Captain America: Brave New World is arriving in theaters with a very unexpected record to its name. The upcoming fourth installment of Marvel Studios’ Captain America franchise, Brave New World, also stands as the Captain America movie with the shortest run time. By comparison, its three predecessors carried more standard run times expected of modern superhero movies.

Per Discussing Film, Captain America: Brave New World carries a run time of one hour and 58 minutes, or 118 minutes. By comparison, 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger was released with a run time of 124 minutes, with its 2014 follow-up Captain America: The Winter Soldier having a run time of 136 minutes. Additionally, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War is the longest of the four Captain America films, with a run time of 147 minutes.

Anthony Mackie previously returned as Sam Wilson in the 2021 Disney + series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which continued Sam’s arc from the ending of 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. That movie saw the now-elderly Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) formally step down as Captain America (after time-traveling with the Infinity Stones to live the full life he previously missed out on during his frozen stasis), with Steve passing his Vibranium shield onto his trusted ally Sam. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier acted as its own Captain America origin story for Sam, with Brave New World set to be his first full story as Captain America.

RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World – Who Is the Villain?

Brave New World will see Sam at odds with newly elected President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). Ross formerly sought to bring the Avengers under more direct government control with the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War (Ross was then portrayed by the late William Hurt), and the trailers for Brave New World show President Ross wanting Sam to become a direct agent of the U.S. government. Like Steve Rogers before him, Sam Wilson rejects the idea of being a superhero under the government’s control, setting up the conflict of Brave New World.

The fact that Sam has already undergone a Captain America origin story in episodic form could account for why Brave New World is substantially shorter than the previous Captain America movies. With Sam having fully taken up the shield and mantle bequeathed to him by Steve, the aim might simply be to get the ball rolling on his next mission as quickly as possible. Indeed, Sam has quite a challenge ahead of him with President Ross becoming the Red Hulk.

With the MCU’s long-awaited debut of General-turned-President Ross as the Red Hulk, Brave New World promises to be a very action-heavy and to-the-point MCU adventure. While some superhero movies need longer run times to tell their stories, it seems that Marvel Studios and the makers of Brave New World feel that being just under two hours is all that’s needed for Sam’s first big-screen adventure as Captain America. Indeed, Sam’s first Captain America movie is only six minutes shorter than Steve’s, so the run time for Captain America: Brave New World isn’t necessarily a drastic comedown, but it is nonetheless a record in storytelling brevity for the Captain America franchise.

Captain America: Brave New World will be released in theaters on February 14th.

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Captain America: Brave New World is preparing for takeoff at the box office. The Anthony Mackie-fronted Marvel Studios movie hit pre-release tracking service The Quorum and is projected to open with upwards of $95 million when it flies into theaters over Valentine’s Day/Presidents’ Day weekend on Feb. 14 (via Deadline). The projection, which has the 3-day anywhere between $86 million to $95 million, could exceed $100 million for the 4-day Friday—Monday through Presidents’ Day on Feb. 17. Advance tickets are expected to go on sale this Friday, Jan. 17.

Opening within the $95 million range would put Captain America 4 on par with 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the espionage thriller which introduced Mackie’s Falcon and starred Chris Evans as the star-spangled Avenger opposite Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. The second installment of the Captain America franchise took in $95 million from nearly 4,000 theaters when it opened during the MCU’s Phase 2 back in April 2014.

RELATED: Seth Rollins Confirms Marvel Cut His Scenes From Captain America: Brave New World After Reshoots

That projected number is just below the $96.8 million second weekend of last summer’s R-rated Marvel movie Deadpool & Wolverine, and within range of 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy ($94.3 million), 2017’s Justice League ($93.8 million), and 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home ($92.5 million). To compare to previous installments of the Cap franchise, the 2011 first installment, Captain America: The First Avenger, opened with $65 million, while 2016’s superhero ensemble Captain America: Civil War scored a franchise-best opening of $179 million in May of that year. (That film co-starred Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and featured the debuts of Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.)

