCU will bring Patriot back sooner rather than later. Every hero that can possibly be a Young Avenger has already made it onto screens, so it’s just a matter of time before they star in a Disney+ series or feature film. It’s too bad Captain America: Brave New World didn’t help speed up that process, but the MCU Young Avengers will certainly need a Cap-inspired hero of their own to feel complete.

Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters: MCU movies and TV series can be streamed on Disney+.

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Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster brings one of the most significant materials from the comics into its cinematic universe through an entirely new origin story. Captain America: Brave New World finally delivers adamantium to the MCU, a metal traditionally associated with some of Marvel’s most brutal stories and dangerous characters, including Wolverine. While this legendary metal has been part of Marvel Comics for decades, its MCU debut creates an unexpected connection to the cosmic forces that shape this cinematic universe, tying together plot threads that began with Eternals while setting up future storylines that could reshape the MCU’s power dynamics. In doing so, the movie departs from Marvel Comics’ adamantium canon while still tackling some of the most critical aspects of the metal.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

The MCU’s version of adamantium emerges from one of the franchise’s most cataclysmic events. In Eternals, Earth narrowly avoided destruction when the Celestial Tiamut’s emergence was halted in the Indian Ocean, leaving behind a massive, partially-formed cosmic entity turned to stone. This event, which could have spelled humanity’s extinction, ironically became the source of unprecedented scientific advancement. The location, now known as “Celestial Island,” houses not only Tiamut’s petrified remains but also yields new resources that could revolutionize human technology. As Captain America: Brave New World explains, Japanese scientists first successfully refined adamantium samples from these cosmic remains, marking the beginning of a new technological era.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Review: The Winter Soldier’s Spiritual Successor ]

President Thaddeus Ross’s revelation about adamantium in Brave New World presents the metal as a game-changing discovery that could rewrite the rules of global technological supremacy. According to Ross, this extraterrestrial metal surpasses even vibranium in both strength and versatility. Its potential applications span multiple fields – from revolutionary medical procedures to advanced military technology – positioning it as a resource that could challenge Wakanda’s long-standing technological dominance. More importantly, Ross’s emphasis on international cooperation for adamantium’s distribution directly contrasts with Wakanda’s historically restrictive vibranium policies, suggesting a future where multiple nations could possess metal-based technology rivaling the African nation’s achievements.

Marvel Comics’ Adamantium Origin, Explained

The comic book history of adamantium tells a radically different story from the MCU, one deeply rooted in human ambition and World War II-era scientific advancement. During the war, American metallurgist Dr. Myron MacLain conducted extensive research for the U.S. military, driven by legends of an ancient Greek weapon – Hercules’ allegedly indestructible golden mace made of “Adamantine.” MacLain’s work led to an accidental breakthrough when, after falling asleep at his lab bench, the materials he was working with mysteriously bonded together in a process he could never replicate. This miraculous accident created what would later be classified as Proto-Adamantium, the strongest metal ever produced. 

The U.S. government used this single sample to forge Captain America’s shield, combining steel, vibranium, and an unknown catalyst in a mixture that has defied all attempts at reproduction. The shield’s composition proved so unique that even beings capable of manipulating matter at the molecular level, like Molecule Man, found it more puzzling than cosmic artifacts such as Thor’s hammer or Silver Surfer’s board.

MacLain’s continued research eventually led to the development of True Adamantium, a slightly less durable but still nearly indestructible alloy. The creation process requires mixing specific chemical resins at temperatures of 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a crucial eight-minute “flux period” before the metal sets permanently. Once hardened, True Adamantium becomes virtually indestructible, resisting manipulation even by beings of extraordinary strength. The exact formula remains a closely guarded U.S. government secret, making its production both rare and astronomically expensive.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Marks the End of the MCU’s Darkest Era]

The metal gained its most infamous application through the classified Weapon X program, which forcibly bonded adamantium to Wolverine’s skeleton and claws. This procedure was so complex and costly that few attempts to replicate it have succeeded. Interestingly, the process led to an unexpected discovery: Wolverine’s healing factor induced molecular changes in the metal, creating a variant called Adamantium Beta that could coexist with living bone tissue without inhibiting biological processes.

As demand for the metal grew, scientists developed Secondary Adamantium (also known as Adamantium Steel) as a more cost-effective alternative. While still incredibly strong, this version proved significantly less durable than its predecessor, capable of being damaged by beings of sufficient strength like Thor or the Hulk. This development helped explain various instances in Marvel Comics where the supposedly indestructible metal had been broken, while maintaining True Adamantium’s near-mythical status.

The fundamental difference between the MCU and comics versions of adamantium reflects Marvel Studios’ broader approach to adapting source material. While the comics presented adamantium as a human innovation born from wartime research and Greek mythology, Brave New World reimagines it as an alien material that could reshape Earth’s power dynamics. This change serves multiple narrative purposes in the MCU: It ties the metal’s origin to the MCU’s established cosmic mythology, creates potential for international conflicts over resource control, and also provides an organic way to introduce adamantium-based characters into the MCU as the metal becomes more widely available through Tiamut’s remains rather than through secret government programs.

This reimagining also positions adamantium as a potential successor to vibranium in the MCU’s narrative. Just as vibranium’s introduction through Wakanda sparked stories about technological advancement and resource politics, adamantium’s emergence from Celestial remains sets the stage for new conflicts. It’s a clever adaptation that honors the metal’s comic book significance while weaving it seamlessly into the MCU’s expanding scope.

Did you like Captain America: Brave New World‘s introduction of adamantium? Or do you prefer the Marvel Comics version? Let us know in the comments!

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These days, movies are extremely frontloaded. Back in the ’80s and ’90s, a tentpole (or even a smaller genre film) could enjoy several weeks of big-screen success; now, whether a film is deemed a success or failure seems to be determined after its first Sunday. That’s the nature of the beast because the streaming industry has become such a giant that, more often than not, those services are what people are choosing over an expensive trip to the theater. Even still, those first three (or five, for Wednesday openers) days aren’t everything. A movie can open to dropped jaws and applause, but if it plummets from that point and never recovers, those jaws aren’t going to stay dropped. Those are the movies that follow, those that opened very well but couldn’t maintain momentum.

The only exceptions were Onward, which plummeted because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and stuff like The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which had devoted fanbases that were fully expected to turn out their first few days. Also excluded was Valentine’s Day, which made more than half its total domestic gross throughout its first three days, but when those three days are February 12th through 14th, it would be baffling for there to be any other outcome.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Very few films that could open to $166 million domestically and close with $330.4 million would be considered financial disappointments. Consider Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice the exception to the unwritten rule. And fair enough, it was the first live-action movie in history to feature both of DC’s two major A-list characters. Yet horrible reviews and toxic word of mouth from general filmgoers trumps profitability.

And Batman v Superman did actually turn a profit. $874 million worldwide against a $250 million price tag, to be exact. But that $250 million doesn’t include the film’s massive marketing push. In short, it may have made money, but not nearly as much as it was expected to (or should have). It was just too dour a theatrical experience to earn repeat business the way 2012’s The Avengers did. Watchmen and X-Men Origins: Wolverine faced similar fates, but there’s no doubt the expectations were higher for Batman v Superman than they were for those two movies.

The Devil Inside

January is known as a dumping ground for good reason. It’s when studios release the projects they pretty much know are going to generate poor reviews and at best a modest return on investment. But it can be dynamite for horror films, no matter how awful the horror film is. For instance, The Devil Inside.

On the plus side, its $33.7 million opening and $53.3 million final domestic gross were amazing returns on a $1 million investment. But there’s no doubt the many who turned out opening weekend didn’t like what they saw. Nor should they have – it’s a movie that has the audacity to end by promoting a website the viewer (a.k.a. the person who shelled out cash for a ticket) can visit, as opposed to an actual conclusion to the film.

[RELATED: 10 Obvious Movie Twists That Fooled No One]

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Five Nights at Freddy’s could be considered an iffy entry here. After all, it was simultaneously released on Peacock. But the fact remains that it couldn’t even come close to doubling its $80-million opening. On average, a movie has a final domestic haul of 2.5 to three times its opening weekend gross.

When all was said and done, Five Nights at Freddy’s netted $137.3 million domestically. Was that enough to make it a massive success on a $20-million budget? Absolutely. Is the fact that it could open to $80 million while also being on a streaming service impressive? Without a doubt. But a 1.7 multiple on an opening weekend gross is miniscule.

Friday the 13th

Compared to other genres, horror is the most frontloaded. It’s expected to be frontloaded. But Marcus Nispel’s surprisingly solid 2009 Friday the 13th reboot was extremely frontloaded. Even the following year’s borderline unwatchable A Nightmare on Elm Street remake enjoyed a far better multiple on its opening weekend haul.

To put it into context, 2010’s Nightmare on Elm Street opened to about $33 million and ended its run with $63 million domestically and a further $52.6 million from overseas markets. Friday the 13th opened higher at $40.6 million, but plummeted after day three, ultimately accumulating $65 million. It didn’t even do particularly well overseas with $26.5 million. It’s unclear why the Freddy reboot nearly doubled its opening weekend domestically while Jason only netted a 1.6 multiple. Neither film was bolstered by glowing word of mouth, but without a doubt, Freddy’s was worse. In this Freddy vs. Jason, Jason should have handily won. But like in the actual Freddy vs. Jason, it was more of a tie.

