Captain America: Brave New World Is the Start of Avengers 2.0

Six years after the Avengers disbanded following Thanos' defeat and Tony Stark's death, the world once again needs its mightiest heroes. With new Avengers films slated for 2026 and 2027, the MCU is swiftly reassembling the team, starting with Captain America: Brave New World.

"We know people miss the Avengers, and we miss them too," says Nate Moore, a veteran Marvel Studios producer and key figure behind the fourth Captain America film. "But we knew that jumping straight back into Avengers after Endgame wouldn't allow people to truly miss them."

Moore emphasizes that the most successful Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always had Captain America at their core. After Steve Rogers passed his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU needed time to develop Wilson into the leader he needed to be. His journey, marked by initial struggles, was explored in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In Brave New World, Wilson proudly wears the red, white, and blue, but faces a new challenge: leading a new Avengers team.

A pre-release clip reveals President Ross (Harrison Ford, succeeding the late William Hurt) asking Wilson to restart the Avengers initiative. This might surprise long-time fans, given Ross's role in establishing the Sokovia Accords, which fractured the team.

"He had a legacy defined by anger," explains Brave New World's director, Julius Onah. "But the Ross we meet is an elder statesman, a diplomat, who recognizes past mistakes and wants to do better. He wants to initiate the Avengers because they can benefit the world."

Ross, a general, understands tactical advantages. This new Avengers team won't be a carbon copy of the old one. As seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Captain America is now an official US government role, with Wilson working directly under the President. This makes a Captain America-led Avengers team effectively a branch of the US defense department.

"Ross passed the Sokovia Accords," Moore notes. "He realized unchecked Avengers might not be ideal. He understands that controlled power benefits him, and he wants to secure it before someone else does."

Ross's interest isn't solely about future film needs. The discovery of a world-altering substance plays a significant role. The petrified Celestial from Eternals is revealed to be a source of Adamantium, a super metal rivaling Wakanda's Vibranium. This discovery triggers a potential Adamantium arms race, making superheroes valuable assets.

"Any nation with Avengers has a significant advantage," Moore says. "Ross, as a general, understands this."

How Sam Wilson/Falcon Became Captain America in the Comics

11 ImagesThis new team's underlying motives suggest a strained relationship between Ross and Wilson's Captain America. Their partnership is inherently complex. Rogers was anti-government, and Wilson strives to uphold his predecessor's values.

"I focused on Sam's emotional journey," Onah says. "It was compelling to contrast him with someone who previously divided the Avengers. Ross's actions, including the Sokovia Accords and Sam's imprisonment, create palpable tension between them."

Perhaps John Walker and his morally ambiguous team in Thunderbolts will become Ross's Avengers. Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt, hints at this possibility.

If so, Wilson could lead his independent superhero team, aligning with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. Regardless, Brave New World marks Wilson's journey towards Avengers leadership. Onah aimed to showcase Wilson's readiness.

Wilson's empathy, described as his superpower, is key. He's a man with a shield and wings, capable of combat, but his understanding of allies and enemies allows him to effectively wield the shield's values. "That's what makes him a Captain America for this time," Onah says.

"Sam wouldn't lead the Avengers until he truly believed he was Captain America," Moore adds. "Our goal was to show his questioning and hopefully leave both him and the audience convinced: there's no one else. He is Captain America, ready to lead."

Wilson needs to act quickly. Only two films precede Avengers: Doomsday. He'll likely recruit his team in Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps. While shorter than the five films leading to 2012's The Avengers, Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner may be waiting. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.