After inheriting the shield and mantle from Evans’ retired Steve Rogers in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and then embracing his new identity in 2021’s Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Mackie’s first feature as Captain America is looking to score the fifth-best February opening of all time.

Black Panther, the first Marvel film to feature a Black superhero in a titular role, has held the record for biggest February opening ($202 million) and the biggest-ever Feb. second weekend ($111 million) since 2018, giving it the No. 1 and No. 3 spots for the month. At No. 2 on the domestic list is 2016’s Deadpool ($132 million); No. 4 is 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($106 million); and at No. 5 is 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey ($85.1 million), the only non-comic book movie in the top 5 for February domestic openings.

RELATED: Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained

The film’s promotional partners include McDonald’s and Tide Detergent, and trailers have featured Kendrick Lamar’s “N95.” Marvel Comics has also launched the MCU-inspired comic book series Sam Wilson: Captain America, pitting the star-spangled superhero against the Robert Maverick Red Hulk (rather than Thaddeus Ross); Ross’ Rulk will star in the new Red Hulk series launching on Feb. 26.

In addition, the Sam Wilson Captain America will feature on Marvel’s Black History Month variant cover series (alongside T’Challa, X-Factor’s Frenzy, Wakanda’s Gold Tiger from the New Champions, Miles Morales, and Temper and Storm of the X-Men), all-new anthology novel Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson (out Jan. 14), and picture book A Hero Looks Like You, which is set in the world of the movie.

Per the synopsis, “After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), 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.” Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) directs the Kevin Feige-produced film, which also stars Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson as the Leader. Captain America: Brave New World opens only in theaters Feb. 14.

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Seth Rollins will have a ringside seat for Captain America: Brave New World. The former WWE champion confirmed his role in the Marvel Studios movie — which stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America and Harrison Ford as U.S. President Ross/Red Hulk — has been cut from the final version (out Feb. 14). In a new interview following his main event match against CM Punk on the Jan. 6 streaming premiere of WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix, the wrestler revealed there’s no “Freakin'” trace of him in the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I wish it the best, but I am not a part of that film,” Rollins said when asked about Captain America 4 on the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast.

RELATED: Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained

“Does my NDA still apply if I’m not in the film anymore? Truth be told, any answer I gave would only be my opinion on it. The script went through a lot of rewrites and reshoots so what I was there to do, essentially my role got either repurposed or completely erased,” Rollins explained. “So I did do a bit of an audition to possibly pop into another role, I believe, or the repurposing of my role, I’m not exactly sure on what it was, but they ended up going in a different direction with it.”

Rollins continued, “My understanding was there were just a lot of rewrites and a lot of reshoots, and they know they’ve got a finished product that hopefully they’re happy with, and hopefully it’s successful, but it will be sans Seth Rollins.”

Paparazzi photos that leaked from the Atlanta, Georgia set in May 2023 showed Rollins in a green and gold outfit with long blonde hair. Rollins’ rumored Marvel role was reported to be Cobra (later King Cobra), a founding member of the Serpent Squad that battled Steve Rogers and the Falcon in 1973’s Captain America #163. In 1985’s Captain America #310, Sidewinder reformed the snake-themed supervillains as the Serpent Society.

“I’m not in the movie. I will say unequivocally I’m not in the film,” Rollins added. “I do not want anybody to go to the film thinking, ‘I’m here to see Seth Rollins.’ There might be two people that would do that, but I don’t want those two people to waste their time. I don’t want to misinform anybody. I don’t want to lead anybody astray. I am not in the film.”

By May 2024, Rollins’ character was reportedly dropped from the film when Brave New World (retitled from New World Order) returned to Atlanta for a 22-day shoot with Breaking Bad and The Boys actor Giancarlo Esposito joining the cast in a villain role. Esposito, who will appear in the final cut, later confirmed his role as Seth Voelker, a.k.a. Sidewinder of the Serpent Society (albeit without the snake paraphernalia of his comic book counterpart).