Godzilla

In hindsight, it’s pretty surprising that Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla was able to kick off the Monsterverse. 1998’s Godzilla sold a comparable number of tickets to the 2014 film and was widely deemed a failure, to the point that other movies’ advertising (e.g. Small Soldiers) made fun of it. The 2014 reboot seemed to get a pass.

This could be credited to two factors. For one, Edwards’ film received far better reviews than Roland Emmerich’s. Two, it had a terrific opening of $93 million. As time has gone on, more importance has been bestowed on opening weekend figures. Even still, with a sharp 66.8% drop on weekend two and a final domestic tally of $200.7 million, Godzilla didn’t quite pull in the numbers that give birth to a cinematic universe.

Which film’s box office drop is most surprising? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 5 Movies That Crashed and Burned After a Great Opening Weekend appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie led by Steve Rogers’ successor, Sam Wilson. Anthony Mackie’s character might have already been given the title of Cap during the events of the Disney+ series, Falcon And The Winter Soldier, but his first foray on the silver screen is doing decent numbers at the box office. Unfortunately, Sam’s fight against the Leader and the Red Hulk wasn’t enough to give it the top spot in Japan’s box office, with that honor going to yet another live-action anime adaptation that might come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with the tale.

For those unaware, the top movie in Japanese theaters this past weekend was Trillion Game, a story that originally debuted as a manga in 2020. With the creation of Riichiro Inagaki and Ryoichi Ikegami continuing to release new chapters to this day, the first anime season is still ongoing as Studio Madhouse is bringing the story of Haru and Manabu to life. Ironically, the recent live-action movie is a sequel to a television series that ran in 2023, proving that Japanese theater-goers were clamoring to see how the story continued following its first season. You can check out the trailer for the film below.

[RELATED: A Live-Action Anime Adaptation is Shattering Records At The Box Office]

A Trillion Game Defeats America

In the first weekend of Trillion Game’s box office run in Japan, the movie walked away with a little over $4 million USD in ticket sales. The number of moviegoers helped the live-action anime adaptation overcome Sam Wilson’s recent adventure as Captain America: Brave New World took home a little over $3 million USD. While Trillion Game has yet to announce whether its live-action movie is coming to North America, you can check out the first season of the anime series currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

On the anime front, Trillion Game is far from the only representative of the anime world in Japan’s theaters. The anime film Nintama Rantaro the Movie: The Strongest Strategist of the Dokutake Ninja Squad came in fifth place following weeks at the box office while Mobile Suit: Gundam’s latest came in seventh. Under Ninja, another live-action anime adaptation, took the eighth spot while the recent Hitsune Miku anime film, Colorful Stage! The Movie, came in ninth.

What is The Trillion Game?

The story of Trillion Game is an interesting one, wherein protagonists Gaku and Haru attempt to achieve their goal of making one trillion dollars. While the series might not feature world-ending battles or supernatural threats from beyond, it is a cerebral series that proves the anime world can make strides into unexpected areas. Here’s how Crunchyroll describes the anime which is nearing its first season conclusion,

“Old schoolmates Haru and Gaku will do anything to achieve success. And success to them means earning a trillion dollars! But to do so, they’ll need to take full advantage of their own unique skills. Haru is a persuasive and confident speaker who can connect with anyone, while Gaku, although awkward, is an expert programmer. Will their combined talents be enough to make their dream a reality?”

Want to receive all the updates on live-action anime adaptations? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime or hit us up in the comments.

Via Crunchyroll

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Marvel Studios continues to expand its cinematic universe with Captain America: Brave New World, a political thriller that positions Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the true heir of Steve Roger’s (Chris Evans) mantle. Following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the movie explores how Wilson shoulders the responsibility of the shield while navigating an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. His theatrical debut as Captain America comes at a crucial moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as various factions emerge to fill the power vacuum left by the original Avengers’ absence. That storyline is even more relevant to the upcoming Thunderbolts* movie, which promises to introduce a new team of enhanced individuals assembled by CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

Brave New World significantly alters the MCU’s power dynamics through the reemergence of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who has traded his Winter Soldier moniker for a seat in the United States Congress. This surprising development carries major implications for the future of enhanced individuals in the MCU, particularly regarding their relationship with governmental institutions. Bucky’s new role suggests a growing alliance with Valentina, as they ‘assemble’ a formidable roster of operatives – including Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Red Guardian (David Harbour) – to work for the United States government. 

The Thunderbolts’ composition reveals Valentina’s strategy of recruiting enhanced individuals with complex histories, positioning them as America’s answer to the absence of the Avengers. This marks a significant shift from the traditional model of superhero teams operating independently of national interests, suggesting a new era where enhanced individuals might become tools of state power rather than independent peacekeepers. Sam is rebuilding the Avengers at the end of Captain America: Brave New World, which might set him on a collision course with Bucky’s new team (if they survive facing The Sentry).

Sam Wilson Should Have a Cameo in Thunderbolts*

While Marvel Studios hasn’t officially announced Mackie’s involvement in Thunderbolts*, the precedent for surprise appearances in the MCU suggests the possibility deserves serious consideration. Just as Bucky’s role in Brave New World remained under wrapsd until release, the studio could be keeping other casting decisions close to the vest. The film’s scheduled release on May 2, 2025, provides ample opportunity for additional filming or the inclusion of scenes shot in secret. However, beyond mere speculation about production logistics, the narrative groundwork laid by recent MCU entries makes a potential Sam Wilson appearance particularly compelling from a storytelling perspective.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Marks the End of the MCU’s Darkest Era]

The philosophical tension between government-controlled superhero teams and independent peacekeepers has been a recurring theme throughout the MCU, from Captain America: Civil War to Captain America: Brave New World. However, Thunderbolts* introduces a new wrinkle to this dynamic by positioning enhanced individuals as direct agents of American interests rather than global protectors. This shift creates natural dramatic possibilities for exploring how Sam Wilson, as the current bearer of the shield, responds to this evolution in superhero governance. His appearance could provide crucial context for understanding how different factions of enhanced individuals will coexist in this new landscape, while his personal connection to Bucky adds emotional depth to these broader political themes.

In addition, a Sam Wilson cameo could serve multiple narrative functions beyond simple universe-building. His presence would help establish the boundaries between different superhero teams operating in the post-Endgame era, clarifying the scope and limitations of each of them. Moreover, an interaction between Sam and Bucky could illuminate how their friendship adapts to their new roles on opposite sides of the governmental divide. Finally, Wilson’s appearance could provide hints about his own plans for assembling a new Avengers team, creating anticipation for future MCU developments while maintaining the complex web of relationships that has defined this franchise since its inception.

Would you like to see Sam Wilson in Thunderbolts*? How likely do you think a Captain America cameo is? Let us know in the comments!

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World. Now that Giancarlo Esposito has slithered into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the question is: Where will he strike next? The actor — known for his villainous roles in series like Breaking Bad, The Boys, and The Mandalorian — made his MCU debut on the big screen, playing a cold-blooded badass who tries to clip Captain America’s (Anthony Mackie) wings in Brave New World: Seth Voelker, a.k.a. Sidewinder of the snake-themed Serpent Society.

Esposito’s character was added during additional photography, replacing Diamondback (Rosa Salazar) and King Cobra (Seth Rollins) as the Serpent mercenary hired by Samuel Sterns/the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) to steal adamantium and jeopardize U.S. President Ross’ (Harrison Ford) treaty with Japan.

RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Leak Reveals Major Marvel Cameo Was Cut

Only Esposito’s Sidewinder and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson’s Copperhead made the final cut, but Esposito isn’t expected to be a one-off villain. After a failed attempt on Cap’s life, Sidewinder is arrested, dishes expository intel on Sterns, and then warns Sam Wilson that he’ll inevitably escape prison.

When Esposito first teased his then-undisclosed Marvel role while making a convention appearance in May 2024, he told the crowd at Phoenix Fan Fusion, “It’s a role you won’t predict. It will be teased and there will be a series afterwards.”

Marvel’s TV slate includes Daredevil: Born Again (March 4), Ironheart (June 24), Wonder Man (December 2025), and Vision Quest (2026), so it’s a question of narrowing down the likeliest landing point for Esposito’s Sidewinder. While the character’s appearances have mostly been limited to a handful of Captain America comic books, he did appear — along with the Serpent Society’s Anaconda, Black Mamba, and Death Adder — as a member of the Assassins Guild in issues of Haden Blackman and Michael Del Mundo’s Elektra comic run in 2014.

But it’s Sidewinder’s link to adamantium that could tie him to Daredevil: Born Again, the upcoming series revival that is gritty, grounded, mature-rated and violent. Having been hired by the Leader to acquire adamantium — a metal alloy more indestructible than the vibranium in Wakanda with potential applications in technology, medicine, and defense that are “immeasurable,” according to President Ross — Sidewinder’s Serpents might have a role to play in the street-level corner of the MCU.

In the comics, the assassin Bullseye — an archenemy of Matt Murdock who once killed his lover, Elektra — had his spine shattered in the classic Daredevil #181. Issue #196 was the first to feature a mysterious masked figure known only as Lord Dark Wind, who paid off Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, to bring the broken Bullseye to Japan so that his surgeons could reconstruct the assassin’s spine by lacing his bones with adamantium. (In return, Dark Wind wanted Bullseye to perform a political assassination in New York City.)

