"Captain America: Brave New World Marks the Beginning of Avengers 2.0"

It has been nearly six years since the Avengers disbanded following the defeat of Thanos and the tragic loss of Tony Stark. However, the world's need for its mightiest heroes has resurfaced, prompting the MCU to plan for new Avengers movies in 2026 and 2027. The journey to reassemble the team starts with Captain America: Brave New World.

"We know people miss the Avengers and we miss the Avengers," says Nate Moore, a veteran producer at Marvel Studios and a key figure behind the fourth Captain America film. "But we knew if we jumped right back into the Avengers after Endgame, we wouldn't give people a chance to miss it."

Moore emphasizes that the most iconic Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always been anchored by Captain America. After Steve Rogers passed his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU dedicated time to develop Wilson into the leader he needed to become. Wilson's initial reluctance to assume the role was explored in the six-part Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. By the time of Brave New World, Wilson proudly dons the red, white, and blue, but now faces the daunting task of leading a new Avengers team.

In a pre-release marketing clip for Brave New World, President Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford, who steps into the role previously held by the late William Hurt, requests Wilson to restart the Avengers initiative. This might puzzle long-term fans, considering Ross was the architect of the Sokovia Accords, which led to the Avengers' division. So, why would he want to reunite the team?

"He was a guy who had this real legacy that could maybe be defined by his anger," explains Julius Onah, the director of Brave New World. "But the man that we're meeting now is an elder statesman, a diplomat turning a new leaf, who sees and understands the errors of his past and wants to do better. He wants to initiate the Avengers because they could be a benefit to the world."

As a general, Ross understands the tactical advantage of a superhero team. However, he does not intend to recreate the Avengers as they once were. With Captain America now an official government role, Wilson works directly under the President, suggesting that a Captain America-led Avengers team would essentially be a branch of the US defense department.

"Ross is the man who passed the Sokovia Accords," says Moore. "He certainly realized that the Avengers left unchecked may not be the best idea for anyone. And so I certainly think he understands that power is more beneficial to him if it's under his command, and he figures why not do it first before somebody beats me to the punch."

Ross's renewed interest in assembling the Avengers likely stems from the discovery of a world-changing substance. The Celestial that turned to stone at the end of Eternals has been revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2024 to be a source of Adamantium, Marvel's renowned super metal and a valuable alternative to Wakanda's closely guarded Vibranium. With this resource available in the ocean, an Adamantium arms race looms, making it strategic to have superheroes on your side.

"I think certainly any nation that has a group of Avengers has a leg up over anyone else," says Moore. "And Ross is a general, so certainly he understands what a tactical advantage is!"

How Sam Wilson/Falcon Became Captain America in the Comics

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Given the potential ulterior motives behind the new Avengers team, the partnership between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America is unlikely to be straightforward. Steve Rogers was staunchly against government control, and Wilson has strived to uphold his predecessor's values throughout his superhero career.

"I really focused on the emotional journey that Sam was taking," says Onah. "It was really cool to then put him opposite somebody who had divided the Avengers in the past. Because of that history, Sam was put into prison. The Sokovia Accords, all the stuff that Ross pushed forward as Secretary of State came into play. These are things that when these two men walk into a room, that tension between them is palpable."

It's possible that Sam Wilson isn't the leader President Ross envisions. The answer might lie in 2025's Thunderbolts, which follows Brave New World and features a team of anti-heroes, including John Walker, who briefly took up the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, only to tarnish Steve Rogers' legacy. Perhaps Walker and his morally ambiguous allies will become the President's Avengers, fitting Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt.

If this scenario unfolds, Wilson could establish his own independent superhero team, ready for the arrival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. Regardless of specifics, Brave New World marks a significant step in Wilson's journey toward leading the Avengers, a path he embarked on when he first picked up the shield. Excited about setting the stage for the next Avengers team, Onah focused on preparing Wilson for his future role.

Wilson's worthiness to lead stems from his empathy, which Onah describes as his superpower. As an MCU fan knows, Wilson is just a man with a shield and mechanical wings, capable of combat, but it's his ability to understand both allies and enemies that allows him to effectively wield the shield and embody its values.

"I think that's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," Onah says.

"I don't think Sam would be prepared to lead the Avengers until he truly believed that he was Captain America," Moore adds. "And our goal as filmmakers was to take him on a journey of questioning whether or not he made the right decision. Hopefully by the end, [we’ll have] him and the audience go 'There certainly could be no one else'. He is Captain America, and hopefully he takes the tools from this movie to be able to lead the Avengers."

Wilson must act swiftly. After Brave New World, only two films remain before Avengers: Doomsday in 2026. Captain America is expected to appear in both Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps to recruit his team. This journey is shorter than the five films that led to 2012's The Avengers, but hopefully, heroes like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner are ready for the call. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.