“It should be a good one. Marvel does a great job,” Rollins said. “I mean, if I’m not [in anything else], I don’t care. I don’t love acting. I love wrestling. My wife [WWE wrestler Becky Lynch] loves acting. She’s way better at it than I am. She’s got awesome stuff coming out … she announced her bit on Star Trek [Starfleet Academy], which is going to be sick.”

Rollins made his film debut in 2016’s Sharknado: The 4th Awakens and appeared opposite Wesley Snipes in 2017’s Armed Response. Rollins also appeared in a scene deleted from the 2020 Tiffany Haddish-Rose Byrne comedy Like a Boss.

In Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Mackie) “finds himself in the middle of an international incident,” per the official synopsis. “He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.” Mackie and Ford lead a cast that includes Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk as Samuel Sterns/the Leader. The movie opens Feb. 14.

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Red Hulk and Sam Wilson come to blows in new footage for Captain America: Brave New World. And if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, Tide laundry detergent is partnering with Captain America: Brave New World to offer unique 5D screening opportunities in New York. Some of the promotional videos Tide released for its new Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS feature clips from Captain America: Brave New World and show Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk fighting Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. So while you enjoy this new footage of the Marvel film, witness the collateral stains that the Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS promises to clean up.

Our first commercial for the collaboration between Tide and Captain America: Brave New World takes us to the moment that Harrison Ford Red Hulk’s out on the White House lawn in front of a crowd of reporters. Red Hulk smacks the microphone stand and dais, sending it flying into the crowd where it knocks guacamole onto a woman. Next, the second and third videos feature the confrontation between Cap and Red Hulk. Captain America stomps his shield up to his wrist as Red Hulk charges at him. Red Hulk launches into the air to deliver a punch, which knocks a cloud of dust into the surrounding area, covering bystanders at a bus stop with dirt. Finally, another scene has Red Hulk punch Captain America, sending Cap ping ponging off parked cars where a driver spills his mango smoothie all on his clothes.

[RELATED: Marvel Is Putting Red Hulk on a Collision Course With the MCU’s Next Big Villain]

You can check out the three videos below.

Harrison Ford takes over the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt. Ford explained why he decided to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe on an episode of the The Official Marvel Podcast at D23, attributing it to the experience other actors have had in the franchise.

“I had watched other actors, brilliant actors have a wonderful time,” Ford began. “I’m not a brilliant actor, but I thought I might have a good time. I’m delighted by what we’ve done. The movie’s gonna… kick a**. 

Details on Tide’s 5D screening of Captain America: Brave New World

Tide’s new product is called Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS, and it’s launching alongside an exclusive 5D “Collateral Stains Screening” of Captain America: Brave New World on Thursday, February 13th. This isn’t your normal screening though, as attendees will literally get collateral stained. What this means isn’t exactly clear, but Tide states the audience will smell and feel the stains as if they’re caught up in the middle of a superhero fight.

Tide’s “Collateral Stains” campaign spotlights everyday people in the MCU that encounter these stains, and how they bounce back and get the most powerful clean — in any universe — thanks to the Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS.

Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14th. You can find an Amazon link to the new Tide Ultra Oxi Boost Power PODS here.

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Since Iron Man’s release in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given fans a bunch of villains – each with their own goals, methods, abilities, and opinions. While many MCU villains are clear-cut antagonists, some have made compelling arguments for their actions. In this article, we rank the top 10 MCU villains based on how justified their motivations were, and if their ideas ever came to fruition.

[RELATED: Why Marvel Is About to Have a Big Year in 2025]

10. Ultron

Ultron was designed to be Earth’s ultimate protector, an A.I. created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner in order to prevent global threats. However, Ultron quickly concluded humanity itself was the root of the planet’s problems. His solution to eradicate humanity and start a new world full of immaterial and technological advancements may have been extremely and undeniably flawed, but his initial observations of humanity destroying itself weren’t entirely wrong. 