It was revealed that Dark Wind was Kenji Oyama, a Japanese scientist who was the first to develop the process to bond adamantium to human bone. As it happens, it was Oyama who was the surgeon who performed Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter’s (Wilson Bethel) spinal surgery in the third season of Daredevil. Although Dr. Oyama used the steel alloy Cogmium to reinforce and repair Dex’s spine, the discovery of adamantium might make the assassin even deadlier.

Will Esposito’s Sidewinder return in Daredevil: Born Again? Ironheart? Or elsewhere in the MCU? Tell us your thoughts and theories in the comments below.

The post Giancarlo Esposito’s Captain America Villain Will Return in a Marvel Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World is out, and fans have been treated to several new faces to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph and Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder. However, a big part of the draw for audiences is the return of several past characters, including Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns (last seen in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk) and Harrison Ford (filling in for the late William Hurt) as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Referencing his character’s evolution in the comics, Ross turns into the Red Hulk and dukes it out with Anthony Mackie’s Captain America during the film’s climax.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

Of course, those who’ve seen the movie know that it ends with Ross returning to his regular human state and being incarcerated at the Raft. He also meets with his estranged daughter Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), who helps restore his humanity. Clearly, President Ross won’t be turning into the Red Hulk in future MCU projects. But that leaves us with the question: Are there any other characters who could?

Robert Maverick

In the comics, Robert Maverick is a four-star general who was chosen by Avengers Idea Mechanics (which was formed from the remains of the supervillain organization Advanced Idea Mechanics, better known as A.I.M.) to participate in an experiment that turned him into a Red Hulk. But instead of gamma radiation, Maverick uses a high-tech device called the Hulk Plug-In which allows him to hulk out for only an hour at a time, giving him more control over the rage monster.

While Maverick hasn’t appeared in the MCU yet, he could be introduced as a military leader participating in any number of secret projects. A.I.M. was featured in Iron Man 3, so why not bring them back, but as an organization that works for Avengers?

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World CinemaScore Marks New Low for MCU]

Carl Creel

Carl Creel is one of the Hulk’s oldest foes. His original superpower was the ability to absorb the properties of any substance he touches (i.e. if he touches metal, then his body becomes metallic), making him a pretty dangerous foe. However, when he was infused with gamma energy, he turned into a large hulk-like creature called Red Dog. He continued his villainous streak in this new form but decided to walk on the side of the angels and join the Canadian superhero group, Gamma Flight.

Carl Creel was already introduced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., whose place in MCU continuity is shaky at best. Still, that doesn’t preclude Marvel Studios from rebooting the character with the same actor or starting over from scratch before putting him in a future project.

Betty Ross

That’s right, Bruce Banner’s old flame. Because almost everyone in Bruce’s life gets the opportunity to hulk out, it only makes sense that Betty would get her chance, as well. But because she’s the daughter of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, she takes on a crimson hue. However, that’s not her only transformation; she would eventually become brainwashed into becoming a violent, destructive version of herself called then Harpy with a frighteningly demonic appearance.

Now that Betty’s back, it’s only a matter of time before Marvel Studios gives her the gamma-ray treatment; there’ve been rumors of a World War Hulk movie for years, so that may be a great time for her to appear. Although the Harpy might be a little too intense for Disney.

Clayton Cortez

Writer Greg Pak and artist Mike Deodato Jr. created the character Clayton Cortez, who was experimented on and given superhuman powers, becoming Weapon H. In addition to the Hulk’s size and strength, Weapon H also has Woleverine’s claws and healing ability, as well as the powers of other mutants. As if he wasn’t dangerous enough already, Weapon H would later discover that he can “gamma switch,” meaning he can tap into the abilities of other hulks, including sprouting a set of demonic wings.

Wolverine’s been welcomed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means his DNA is out there for someone to snatch and inject into a hapless volunteer. And with the introduction of adamantium, you know that the Weapon X project can’t be far behind.

Bruce Banner

You read that right, Bruce Banner, the original Hulk, could become the next Red Hulk. You see, in the comics, Bruce has another Hulk variant in his psyche called Joe Fixit, who’s grey instead of green and is actually quite intelligent, to the point of being ruthlessly manipulative. During the horror-tinged Immortal Hulk comic book series, Joe Fixit is exposed to cosmic energy from the hellish realm called the Below-Place, which greatly increases his physical strength.

It’s a pretty wild storyline, one that might need to be diluted a bit if Marvel Studios were ever to adapt it. Still, Joe Fixit is a beloved version of the Hulk that would blow fans’ minds if he was given the silver screen treatment. And having him turn into a Red Hulk? Please make this happen, Marvel Studios.

Who do you think could become the next Red Hulk? Let us know in the comments!

The post President Ross Won’t Be Red Hulk Again But Here Are 5 Characters Who Could appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe made superheroes the biggest thing in pop culture. The key to this is the concept of the shared superhero universe, something Marvel revolutionized in the 1960s. Marvel became the standard-bearer for superhero movies, creating a plot formula that fans loved. A big part of that formula is the humor; right from the beginning with 2008’s Iron Man, Marvel gave fans action comedies that changed superhero movies forever. Fans were so used to their superhero films being funny that when the DCEU didn’t follow suit right away, they were doomed in the eyes of many superhero fans.

The DCEU fell apart and is being replaced by the DCU, with DC Studios under the aegis of writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran. The DCU has all of the momentum in the world right now, with its first project, Creature Commandos, building anticipation for Superman (2025). Gunn is an alumni of the MCU, and easily one of the best to work at Marvel Studios, but that has awakened certain fears in many fans. See, the MCU’s reliance on humor has become a lodestone for many reasons and many don’t want to see the DCU go down the same path.

The MCU’s Humor Destroys Tone and the DCU Has To Be Careful About That

Iron Man was a great movie, but not because the story was revolutionary or anything like that. What made the movie work so well was a confluence of two factors — Robert Downey Jr.’s charm and a script that allowed that charm to shine through. The quippy style of humor that typified Iron Man became a huge part of the MCU afterward. While not every movie was a laugh-out-loud action-comedy, most of the MCU used the quips to humanize the characters. Superheroes have always been funny, so for a while, this was fine. Better than fine, actually — Guardians of the Galaxy, written and directed by James Gunn, used the MCU style of humorous superheroes to great effect, and many MCU fans loved Ant-Man and its comedic stylings. Contrary to that, movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier were serious films, ones that knew when to joke and when to take things in the other direction.

Phases One and Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe saw Marvel Studios try different things with superhero stories, and in the end, they decided that more humor was better than less humor. This led to a problem that even the biggest MCU fans won’t deny — inconsistent tone. Humor in action movies has often been used to bring the tension of a scene down; it’s a pretty standard part of screenwriting, so for the MCU to use it made sense. However, they took it much too far and that became a problem. The best example of this is Captain America: Civil War. The airport fight scene is easily one of the coolest superhero fights ever put to film… yet there are so many jokes and (for lack of a better term) “bits” that there’s exactly no tension in the vast majority of the fight. Doctor Strange uses Dormammu killing Doctor Strange immediately in a much funnier way than it should have. Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: Homecoming have solid backbones of humor that can often hurt taking the films seriously.

The MCU has overdosed on humor in too many movies, which is actually kind of ironic when one looks at the reaction to the DCEU and films like Man of Steel, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad. One of the biggest problems with fans and critics alike when it came to the DCEU was the often dour and overly serious tone of those movies. The most successful DCEU films, like Aquaman and Shazam!, all used humor in the MCU style and got praised for it. Conversely, Batman V. Superman is considered by many to be one of the worst superhero movies of the 2010s.

RELATED: All 7 Batman Live-Action Movie Batmobiles Ranked

James Gunn coming to DC was a turning point in the game of blockbuster superhero films. Gunn is one of the few MCU filmmakers who was able to mix humor and tone well. The three Guardians of the Galaxy movies are among the funniest in the MCU, but they are also one of the more poignant series, with a strong emotional core. This is the perfect balance for a superhero film series: able to use humor in a way that the rest of MCU doesn’t. Having Gunn, who is responsible for brilliant DC projects like The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos, in charge of the DCU has assuaged some of the worries of the DCU overusing humor to the extent that the MCU does.

Gunn still hasn’t revealed what is coming next to the DCU, but one thing is certain — he isn’t going to be able to direct every single movie. While Gunn can definitely balance tone and humor, the MCU has shown that not everyone can. In fact, one of the biggest problems with superhero movies in general, since the 2020s began, is that there are few who can still make properly-balanced superhero movies. Either the movies are much too dark and the humor is lacking, or there’s too much humor and the movie’s stakes never feel grave. The MCU has proven that fans want some humor in their movies and Gunn’s own films have shown how well he can use humor, but James Gunn has proven to be unique in the world of superhero movie directors.

The DCU Needs To Find the Balance & Nail It

DC has been on a winning streak for the last few years, but all of that will be for naught if the DCU fails. It’s plain to see that the DCU is going to “borrow” some ideas from the MCU — after the way the MCU trounced the DCEU, they certainly should — but they need to sidestep the tone problem that has become such an albatross around the MCU’s neck. Superheroes and comedy go together, sure, but so do superheroes and tense final battles. There’s a reason the final battle of movies like Avengers: Endgame are so memorable — because the stakes are always there. Compare that fight to many of the final battles we’ve gotten since through Phases Three, Four, and Five; too many of them have completely undercut any tension because humor has become the main character trait of every MCU character.

