Six years post-Thanos and Iron Man's demise, the world once again requires its mightiest protectors. With new Avengers films slated for 2026 and 2027, the MCU's swift reassembly of the team is paramount. This crucial recruitment process commences in Captain America: Brave New World.
Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore explains the strategic delay in reuniting the Avengers after Endgame: "We knew if we jumped right back into the Avengers after Endgame, we wouldn't give people a chance to miss it." He highlights Captain America's pivotal role in successful Avengers teams, both in comics and the MCU. Sam Wilson's journey to becoming Captain America, initially fraught with challenges as depicted in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, culminates in Brave New World with Wilson confidently embracing his role. However, a new, even more formidable challenge awaits: leading a new Avengers team.
A marketing clip reveals President Ross (Harrison Ford), succeeding the late William Hurt, tasks Wilson with restarting the Avengers initiative. This might surprise longtime fans, considering Ross's role in enacting the Sokovia Accords. Director Julius Onah clarifies Ross's evolution: "But the man that we're meeting now is a man who is an elder statesman, who's a diplomat, who's turning a new leaf, who sees and understands the errors of his past and wants to do better." He sees the Avengers as a global asset.
Ross's military background informs his strategic thinking. The film establishes Captain America as a US government position, resulting in a US defense department-affiliated Avengers team. Moore explains Ross's motivation: "He certainly realized that the Avengers left unchecked may not be the best idea for anyone. And so I certainly think he understands that power is more beneficial to him if it's under his command."
Sam Wilson's Comic Book Journey to Captain America
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The potential conflict between Ross and Wilson, given their history, is palpable. Onah emphasizes Wilson's emotional journey and the inherent tension between the two: "Because of that history, Sam was put into prison. The Sokovia Accords, all the stuff that Ross pushed forward as Secretary of State [came into play]."
The possibility of John Walker leading a government-sanctioned Avengers team in Thunderbolts is raised, leaving Wilson potentially free to form his own independent team. This sets the stage for the arrival of Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Brave New World showcases Wilson's evolution into a worthy Avengers leader, highlighting his empathy as a defining trait. Moore concludes: "Hopefully by the end, [we’ll have] him and the audience go ‘There certainly could be no one else’. He is Captain America."
With only two films before Avengers: Doomsday, Wilson's recruitment efforts will likely feature in Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps. The path to Avengers 2.0 begins here.