9. Mysterio

Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, was a former Stark Industries employee who felt overlooked and discarded by Tony Stark. He was stripped of proper credit for his invention, which was repurposed by Stark, leaving Beck feeling undervalued. His motivations stemmed from bitterness, but also from a desire to expose the unchecked power of superheroes. In many ways, Beck’s grievances symbolized the consequences of corporate negligence.

8. Helmut Zemo

Zemo’s motivations for war in Captain America: Civil War stemmed from deep personal tragedy. After losing his family in the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron – seemingly due to the Avengers’ lack of regard for their surroundings – Zemo became consumed by grief and anger. He exposed the unchecked power and the collateral damage that was caused by superhero actions, essentially enforcing the Sokovia Accords in a more lethal way.

7. Vulture

Adrian Toomes, also known as the Vulture, was not driven by a desire for power or destruction. He was a working-class man who felt betrayed by the system. After being driven out of business by Tony Stark’s Damage Control initiative, Toomes turned to illegal salvaging and black market arms dealing not to put more weapons into the world, but rather to support his family, which needed the financial support. While his methods were criminal, his reasoning was grounded in genuine frustration with systemic injustice, and how the rich and powerful tend to make things worse for the working class.

6. Wenwu

Xu Wenwu was not only the leader of the Ten Rings but also a father and a husband. For centuries, he wielded the Ten Rings with ruthless efficiency, but it was his love for his wife that softened his heart and gave him peace. So when Ying Li was taken from him, Wenwu reverted to the only thing he ever knew – power. Consumed by guilt, he became obsessed with bringing Ying Li back. The voice calling to him from the gates of Ta Lo was not just a sinister manipulation – it was the hope of restoring his family being used against him.

5. Namor

Namor was introduced as a complex antihero with a motivation to protect his underwater kingdom from the surface world’s exploitation. Having witnessed the devastating effects of colonization, Namor was protective of his people and their resources. His methods, including threatening Wakanda, were questionable. Yet, his goal to preserve his kingdom’s safety was entirely justified. His motivations stemmed from survival rather than greed or malice.

4. Killmonger

Killmonger’s main goal was to use Wakanda’s resources in order to liberate the oppressed people around the world. His vision of empowerment for minority communities and marginalized groups was noble, in theory. Growing up in poverty and facing racial injustice shaped his worldview, fueling his anger towards Wakanda’s isolationist policies. Despite his flaws, his core motivation to end global oppression resonated with diverse audiences. Luckily Killmonger’s legacy was not in vain, as T’Challa came to understand where his cousin was coming from. Eventually, Wakanda decided to open its borders and share its resources, proving that Killmonger’s cause wasn’t without merit.

3. Loki

Loki’s motivations evolved throughout the MCU, but his initial actions in Thor and The Avengers were driven by deep-seated feelings of abandonment. Discovering he was adopted from the Frost Giants shattered his identity. His subsequent desire to claim power was fueled by his insecurities. His grievances against Odin and Asgard’s power structure were entirely valid: he was the product of a broken system, where he was always seen as second best to Thor. While his methods caused immense damage, his longing for acceptance and validation was deeply relatable. Over time, Loki’s redemption arc solidified his complexity, with Season 2 of his spinoff series bringing him to the point of sacrificing himself to save his chosen family at the TVA.

2. Scarlet Witch

Wanda’s descent into villainy is one of the most tragic arcs in the Marvel Universe. After losing Vision in Avengers: Infinity War and creating a false reality in WandaVision to cope with her grief, she was forced to confront the reality of her devastating losses. In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, her grief over losing her children, Billy and Tommy, becomes all-consuming. When viewed through Wanda’s perspective, her actions are heartbreakingly rational, until she sacrificed herself for the greater good in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

1. Thanos

Often regarded as the latest and greatest MCU threat, Thanos believed he was saving humanity from itself – causing half of the population to cease to exist in order to reduce resource scarcity. His genocidal solution ignored alternative methods, such as redistribution or technological advancement, but as seen in the Hawkeye series, his main goal was understood by some people. Thanos represents the brutally raw calculus of sacrifice and survival; the desire to protect existence from extinction – no matter how much life it costs to do so.