The DCU can’t fall into this trap. If it can’t find a way to use humor effectively in every movie, there’s no hope for the DCU. Fans don’t want the overly serious superheroes of Zack Snyder, but they also don’t want the overly funny superheroes of Ant-Man: Quantumania or Thor: Love and Thunder. If the DCU can’t find the balance, then the game is already lost.

Captain America: Brave New World is now in theaters; Superman will be released in theaters on July 11th.

The post The DCU Has To Avoid Marvel’s Biggest Tonal Mistake to be Successful appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters, and as reviews and reactions indicated, this one is yet another misfire in the lineup of sub-par Marvel Cinematic Universe films that have come after Avengers: Endgame. Yes, people feel Anthony Mackie to be a solid replacement for Chris Evans as Cap; still, the overall execution of what Marvel has done from 2021 on has been extremely lackluster. There’s a reason for that, though. Brave New World signifies the last film in a slew of movie and TV projects that many feel represent the worst era of Marvel Studios. The reason for that goes back to Disney, and a major changing of the guard at the top of the company.

Captain America: Brave New World Was Shot at the End of a Bad Era

On February 25th, 2020, Bob Chapek became the CEO of Disney after Bob Iger had stepped down. Chapek stepped in for a major undertaking, as Disney took massive hits in the press during the COVID-19 pandemic, regarding how they planned to earn profitst with their films barred from theaters; produced a wave of streaming shows for Disney+; navigate a war with politicians in Florida regarding Walt Disney World, while paying wages for workers at both the theme parks here in the states. 

Through all that, Chapek was head of the table at Disney during what some feel was the dark ages of the MCU. Thanos had been defeated, but there was no firm direction for where the shared cinematic universe could go next. All the films and television shows had some things that worked for them, and then some just felt like another prime example of the phrase “Super Hero Fatigue.” The MCU fell into limbo during the Chapek era, and the last film to come out of that era is Captain America: Brave New World.

[RELATED: The Major Thing Captain America: Brave New World Gets Wrong]

The Return of Bob Iger and Marvel in True Form

Bob Iger would return to Disney as CEO, after Chapek was be fired in 2022. Still, Iger’s return would require some time to take shape, and get the MCU back to the form we know and love. Brave New World is the last film with the fingerprints of the Chapek era on it, thus marking the final film in Marvel Studio’s roughest patch – one which left fans wondering if all that they’ve come to know in love about the MCU had ended.

Iger, however, would order major reshoots on Captain America: Brave New World, which may explain some of the disjointed clunkiness in the overall picture. Still, the move was made to re-establish Iger’s hand overseeing the IP. After Brave New World comes  Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, a project that was completely halted in production and reshot, in the spirit of reviving the MCU we know and love. From there on, we will see films like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which are the first true back-to-form films of the MCU. 

The Chapek era is a low point for Marvel; unfortunately, we see it reflected in Captain America: Brave New World, but it will indeed be a ‘brave new world’ for the MCU films that are slated to follow.

Do you think the MCU is going to get back on track in 2025? Let us know! For now, Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Marks the End of the MCU’s Darkest Era appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World marks the first solo film of Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the new Captain America following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The movie explores Sam’s challenges as he struggles to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Steve Rogers, who’s stepped away from his role as Captain America. However, a tense relationship with President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford), followed by an international incident, and the emergence of new threats brings the world closer to chaos. Sam – along with the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) – must step in and embrace the red, white, and blue to stave off global instability.

While not a total misfire, Captain America: Brave New World gets plenty of things wrong. The main cast does an admirable job and the action scenes are suitably thrilling. However, fans have criticized the film for a messy narrative, possibly because it tries to juggle too much at the same time. Audiences have lauded the MCU for the interconnectedness between the many movies and TV shows that populate its sprawling world, but Brave New World leans a little too heavily into past plot points, much to the film’s detriment. One of the previous movies that Brave New World heavily references is 2021’s Eternals, but those connections don’t quite work.

Why Is It Called “Celestial Island”?

In Eternals, the eponymous group of godlike beings prevented the “emergence” – the awakening of a massive entity from being born from the Earth, which would have resulted in its destruction. All that’s left are the calcified remains of the entity, called a “Celestial,” with only part of its head and hand sticking out of the Indian Ocean.

But how do the inhabitants of Earth know to refer to this location as “Celestial Island”? The Eternals lived their lives as normal human beings, keeping their true identities a secret. How did word get out that the large, humanoid corpse poking out of the middle of the ocean was that of a Celestial? A simple line about how S.H.I.E.L.D. providing Ross’ cabinet with information about the lore of the Celestial would’ve been enough.

Why Does the World Only Care About Celestial Island Now?

[RELATED: How Sam Wilson’s Captain America: Brave New World Story Sets Up His Doomsday Role]

Celestial Island plays a major role in Captain America: Brave New World as its calcified remains consist of a virtually indestructible metal that’s been dubbed adamantium. Obviously, this would be an incredibly valuable substance to countries around the world, which is why it becomes the center of a large controversy between the United States and Japan, a rivalry that could lead to an even greater global catastrophe.

Eternals was such a disappointment among fans and critics that it’s understandable that Marvel Studios would want to sweep it under the rug. However, that only makes its sudden relevance all the more frustrating. Until recently, the MCU has barely acknowledged the fallout of Eternals, and now in Brave New World, Celestial Island is about to cause WWIII? Was it only recently that the world noticed a giant dead god frozen in the middle of the ocean?

Where Exactly Are the Eternals?

After stopping the Emergence in Eternals, their creator Arishem abducts Sersei, Phastos, and Kingo because of their treason against him and his command. Their whereabouts are unknown, but their remaining friends Thena, Makkari, and Druig vow to rescue them when Thanos’ brother Eros arrives to tell them he knows how to find them.

This was a fun little tease at the end of the film, but Marvel Studios has yet to follow up on this cliffhanger. The Eternals did save the world, but they all left a big mess behind in the form of a dead Celestial, whose presence is the source of an international incident. Can’t at least one of them show up to clean up after their big showdown? Again, a simple line could’ve provided considerable clarity, maybe something like, “The Eternals are gone and no one knows where they are. Finders keepers, I guess!”

Was there anything else about this film’s connections to Eternals that didn’t make sense to you? Chime in below!

The post 3 Things That Still Don’t Make Sense About Captain America’s Connections to Eternals appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite mixed reviews and a concerning B- CinemaScore that marks a new low for Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Captain America: Brave New World has managed to dominate the box office with a solid $88.5 million domestic opening weekend, ultimately expected to reach global earnings of $192.4 million through the Presidents Day holiday. While these numbers position the film as 2024’s biggest opening so far, the stark contrast between its commercial performance and critical reception raises questions about its long-term financial viability. With a reported production budget of $180 million, the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the movie can maintain enough momentum to reach profitability, as negative word-of-mouth could lead to the steep second-weekend drops that have plagued recent Marvel releases.

Understanding potential profitability requires examining how Hollywood calculates theatrical success in the modern era. Studios typically spend between 50% and 100% of a film’s production budget on marketing and distribution, encompassing everything from traditional advertising to digital campaigns and global promotional tours. Taking the conservative approach and assuming marketing costs are equal to the production budget, Brave New World needs to overcome approximately $360 million in combined costs. This figure becomes even more daunting when considering that studios don’t receive all box office revenue – they generally collect about 50-60% of domestic earnings and roughly 40% of international ticket sales, with exact percentages varying by market and release timing. That means, in the worst-case scenario, Captain America: Brave New World needs a $720 million box office to break even.

Can Brave New World Match Previous Captain America Success?

The history of the Captain America franchise provides crucial context for evaluating Brave New World‘s financial prospects. Captain America: Civil War earned $1.15 billion worldwide, though that film benefited from featuring multiple Avengers. The more comparable Captain America: The Winter Soldier reached $714.4 million globally against a $170 million budget, while Captain America: The First Avenger collected $370.6 million worldwide. These numbers, when adjusted for inflation and current market conditions, suggest that matching previous franchise success would be challenging even without the additional hurdles of poor audience reception.

[RELATED: Everything We Know About the MCU After Captain America: Brave New World]

Instead, Brave New World‘s trajectory aligns more closely with recent MCU disappointments. The Marvels opened to $47 million domestically before stalling at $206.1 million worldwide after suffering an unprecedented 78% second-weekend drop, becoming Marvel’s first genuine box office bomb and failing to reach its estimated break-even point of $439.6 million. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania started stronger with a $106.1 million domestic opening but collapsed with a 69% second-weekend drop, ultimately finishing with $476.1 million worldwide – well below its $600 million break-even point. Eternals faced similar struggles, managing only $402.1 million globally despite a $71.3 million domestic debut. Using standard industry splits and accounting for all costs, Brave New World would need to generate between $600 and $750 million in worldwide box office receipts to break even during its theatrical run, which seems unlikely given current market conditions.

