Captain America: Brave New World, set to be the fourth installment in the MCU’s Captain America franchise, will be released by 2025 in theaters worldwide. This upcoming installment will officially mark Chris Evans’ exit as our beloved Steve Rogers, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, formerly The Falcon, will take on the mantle of Captain America.
But does that mean that there’s no hope for Chris Evans to surprisingly pop up on screen in a fleeting cameo in Captain America: Brave New World? Well, after the iconic teaser trailer release and a bunch of rumors swirling around the internet about cameos and superhero appearances in the upcoming blockbuster, it is yet to be seen who makes the cut and appears on the silver screen to earn thrilling applause.
Captain America: Brave New World Teaser Trailer and Release Date
The anticipation for Anthony Mackie’s Captain America: Brave New World kicked into high gear with the release of its first trailer on July 12, 2024. Offering a tantalizing glimpse of Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson meeting with Harrison Ford’s President Thunderbolt Ross, for the tasks of forming the new Avengers, the new teaser successfully raised the hype and expectations surrounding the project.
While major details remain under wraps, the trailer ordered a glimpse of Red Hulk and a suspenseful scene of President Ross being attacked by Isaiah Bradley. Overall, the visuals suggested a blend of action, heart, and the moral complexities that have defined the Captain America franchise. So mark your calendars for February 14, 2025.
What Will Captain America: Brave New World Be About?
Directed by Julius Onah based on a script by Dalan Musson and Malcolm Spellman, Captain America: Brave New World will pick up after MCU’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which ended with Sam Wilson finally accepting the mantle of Captain America. Further, considering how broken political systems and government distrust have been key themes explored in the Captain America films, it is to be seen what kind of fascist conspiracy Sam Wilson will face.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, 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. The official plot synopsis by Marvel Studios.
Although plot details are scarce, it’s expected that Anthony Mackie’s movie will explore the history between Sam Wilson and Thaddeus Ross, especially after the General threw Wilson in prison at the end of Civil War for violating the Sokovia Accords. Further, with Harrison Ford playing the Red Hulk, multiple characters are set to return from The Incredible Hulk, setting up the stage for some significant crossover with the world of the Hulk.
Will Mark Ruffalo Reprise His Role as Hulk in the New Captain America Movie?
Meanwhile, given the interconnected nature of the MCU and considering how Captain America: Brave New World is set to explore the world of Hulk, it was previously rumored that Mark Ruffalo might appear in the movie. The speculations started after Ruffalo confirmed that he will reprise his role in the film at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
This confirmation from the actor himself led fans to wonder how Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk could potentially appear in the movie, providing a sense of continuity and support, while Sam stepped into his new role. Unfortunately, sources later revealed that it was all a mixup, and Ruffalo reportedly won’t appear alongside other Hulk characters (via Variety).
But let’s not forget what Anthony Mackie had revealed during his interview with EW. According to the actor, alongside Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk, the original Hulk is also expected to make an appearance in his film. Speaking in a group interview, Mackie let it slip that the Hulk “shows up. Not Red Hulk”. So there’s still a possibility for Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk to appear in the movie.
But then again, since Anthony Mackie spoke about the “original” Hulk, there’s a possibility for Edward Norton or Eric Bana to show up on screen. Well, anything is possible in MCU, especially after we witnessed Chris Evans as Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Captain America: Brave New World Full Cast
Meanwhile, taking a break from wondering about whether Mark Ruffalo will appear in Anthony Mackie’s upcoming movie or not, let’s take a look at the official cast for Captain America: Brave New World. Set to be a mix of familiar and new faces, the upcoming movie brings back Mackie and Danny Ramirez in the MCU, while starring Giancarlo Esposito and Harrison Ford as new faces in the movie.
According to IMDb, the upcoming Captain America movie holds a total of 17 official actors. But among all, the main players seem to be—Harrison Ford (President Ross/Red Hulk), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Giancarlo Esposito (Sidewinder), Rosa Salazar (TBC), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns/The Leader), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/Falcon), Shira Haas (Ruth Bat-Seraph/Sabra), and Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley).
With a Number of Antagonists, Who Could be the Main Villain in the Movie?
Following the iconic ensemble cast, one question that crossed everyone’s head is: who is the main villain of the upcoming movie? While at SDCC24 it was confirmed that Giancarlo Esposito‘s Seth Voelker AKA Sidewinder is set to be the villain, ScreenRant reports suggest the possibility of more than one significant villain.
Based on how Harrison Ford’s Ross had a grudge against superheroes, and also harbored a jealousy of Bruce Banner’s power, his appearance as Hulk’s alter ego in the form of Red Hulk, might finally transform him into a full-fledged MCU supervillain. Moving on, addressing how Isaiah Bradley went rogue during a presidential event (in the trailer), the outlet suggested that he could play a potential villain, based on the theory that Bradley is being mind-controlled or manipulated.
Further, Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns who appears in the movie, sixteen years after his debut in The Incredible Hulk, could be aiming to wreak havoc worldwide, given how he is set to play into the global conspiracy at the center of Captain America: Brave New World‘s plot. Thereafter, Shira Haas’ Ruth Bat-Seraph, who is a former Black Widow, could turn into a potential secondary antagonist in Captain America: Brave New World, based on her possibility to double-cross President Ross and Captain America.
However, after carefully skimming through the list of possible antagonists in the upcoming movie, it seems that Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk is most likely set to be the main villain, with Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder playing the secondary antagonist.
Will Steve Rogers Return for Captain America: Brave New World?
Apart from the curiosity surrounding Mark Ruffalo’s potential appearance and conversations about the main villain of the movie, another question that’s been on everyone’s lips is whether Chris Evans will make a return as Steve Rogers, even in a cameo. With rumors swirling and hopes high, it’s unclear if the beloved character will appear.
While Brave New World is set to be about Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson and his new role as Captain America, eagle-eyed viewers have caught on to some details and come up with theories about Steve Rogers’ possible return. Considering how Evans surprised audiences with a small but special cameo appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, fans believe there could be a similar appearance in the 2025 film as well.
Meanwhile, as the first Captain America: Brave New World trailer teased a funeral scene, a new theory emerged about Steve Rogers’ life status. Fans noted via ScreenRant that the funeral scene could be a hint at the supposed end of Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers in the MCU. Considering the old age of the character, that was shown at the end of Avengers: Endgame, fans believe that Evans might only appear in a brief cameo, while in a coffin.
Rumors and Potential Cameo Appearances in the Movie
As with any highly anticipated Marvel film, the rumor mill is in overdrive regarding potential cameos and surprise appearances. Similarly, for Captain America: Brave New World, there appeared an exciting rumor surrounding a post-credit scene featuring Nick Fury. According to reports, it is believed that Nick Fury might explain the Multiverse to Sam Wilson and show him potential candidates for a new Avengers group.
Further, with the possibility of the upcoming movie’s plot centering around Adamantium and the Leader, it is believed that audiences might get to see a bunch of mutants since it’s part of the Leader’s plan to track down mutants and collect superhero DNA. Meanwhile, as for speculated cameos, there appeared a buzz surrounding Sharon Carter, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Seth Rollins’ appearance.
Unfortunately, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will not appear in the movie, although the other stars have the possibility of appearing for a fleeting moment. However, nothing about the rumors has been officially addressed or debunked so far. It seems Marvel Studios is perhaps playing along to keep up the hype.
Captain America: Brave New World will hit the theaters worldwide on February 14, 2025.