The post The 10 Best Marvel Cinematic Universe Villains Ranked by How Right They Were appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a wealth of options to choose from when it comes to future spinoffs. Agatha All Along‘s triumphant reception in 2024 simultaneously capitalized on WandaVision‘s success and chronicled a compelling standalone narrative by spotlighting Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness. The aforementioned Disney+ show demonstrated how a spinoff centered on a previously sidelined character can work wonders for their development, and even result in more spinoffs. There are numerous other MCU supporting characters that could enormously benefit from a solo movie or series. Heroes, anti-heroes, villains, and cosmic beings lie in every corner of the franchise, and five of those second-tier characters rank among the best prospects for their own spinoff.

Valkyrie

Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie made her MCU debut in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Since then, she has appeared in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, and 2023’s The Marvels (in a brief cameo). Valkyrie’s rise from a lowly scrapper on Sakaar to the king of New Asgard remains one of the MCU’s more intriguing supporting character arcs.

Valkyrie has only ever been featured on the sidelines, but Thompson’s ability to exude the emotional weight of the character’s trauma from losing her sisters and lover in battle, and partake in the quintessential humor of Taika Waititi’s Thor movies makes her an ideal candidate for a solo spinoff. Additionally, Valkyrie’s axed romantic subplot in Thor: Love and Thunder leaves a promise to be fulfilled in a future project.

Rio Vidal/Death

Agatha All Along introduced an array of entrancing witches to complement the show’s main character, and none were more compelling than Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal – aka Death. The original Green Witch, as well as Agatha’s ex-lover, Rio maintains an arc unlike any other MCU character. Even though Death primarily features as a side character in Marvel comics, she would thrive as a lead character in the MCU — much like Hahn’s Agatha did. One of Agatha All Along‘s few flaws was Agatha and Rio’s unexplored backstory and a lack of insight into their life as a couple. Accordingly, a Rio-centric spinoff could resolve that shortcoming by addressing how the personification of death fell in love with a mortal witch, how their dynamic of killing and collecting souls worked in practice, and if they actually raised Agatha’s son together like many fans have theorized.

Plaza has proven an impeccable fit for the role of Death, as her off-the-charts chemistry with Hahn and her knack for intertwining Rio’s whimsical banter with earnest emotions tied to her history with Agatha. Death’s existence as a cosmic force since the beginning of time paves the way for any number of possible storylines on which to base a spinoff. WandaVision and Agatha All Along have cemented Jac Schaeffer’s magical MCU realm as a gold mine for fan fervor and critical acclaim, so the franchise should seek to profit even more by crafting a spinoff around Plaza’s character.

Yelena Belova

Florence Pugh debuted as Yelena Belova, the younger adopted sister of the late Natasha Romanoff, in 2021’s Black Widow. The former Red Room assassin subsequently featured in the Disney+ series Hawkeye alongside Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop and Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton. Yelena’s traumatic past as a brainwashed child assassin, combined with her grief over losing Natasha during The Blip, has established her as one of the MCU’s most tragic characters. At the same time, Yelena’s prowess in physical combat and sarcastic style of humor add to her complexity and make her a joy to watch onscreen. The chance to have an actor as talented as the Oscar-nominated Pugh portray a recurring character shouldn’t be lost on Marvel, as the performer’s impressive range enables her to alternate between landing jokes and filling the audience’s eyes with tears.

Yelena will serve as the foremost character in Thunderbolts*, however, the upcoming film isn’t a true spinoff given that Pugh’s Yelena belongs to an ensemble also made up of Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster. Thunderbolts* releases in May 2025, so Yelena’s MCU future remains unknown at this time. Still, there could be an opportunity to follow the character in a spinoff that’s not a team-up project.