The record-low B- CinemaScore suggests Brave New World may follow similar patterns as recent Marvel releases. Based on these trajectories, Brave New World seems more likely to land in the $400-500 million range worldwide – similar to Quantumania‘s final tally. The film’s relatively modest $180 million budget may prove to be its saving grace, as potential losses would be less severe than those incurred by Quantumania ($388.4 million budget) or The Marvels ($270M+). Nevertheless, as Marvel prepares to release Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps later this year, these financial realities suggest the studio needs to maintain tighter budget control while reconsidering its theatrical strategy to better reflect diminishing box office returns.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently available in theaters. Do you think the initial poor reception of the movie is justified? Or can Brave New World turn the tables and score big at the box office? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post How Much Must Captain America: Brave New World Earn to Break Even? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios’ latest superhero epic, Captain America: Brave New World, marks a pivotal moment in Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) transformation from reluctant hero to full-fledged Captain America. Three years after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the film propels Wilson into a complex geopolitical landscape fraught with international tensions and emerging global threats. As Wilson and his partner Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) navigate high-stakes missions involving stolen adamantium and the recent election of President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), the film artfully weaves together action and political intrigue. However, the movie is far from perfect, with some plot points from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier being conveniently ignored.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

The stark contrast between Wilson’s economic struggles in the Disney+ series and his current circumstances in Brave New World is not explained in the new Captain America movie. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, viewers witnessed Sam’s desperate fight to preserve his family’s Louisiana fishing business, facing repeated bank rejections that laid bare the economic vulnerabilities of even a world-saving superhero. That series helped to show Wilson as a nuanced character wrestling with systemic barriers, presenting a powerful narrative about the disconnect between heroic achievements and financial survival in contemporary America. One could expect Captain America: Brave New World to at least mention this issue, but instead, the movie shows Sam as a well-funded hero who isn’t lacking anything in life.

Who Is Funding Sam Wilson in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World reveals a completely reimagined operational landscape for Sam. Where financial constraints once defined his journey, he now commands a sophisticated headquarters bristling with cutting-edge technology. Advanced computer systems, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a well-resourced base suggest substantial financial backing that the film conspicuously fails to explain.

The political dynamics add further complexity to this mystery. In Brave New World, President Ross attempts to recruit Wilson, urging Sam to help him reinstate the Avengers as an official force for world peace. What’s implied is that Sam is still working as an independent agent and does not answer to the U.S. government. There’s no way the Army has paid Sam to act as Captain America, even though he offers support to strategic military missions, such as retrieving stolen adamantium.

[RELATED: How Leader’s Captain America: Brave New World Story Sets Up His Avengers: Doomsday Role]

It’s hard to imagine Captain America accepting money from private contractors or unknown benefactors, although these could help explain how Sam is now a full-time superhero.  Nevertheless, Brave New World simply doesn’t address the issue, leaving fans to imagine what happened to Sam to allow him to stop counting pennies. More than a simple narrative oversight, this economic transformation fundamentally challenges Sam’s character development in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where he decides to become Captain America despite his financial struggles. In short, by making Sam a well-equipped superhero, Captain America: Brave New World undermines the series’ powerful exploration of heroism and economic inequality for plot convenience.

This issue wouldn’t exist if Captain America: Brave New World spent five seconds to explain who’s funding Sam. A single throwaway line about Petter Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow) giving Sam money to honor the late Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) wishes would go a long way in preserving the in-universe coherence. Alas, we get nothing. So, while the film successfully advances Sam Wilson’s journey as the new Captain America, Brave New World misses an opportunity to provide deeper insight into how heroes can even pay their bills in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently available in theaters. Did you watch the movie already? How do you think Sam and Joaquin pay for their crime-fighting operations? Join the discussion in the comments!

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World. It’s been 17 years since Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) was exposed to Bruce Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and four years since the Celestial Tiamut emerged from the Earth in 2021’s Eternals, two plot threads that went unresolved until Captain America: Brave New World. While the latest Marvel Studios movie ties up the aforementioned loose ends, it leaves its own dangling plot threads that will continue on in Thunderbolts (May 2) and the Multiverse Saga-ending Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

In Brave New World, Captain America (Anthony Mackie) and the Falcon (Danny Ramirez) unravel a conspiracy masterminded by Sterns, a gamma mutate with an enlarged brain and an intellect to match: his mind is able to foresee every probable outcome, including his own defeat after engineering an international incident between America and Japan and then triggering President Thaddeus Ross’ (Harrison Ford) transformation into a rampaging Red Hulk.

RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Changed Red Hulk’s Fate in Reshoots

The underlying conspiracy involves everyone from the first Black Captain America — the Super-Soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a carryover from 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — to former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), and spans from Washington, D.C., to Japan and the Indian Ocean. Besides more obvious connections to previous MCU movies and cameos by Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and congressional candidate Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), there some lesser-known characters and connections you might have missed.

Copperhead

In Oaxaca, Mexico, Cap saves hostages while Falcon recovers the adamantium stolen by the mercenaries known as Serpent (a.k.a. the Serpent Society). The big goon that Cap fights in the church is credited as Copperhead (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), who allows Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) to escape.

In the comics, Copperhead is Davis Lawfers, originally a member of the Serpent Squad: a gang of snake-themed villains Puff Adder, Black Racer, and Fer-de-Lance. Copperhead is introduced in 1987’s Captain America #387, which teams Steve Rogers and Falcon with Nomad and D-Man (more on him later). The teleporting Sidewinder recruited the four to the Serpent Society, but Copperhead’s loyalty was to Madame Hydra/Viper, who had an insidioussss plot to take over Sidewinder’s snake pit.

Dennis Dunphy

Navy SEAL Commander Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCollough) tells Captain America about the brewing conflict between the American and Japanese military fleets surrounding Celestial Island in the Indian Ocean. Dunphy leads the investigation into the pills that Cap found, along with President Ross’ medical records, at Camp Echo One: a black site where Ross held Sterns as his own big-brained think tank. After Dunphy reveals that Ross’ heart pills are laced with gamma radiation, Sterns uses a device to stop Dunphy’s heart.

Dennis Dunphy is the alter ego of Demolition Man, a wrestler for the U.C.W.F. (Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation). In his first appearance in 1985’s The Thing #28, “Demolition” Dunphy wrestled the Fantastic Four’s Ben Grimm, a ringside debut that ended with Grimm victorious. Dunphy befriended Grimm and appeared as a supporting character in that title through its final issue (Thing #36).

Demo’s strength was augmented by pills provided to him by the Power Broker (an identity that Sharon Carter adopted in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), which turned out to be an organization, Power Broker, Inc., that empowered John Walker/U.S. Agent and Lemar Hoskins/Battlestar. In Captain America #328, Demo donned a costumed identity based on the yellow suit originally worn by Daredevil and took the name Demolition Man (D-Man for short).

The rookie superhero operated as part of a unit that included Steve Rogers (then known as the black-clad Captain), Falcon (Sam Wilson), Nomad (Jack Monroe), and Vagabond (Priscilla Lyons). Demo served as Cap’s partner until Captain America #349, when he was thought killed aboard an exploding Quinjet — an apparent death that evoked memories of Cap’s original partner, Bucky Barnes. But Dunphy survived, and later sided with Cap when he opposed the Superhuman Registration Act during Civil War.

Mr. Blue

The song that the Leader uses to activate his mind-controlled assassins is “Mr. Blue” by The Fleetwoods. This is a reference to the online code name that Sterns used when he was in contact with Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, where Sterns acquired samples of Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood.

The code name originated in 2001’s Incredible Hulk #34, where a fugitive Bruce Banner is in hiding and uses the moniker “Mr. Green” to communicate with “Mr. Blue.” The identity of “Mr. Blue” wouldn’t be revealed until 2003’s Incredible Hulk #62: Banner’s supposedly-dead wife, Betty Ross.

Adamantium, America, and Japan

Much of the plot hinges on President Ross’ treaty with Japan over the “discovery of the millennium” mined from Celestial Island: adamantium.

Of course, adamantium is the near-breakable metal alloy that coats the skeleton and claws of Wolverine (and has been used to enhance his enemies like Sabretooth, Cyber, and Lady Deathstrike). In the comics, adamantium was developed by Dr. Myron MacLain, an American scientist, but the Japanese scientist Kenji Oyama, a.k.a. Lord Darkwind, was the first person to develop the process to bond adamantium to human bone. (It was Dr. Abraham Cornelius who would bond adamantium to Logan’s skeleton, creating the metal-clawed mutant for the Weapon X program.)

Fun fact: the very first time that adamantium is mentioned in a comic (in 1969’s Avengers #66), Dr. MacLain says, “The military must know the potential of this new adamantium at once! Even the president is standing by!”

Camp Echo One

The West Virginia-based black site is named after Camp Echo-1, an Inhuman relocation facility that the teen super-genius Amadeus Cho (who was supposed to make a cameo in Brave New World) originally helped S.H.I.E.L.D. build to contain the Hulk.

Cho, having befriended Banner and the Hulk, retrofitted an unpopulated township into an environment where he’d be pacified and not a danger. In 2017’s Champions #10, Cho and his teammates discovered that Hydra had repurposed the town into a prison for hundreds of super-powered Inhumans.

Leader and Red Hulk’s Origin

Brave New World pays homage to Red Hulk’s comic book origin with the revelation that Sterns’ pills treating Ross’ heart failure were laced with gamma radiation.

2010’s Hulk #23 revealed that the Leader and M.O.D.O.K. of the Intelligencia used stolen gamma energy siphoned from Bruce Banner’s Hulk to transform Ross into the Red Hulk using the Cathexis Ray, a device that turned Doc Samson (Betty’s lover in The Incredible Hulk, played by Ty Burrell) into a super-strong gamma mutate in the comics. Unlike Ross’ comic counterpart, however, MCU Ross didn’t consent to being transformed into a Hulk.

Octavia Spencer

Viewers who sit through the end credits for the post-credits scene may have noticed a name in the “special thanks”: The Help Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.

Spencer starred in Luce, a 2019 film by Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah. Mackie told Black Film and TV that Spencer called him to recommend Onah for the director’s gig.

“Octavia calls me, and when Octavia calls, you know it’s something going on, so I’m like, ‘What’s up, girl?'” Mackie said. “‘She was like, ‘Mackie, you know my friend is up for your movie, and you better get him the job. ‘Cause if you don’t, I’m coming to New Orleans.'”

Fun fact: before she was “Oscar winner Octavia Spencer,” Spencer had an (on-screen) role in another Marvel movie, appearing as a ringside check-in girl in 2002’s Spider-Man.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World — starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford — is now playing in theaters.

The post 7 Deep Cut Easter Eggs You Might’ve Missed in Captain America: Brave New World appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has just flown into theaters with the latest Marvel Studios film, Captain America: Brave New World. However, the film appears to have not really stuck the landing. The latest installment in the ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe ties into numerous previous installments in the franchise, serving as a follow-up not just to the Captain America series, but to The Incredible Hulk, Eternals, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier tv show. The film juggles a lot of storylines, which may have contributed to why it hasn’t been welcomed with open arms by fans or critics.

In fact, Brave New World has the unique “distinction” of being the lowest-rated film in the MCU with a B- grade on CinemaScore. While this may be a grade that most people would be happy with if they say, received it on a difficult high school exam, it’s pretty bad for a movie in the superhero genre and is straight-up disastrous for a new Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

It’s no secret that Marvel Studios has been going through a bit of a slump post-Avengers: Endgame. While not every film or TV show they’ve released since then has been derided by audiences, there has been a noticeable lack of quality control over the last few years. Recent films like Eternals, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and The Marvels garnered a B rating on CinemaScore, marking the previous “lowest rated” movies in the entire MCU. Sitting just above those titles however are Thor, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder, all of which earned a B+.

Critics are generally tougher on comic book movies; they’re generally not as familiar with the extensive lore behind the many characters and storylines onscreen, so they might not appreciate the more “nerdy” elements of these kinds of movies. But because many audiences have at least some familiarity with the source material, they’re more likely to get a kick out of a superhero movie that’s faithful to the comics, even if the film itself is far from high cinema.

However, the muted response to Brave New World from fans proves that they won’t just accept anything Marvel Studios puts out, no matter how many times it references the source material. A deeply messy plot and unclear character motivations are more than enough to put off even the most hardcore Marvel movie fan.

[RELATED: Here’s the One Major Thing Captain America: Brave New World Gets Wrong]

Brave New World performed a little better at the opening weekend box office, so it’s hard to put all of the blame on superhero fatigue as to why the film failed to strike a chord with the masses. Still, the persistent rumors of the many reshoots, the delayed release date, and the fact that the film doesn’t push the overarching multiverse saga forward prove that Marvel Studios seriously needs to course correct, and soon.

Last year’s Deadpool and Wolverine was a crowd-pleasing hit, and there seems to be plenty of excitement surrounding the upcoming film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, so hopefully this proves that the studio has some imagination left in them.

Do you think Captain America: Brave New World‘s CinemaScore is deserved?

The post Captain America: Brave New World CinemaScore Marks New Low for MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Captain America: Brave New World plays like a sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. The second-ever MCU movie introduced United States Army General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt), his daughter Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), and Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), the cellular biologist mutated into the big-brained Leader after he was exposed to the gamma-irradiated blood of Bruce Banner (Edward Norton). Two recasts, 17 years, and 33 movies later, former Secretary of State Ross (Harrison Ford) ascends to the presidency, Betty is estranged from her Hulk-hunting father, and Sterns masterminds the Manchurian Candidate-style conspiracy that culminates in Ross’ transformation into the Red Hulk on the world stage.

But there’s another Hulk-related character who didn’t make the finished cut, according to a plot synopsis that leaked online months ago. An audience member who attended a test screening accurately summarized the film’s plot in a since-deleted Reddit post from last October, including a secret cameo by — spoiler alert — Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). It’s accurate except for a scene that doesn’t appear in the just-released film.

According to the leak, Captain America (Anthony Mackie), Falcon (Danny Ramirez), and Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) visited Stark Industries to track down Sterns following an encounter with the mind-controlling mastermind at Camp Echo One. The trio sought the aid of Amadeus Cho, a Stark tech engineer, and the deleted scene name-dropped Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) widow, Stark Industries CEO Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

RELATED: Did Captain America: Brave New World Change Red Hulk’s Fate in Reshoots?

Besides The Incredible Hulk (Ross and the Leader) and Eternals (the Celestial Tiamut), this means Brave New World had ties to another MCU movie: 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, which featured Helen Cho (Claudia Kim), whose Regeneration Cradle was used to build a body for the Vision (Paul Bettany).

In the comics, Amadeus Cho is Helen’s son: a 16-year-old super-genius and the “seventh smartest person on the planet” who befriends the Hulk. He made his debut in the pages of 2005’s Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 2) #15 from Incredible Hulk comic writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa.

Cho later discovered that the Illuminati — Tony Stark/Iron Man, Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange, and Black Bolt of the Inhumans — exiled Hulk from Earth, kicking off the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk storylines that saw Hulk, as the World Breaker, return from the savage planet Sakaar to wage war on the puny humans who launched him into space.

Having spent time as the brainy sidekick to the Hulk and the Greek demigod Hercules, Cho blended brains and brawn as the Totally Awesome Hulk when he absorbed gamma radiation from Bruce Banner during Marvel’s All-New, All Different era.

Cho has since served as CEO of the Olympian gods’ Olympus Group, a member of the Champions, and Jimmy Woo’s Agents of Atlas as the Hulk-like Brawn. A version of Cho appears in Marvel’s animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, where he’s an intern at Oscorp alongside Peter Parker.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World — starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford — is now playing in theaters.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Leak Reveals Major Marvel Cameo Was Cut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since the mid-2010s, romantic fare has been hard to come by once Valentine’s Day rolls around. Hollywood dialing back mid-budget rom-coms and romantic dramas means that this holiday frame has belonged more to genre movie blockbusters like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Alita: Battle Angel, and The Great Wall over the last decade. Valentine’s Day weekend 2025 looks to continue this status quo, as Captain America: Brave New World, Paddington in Peru, and a slew of Valentine’s-adjacent horror and action movies dominate the landscape. Unless you want to see superhero movies or R-rated skewerings of romantic features, those wanting to venture to their local multiplex this holiday weekend are out of luck.

It wasn’t always this way, though. For many years, it was common for romantic movies to break out big time over the Valentine’s Day weekend frame. Not only that, but the smaller scale of these features (compared to a typical Marvel movie) meant that there was plenty of room in the marketplace for counterprogramming to flourish. Valentine’s Day weekend 2010, which turns 15 this year, perfectly encapsulated this phenomenon. This particular year had plenty of cinematic goodies to love, and the box office prospered as a result.

These Movies Dominated Valentine’s Day Weekend 2010

Not surprisingly, the 2010 Valentine’s Day box office win belonged to a rom-com entitled Valentine’s Day. This Garry Marshall directorial effort received dreadful reviews and is pretty much despised today. However, this motion picture was irresistible to moviegoers back in February 2010. Over its three-day debut alone, Valentine’s Day grossed a staggering $56.26 million. It’s hard to imagine a rom-com ever opening to that kind of cash, but that’s what happens when you time a date night movie to the ultimate romantic holiday.

The PG-13 Valentine’s Day had a little bit of appeal for everyone helping it score such a mighty opening weekend. Basically, The Avengers of rom-com actors, the title had actors like Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper, Julie Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Jennifer Garner, and so many others in key roles. Meanwhile, the fleeting presence of Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift in the cast ensured that 2010 teenagers (who might not have even been alive when Pretty Woman premiered) would be interested in the project. Valentine’s Day got some of the worst reviews of any 2010 movie in wide release. However, a star-studded cast appealing to multiple generations and an optimal holiday release led to it grabbing eye-popping box office for a rom-com.

Valentine’s Day didn’t exclusively dominate the frame, though. Benicio Del Toro’s R-rated horror movie The Wolfman opened in second place with $31.47 million, a debut that would’ve been solid if the feature didn’t cost an excessive $150 million to make. In third place, the family-friendly YA-novel adaptation Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief bowed to $31.23 million. All three new wide releases opened to $30+ million over Valentine’s Day weekend: that’s what happens when you have a little something for everyone.

[RELATED: The 7 Biggest February Movies in History Will Surprise You]

Movie Theaters Need Variety to Survive

The weekend of February 12-14, 2010, was an even rarer frame in cinema history, housing four different movies that grossed $20+ million each, as Avatar (in its ninth weekend of release) inched up 3% from the previous weekend to gross another $23.61 million. Meanwhile, holdovers Dear John and Tooth Fairy added a combined $22.1 million to the marketplace. Just outside the top ten, the Shah Rukh Khan star vehicle My Name Is Khan debuted to $1.94 million from 120 theaters. Truly, this was a weekend where moviegoers could see anything and everything at their local multiplex.

Compare this weekend to Valentine’s Day 2020, when Sonic the Hedgehog sped into the marketplace and topped the box office. The only new romantic title around was The Photograph, a low-budget drama that never became a go-to date night phenomenon. Newcomer Fantasy Island made less than 40% of The Wolfman’s opening weekend while Birds of Prey’s second weekend was noticeably lower than Avatar’s ninth frame. Sonic The Hedgehog had a domestic debut reminiscent of Valentine’s Day’s opening, but the marketplace largely belonged to just this critter.

Hollywood’s abandonment of mid-budget and smaller movies had left the Valentine’s Day box office landscape a shell of its former self in just ten years. That pre-March 2020 problem of major studios producing too few movies has only gotten worse after the COVID-19 pandemic forever changed the entertainment industry. With a meager slate of newcomers (not to mention a complete lack of straightforward romantic movies) posied to dominate Valentine’s Day weekend 2025, Valentine’s Day weekend 2010’s eclectic slate of movies is a relic from a bygone era.

If you don’t put a deluge of different kinds of movies in theaters, people won’t show up. The year Valentine’s Day and The Wolfman dominated this famously romantic weekend vividly reflected the virtues of a diverse theatrical cinema slate. With Captain America: Brave New World now set to dominate the Valentine’s Day 2025 box office without breaking a sweat, it’s clear Hollywood has lost command of the variety that used to drive holiday frames like Valentine’s Day weekend 2010.

Captain America: Brave New World will be in theaters this weekend. The Wolfman can be streamed on AMC+.

The post The Valentine’s Day Box Office Was As Eclectic As It Gets 15 Years Ago appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Serpent Society finally makes its proper live-action movie debut in Captain America: Brave New World, led by the nefarious Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito). First appearing in the comics in Captain America #310 in October 1985, the Serpent Society has constantly plagued all iterations of Captain America. It was inevitable this gaggle of snake-oriented baddies would eventually find their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the superhero.

What’s fascinating, though, is that Brave New World is not the first time the Serpent Society has intersected with the MCU’s Captain America mythos. These intersections have just not occurred in movie theaters across the globe. Over a decade before this blockbuster hit multiplexes everywhere, the Serpent Society and the MCU’s Captain America were already intertwined through two very different events occurring in 2014.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

That Serpent Society Video Game Appearance

[RELATED – Every Captain America Movie Ranked Worst to Best (Including Brave New World)]

By the time the Marvel Cinematic Universe was really firing on all cylinders in the early 2010s, the age of the video game tie-in to a major motion picture was winding down. Just look at how 2012’s The Avengers had a video game that never saw the light of day. The last vestiges of this phenomenon were tie-in mobile games Marvel released for Phase Two projects like Iron Man 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This game featured all kinds of non-canonical Marvel baddies showing up to take down Steve Rogers/Captain America, including Sin, Taskmaster, and various Serpent Society members like King Cobra, Diamondback, and Puff Adder.

This wasn’t the most prolific launch for the Serpent Society, especially since The Winter Soldier’s endless discrepancies with the movie it was supposedly based on (namely, how Rogers and Sam Wilson meet) made it apparent that this was a non-canonical lark. More than a decade later, though, it is intriguing to compare this iteration of the Serpent Society to their Brave New World incarnation. Chiefly, the one in the Winter Soldier game unabashedly wears colorful snake-themed costumes from the comics. The drab, grounded aesthetics of the Brave New World costume design is eschewed entirely.

This video game also depicted the Serpent Society as being equally powerful when aligned with other Marvel supervillains like Sin and Taskmaster. In Brave New World, meanwhile, Sidewinder ends up being just a lackey for the Buyer, aka Samuel Sterns/The Leader. His various minions, meanwhile, get taken out with relative ease by Sam Wilson/Captain America. For the big screen, the Serpent Society’s prowess got considerably diminished. Perhaps Sidewinder will at least finally don an outfit reminiscent of those Winter Soldier garbs whenever he fulfills his promise to Wilson about breaking out of prison.

The Fake Serpent Society Movie

A little over six months after that Serpent Society appearance in the Captain America: The Winter Soldier mobile game, this group once again came up in connection to the MCU’s Captain America. This was a very high-profile connection too, occurring during Kevin Feige’s big El Capitan Theatre presentation in October 2014 announcing the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s various Phase Three projects that would be released in 2016 and onward. One of the first productions revealed was the name of the previously untitled third Captain America movie scheduled for May 6, 2016.

That’s when Feige nonchalantly revealed that the title was called Captain America: Serpent Society … or so it seemed. This moniker was actually a placeholder so that Feige could bring out Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Chadwick Boseman out at the end of the event to bring the house down with the reveal that Captain America: Civil War would be kicking off summer 2016. That Serpent Society name quickly became a punchline among MCU fans, though for a split second, it seemed plausible as an actual title for a Captain America movie.

After all, this was the year that Marvel Studios turned Rocket Raccoon and Groot into household names with the original Guardians of the Galaxy. The outfit turning its attention to making the Serpent Society big-screen baddies seemed somewhat inevitable. Of course, that never happened, and one of Captain America’s biggest go-to group of foes had to wait more than a decade to finally show up in proper canonical MCU material. Still, these two Serpent Society sightings in 2014 tangentially connected to the franchise’s version of Captain America demonstrate how this gaggle of adversaries is so entrenched in Cap’s lore. They also reflect how Brave New World’s use of Sidewinder and company has been such a long time coming.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World. In its high-flying finale, Sam Wilson’s winged Captain America (Anthony Mackie) has just saved a Japanese fleet from mind-controlled American pilots and diffused tensions between two countries on the brink of war. But when the gamma-mutated scientist Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) triggers U.S. President Thaddeus Ross’ (Harrison Ford) transformation into a rampaging Red Hulk, Cap swoops in to save the day when he manages to talk down the enraged Ross by reminding him of his estranged daughter: Betty Ross (Liv Tyler).

Appearing for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, Betty visits her incarcerated father at the Raft, the floating supermax prison where the former POTUS is contained and undergoing treatment for his affliction following his surrender. Although Ross’ reunion with his daughter happens behind bars, it’s a happier outcome for Ross than the alternative: an ending that culminates with Red Hulk’s death.

RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Production Described as “Tense Marvel Shoot” With “A-List Egos”

It’s no secret that Captain America: Brave New World underwent three weeks of reshoots over a year after wrapping principal photography in the spring of 2023, altering sequences featuring the Serpent Society. (Seth Rollins and Rosa Salazar’s Serpents were replaced by Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson’s Copperhead and Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder, while Nelson revealed he shot the Leader’s scenes twice.)

But one alternate ending may have been spoiled by set photos showing Betty attending a funeral, likely that of President Ross. Paparazzi photos captured by JustJared show Betty flanked by Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas) and Sam — his arm in a sling, confirming the cut sequence takes place after Cap’s fight with Red Hulk — attending alongside Ross’ right-hand woman, Agent Leila Taylor (Xosha Roquemore).

A shot of the since-deleted military funeral (above) appears in the film’s first teaser that released in July 2024, revealing a coffin draped with an American flag beneath blooming cherry blossoms — the tree that plays a sentimental role in Ross’ relationship with Betty, and during Cap’s climactic, destructive battle with Red Hulk in Washington, D.C.

The set photos surfaced online in March 2023, before the reportedly “costly” reshoots took place more than a year later. According to a source close to the production, Brave New World underwent the 22-day period of additional photography in response to what the source described as “disastrous” test screenings. (The film received a B- grade from opening night moviegoers polled by CinemaScore — the lowest for the 35-movie MCU — and a “rotten” score from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.)

Director Julius Onah has refuted reports of extensive reshoots, saying in a recent interview that “we did one period of additional photography, which is the same on all of these [Marvel] movies.”

“There are so many variables, and [additional photography] becomes essential to fine-tuning and coming up with a thing that we know audiences will love,” the first-time MCU director added.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World — starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford — is now playing in theaters.

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Several recurring flaws have gripped the majority of Marvel Cinematic Universe productions released after Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Exceedingly crummy visual effects have become commonplace as these projects rush to make release dates in the middle of larger external events like COVID-19 and industry strikes. Various Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows, meanwhile, have suffered from writing clearly reflecting Marvel Studios’ inexperience running small-screen programming. Then there’s a shortcoming related to the saga’s newest run of villains that Captain America: Brave New World’s President Ross exemplifies.

Any hopes that casting a legend like Harrison Ford and Brave New World continuing the terrific creative track record of solo Captain America movies could ensure this title avoid this particular foible never panned out. Once again, Brave New World sees the Marvel Cinematic Universe trying too hard to make its villains sympathetic, leaving its stories devoid of dramatic tension in the process.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

The Origins of the Phases Four and Five MCU Villain Problem

Tragically, Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) may have been one of the worst things to happen to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Black Panther’s primary villain was an extraordinary creation aided by Ryan Coogler’s sharp writing and Jordan’s endlessly charismatic performance. Killmonger was a baddie that pained you to see defeated, a malicious figure who never lost track of the hurt “kid from Oakland” fueling all his actions. Unfortunately, Killmonger proved so popular that the MCU has filled Phases Four and Five with endless attempts to make the Killmonger lighting strike twice again.

Karli Morgenthau, Arthur Harrow, Gravik, Dar-Benn, Gorr the God Butcher … the last four years of MCU media have been packed with antagonists clearly molded after Killmonger. Joining that long line of characters is President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Throughout his previous Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances (where he was played by the late William Hurt), Ross has constantly been a cruel, brash figure dismissive of the humanity of characters like Wanda Maximoff that audiences are supposed to like. In Brave New World, he’s revealed to have pinned the Hulk and Abomination’s Incredible Hulk fight on Samuel Sterns/The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) and then tossed this man into prison with no trial.

Those flagrantly unconstitutional acts combined with Ross always being a devious adversary in past MCU properties should make him a detestable force in Brave New World. Instead, the whole movie bends over backward to use Ross as the centerpiece of a theme about how “a person’s past shouldn’t define them.” So much screen time is dedicated to Ross flatly talking about (rather than showing viewers) how much he misses walking with his estranged daughter Betty (Liv Tyler) through the cherry blossoms. Meanwhile, the climactic duel between Captain America and Ross’ Red Hulk form involves the former character simply saying, “I know you’re trying to be a better person.”

Compare that to the more visually striking and deeply specific ways Black Panther got audiences to sympathize with Killmonger, like the character’s visit to his father in the Ancestral Realm. Ross, like Morgenthau, Harrow, Gorr, and other recent MCU baddies, is just a flatly-realized creation that the MCU keeps telling audiences is “nuanced” rather than demonstrating it. In the process, these characters don’t work on any level. Someone like Ross fails to function as a sympathetic, darkly tragic character. Meanwhile, Ross also stumbles as just a straightforward enjoyably hammy baddie. These ham-fisted attempts at “complexity” just deprive MCU productions like Brave New World of a core villain to keep dramatic tension going.

[RELATED – Here’s the One Major Thing Captain America: Brave New World Gets Wrong]

Ross Isn’t The Best Fit to be The Next Killmonger

President Ross is an especially miscalculated example of this modern MCU villain trope, though, thanks to how much power he wields. Killmonger’s tragedy in Black Panther was rooted in how he wanted to deal with his pain by inflicting misery and trauma on other working-class kids around the world. His class and socioeconomic status were critical to this figure. Meanwhile, Brave New World’s insistence that Ross is actually a chill guy comes after the audience learns he explicitly committed human rights violations against Sterns. There’s also the unresolved moment where he calls Sam Wilson/Captain America “boy” in a heated moment, a racially uncomfortable moment Brave New World doesn’t contend with.

Masterpieces like Killers of the Flower Moon and Nickel Boys deftly explore how externally “nice” people can be actively complicit and active in perpetuating violations against other human beings. Brave New World, though, doesn’t have that level of nuance or thoughtfulness on its side. The everyman quality of Killmonger is absent in President Ross, whose abuse of power is utterly terrifying. Brave New World tries lathering simplistic platitudes about how Ross is nice deep down that just doesn’t work with the brutally dark actions he’s enacted. A Paw Patrol approach to morality doesn’t work when Ross is committing crimes akin to the material seen in Taxi to the Dark Side.

There’s also the big Red Hulk in the room that further aligns Ross with other poor Phase Four and Five villains. Much like Gravik turning into the Super-Skrull or Harrow working with a massive CG entity named Ammit, everything with Ross in Brave New World eventually boils down to a big CG villain-boss fight. This time, it manifests into Ross (the ultimate hunter of Hulk) transforming into Red Hulk at the White House. These Phase Four and Five attempts to make “thoughtful” villains really crumble once these kinds of climaxes arrive. All the thoughtfulness and attempts at humanity go out the window in favor of yet another fully digital adversary fully removed from the foe audiences have been watching for two hours.

These issues with MCU villains (many of them stemming from misguided attempts to make the Killmonger lighting strike twice) have been prevalent in various other Phase Four and Five projects. Captain America: Brave New World’s President Ross, though, really exemplifies this underwhelming phenomenon. The attempts to tell audiences Ross is actually a nice guy are so hollow. Meanwhile, there’s a staggering dissonance between those comments and his tremendous level of power used to commit hideous human rights violations.

Capping off this “complicated” character with a lot of Red Hulk shenanigans just cements President Ross as the poster child of the MCU’s constant problems with executing “sympathetic” villains. The MCU desperately needs a few more unabashedly wicked foes like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s the High Evolutionary and fewer misguided attempts to make audiences weep for villains like Brave New World’s President Ross/Red Hulk.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.

The post Captain America: Brave New World’s President Ross Continues A Weird MCU Flaw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For a limited time, the Fortnite Item Shop is handing out a pair of freebies tied to Marvel’s Captain America. As of this weekend, Captain America: Brave New World has hit theaters and is the first MCU movie that features Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. To celebrate, Fortnite hasn’t only brought back its entire collection of Captain America accessories in the Item Shop, but it’s also handing out two items that anyone can grab without having to spend any V-Bucks.

As of this moment, the Fortnite Item Shop is giving away two Captain America-themed Sprays for no cost. The first, which is called “Come Get Me!“, sees Sam Wilson with his fist clenched and shield at the ready as he looks to be charging into battle. The second, dubbed “Cap Attack“, also features Wilson, but this time, he is flying in the air while hurling his shield forward. Per usual, these freebies won’t be available for long as Epic Games will be cycling them out of the Item Shop relatively soon. As such, if you want to claim them, you’ll have until the evening of Tuesday, February 18th, to do so. Once this time passes, both of these Captain America giveaways will be gone with no guarantee to return in the future.

While these two items might not seem like a lot, it’s still a better way for Fortnite to cross-promote Captain America: Brave New World than it has with other major film and TV releases in the past. Specifically, some criticized Fortnite in 2024 for not bringing back its Dune and League of Legends cosmetics to tie in with the releases of Dune: Part Two and Arcane Season 2. Although the decision to have these cosmetics in the Item Shop was seemingly not Epic’s, it’s still good to see that Marvel went out of its way to bring all of these Captain America items back to Fortnite to overlap with Brave New World’s release.

Related: Marvel Rivals Devs Confirm Work on PVE Mode

As for what’s next with Fortnite, Chapter 6 Season 2 is set to begin at the end of this week on February 21st and will be dubbed “Lawless”. Full details on what this season of content will have in store have yet to come about, but it is known that Sub-Zero and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat will be two new skins appearing in Chapter 6 Season 2.

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Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters and, while it spends a lot of time looking to the past (especially when it comes to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and The Incredible Hulk), it also points an eye towards the MCU’s future. A lot happens to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, in Brave New World, but the question is just how large of a part will he play in the future? Will he serve a role comparable to that of Steve Rogers, or will he be more just a part of the team, be it something like the Avengers or something smaller like the Thunderbolts?

WARNING: Spoilers below for Captain America: Brave New World

As it turns out, he’ll likely not only be a part of the next Avengers roster, but he’ll be also leading it. Like Rogers before him, it seems to have fallen on Wilson’s shoulders to collect a group of heroes to serve mankind. That said, the option comes across his desk in a slightly different way.

How Does Brave New World Set Wilson’s Cap Up as the Next Leader of the Avengers?

Whereas Rogers woke up from the ice and was basically immediately enlisted by Nick Fury to assemble a team to face a potential (then imminently dangerous) extraterrestrial threat, Wilson’s Captain America has the opportunity posed to him by Brave New World‘s villain: General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. As the movie takes care to mention, it’s a full 180 for Ross, who was as integral in dismantling the team in Captain America: Civil War as Baron Helmut Zemo was.

Ross is trying to negotiate a Celestial-related deal with multiple other countries, including Japan. After Wilson and his partner Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon, succeed in obtaining the stolen adamantium that comprises the Celestial’s body, Ross begins to see how a team of heroes can sometimes be necessary to face the larger threats. But Wilson is cautious, especially when it comes to this president, because like in Civil War, the proposition involves the Avengers not doing what they think is best, but rather what the government they’d serve thinks is best.

Thanks to the Leader, Ross’ deal is nixed, with the other countries involved believing Ross himself was responsible for the adamantium being stolen in the first place. After an aerial battle near the Celestial, now suitably called Celestial Island, Captain America is able to prevent catastrophe, and it seems as though not all is lost when it comes to the deal. But it’s a battle that nearly costs Torres his life, for which Wilson feels extremely guilty. But, after a well-timed visit from Bucky Barnes, Wilson both opens his heart and gets his mind back on track.

[RELATED – Brave New World Star Tim Blake Nelson Once Played Another Marvel Villain You Forgot About]

There are two signs that Brave New World is directly setting Wilson up as the next individual to say the words “Avengers, assemble.” Stopping what could very well be the next World War is his most herculean solo (not fully alone, considering Torres is there too, but not as part of a super team) success to date. It’s a big win under his belt. But his reaction to nearly losing a teammate shows someone who is a natural born leader. As Bucky says when he’s counseling Wilson, Rogers knew what he was doing when he chose Falcon, not the Winter Soldier, to be the next Captain America.

Rogers saw in Wilson what Wilson is coming around to see in himself. The final scene of Brave New World has Wilson at Torres’ bedside, cracking jokes and agreeing with the now incarcerated Ross on one point: the Avengers are needed.

Another sign is that Wilson shows wisdom in how he takes down Ross/Red Hulk. For one, he leads the gamma radiated being away from the crowded White House lawn, so hopefully fewer people will be hurt. But the location Wilson takes him to, Washington’s cherry blossoms garden, is special to Ross because of his memories of his estranged daughter. It’s the perfect tactic, one that’s not only successful, but averts from the course of further violence. Rogers would be proud, and it cements the notion that Brave New World is telling the world the MCU has decided who the next leader of the Avengers is.

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