Okoye

Danai Gurira’s Okoye was once rumored to lead her own spinoff series, but it appears that project has failed to materialize. A loyal and formidable warrior formerly of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje and currently of the Midnight Angels, Okoye appeared in 2018’s Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Okoye’s next chapter with the Dora Milaje following her painful resignation from the group would function perfectly as the focal point for a spinoff. Gurira will return to voice Okoye in the upcoming Eyes of Wakanda animated miniseries, but merely as a supporting character.

An Okoye spinoff would additionally provide an opportunity to bring back and further flesh out characters like Michaela Coel’s Aneka and Florence Kasumba’s Ayo, as well as to introduce more members of Wakanda’s elite soldiers. Gurira has admirably embodied Okoye’s grief, vulnerability, and strength in the MCU for years, and Marvel would be wise to make her the lead of a future project. Okoye’s solo story could also serve as a great setup for the upcoming Black Panther 3.

Bruce Banner/Hulk

Mark Ruffalo took over the role of Bruce Banner aka the Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers, replacing Edward Norton — who starred in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. While Norton’s movie means that the MCU technically already has a Hulk solo project, Ruffalo’s version of Banner should lead his own. After more than a decade of portraying the MCU’s Hulk across nine live-action projects, Ruffalo is due for a spinoff, which could also include any number of MCU characters. given Banner’s vast web of connections as a superpowered Avenger.

You can stream MCU content on Disney+

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Even the smaller comic publications have had solid to outright great films released based on their bibliography. For instance, Oni Press had Scott Pilgrim vs. the World while Image had The Crow, Wanted, and Kick-Ass. But, just as great films come from extensive bibliographical lineups, so too do some true duds – films even worse than the bland 2024 remake of The Crow. While it’s tough to say the recent reimagining of Eric Draven’s revenge is particularly good, it’s not one of the worst superhero movies (super-anti-hero, in this case) to ever hit the big screen. It’s closer to the “Getting a bad rap” side of things.

Are there other films like that? Those that perhaps get a bit too much hate? Absolutely. But some have fully earned the ire they’ve received. Below we’ll see which is which – but in the end, there is one tie that binds many, but not all, of the films of both categories: they’re best left to superhero film completionists.

Genuinely Terrible — Howard the Duck (1986)

Like the Pamela Anderson-led Barb Wire (a Dark Horse Comics adaptation) a decade later, Howard the Duck is an oversexualized tonal mess. It’s also an incredibly unceremonious big-screen feature-length debut for Marvel Comics. If not for George Lucas behind it as producer, there’s little chance Howard the Duck would have ever seen the light of day.

On one hand, Howard the Duck is a cult film – which is not all that surprising considering it does make a fine companion piece to 1987’s The Garbage Pail Kids Movie or 1988’s one-two punch of Hobgoblins and Mac and Me. But when the highest compliment that can be granted a film is that it’s best viewed while being an inebriated 20-something, that’s the kind of praise Marvel would certainly like to strike from their cinematic record books.

Genuinely Terrible — Catwoman (2004)

It’s hard to know what the thinking was behind 2004’s Catwoman. It functions less as a DC adaptation and more as a display of Halle Berry’s figure in latex. The title character isn’t even Selina Kyle, but rather a slightly similar (AKA timid) graphic designer for a cosmetics company. It’s as if those behind the film weren’t even interested in the source material, much less pleasing that material’s fans. And, considering they’re the ones who would be buying the tickets, that begs the question of just who the intended audience was.

In other words, it’s a movie without a core identity, which would almost be fine if it had something to say about how women are treated in the world of big business. But it doesn’t. It doesn’t really have much to say at all. Though, given the fact there’s the requisite montage of its title character quickly jumping from building to building towards the end (as seen in Spider-Man and Daredevil), what is clear is that those in charge of crafting the film had seen a handful of early aughts superhero movies, heard the name Catwoman, and tried to give it a go. The best thing that can be said about it is that Berry has shown a good sense of humor about its failures over the years (she even showed up and accepted her Razzie Award in person).

Gets a Bad Rap — Spider-Man 3 (2007)

There are scenes in Spider-Man 3 that are just as awful now as they were during its opening weekend back in 2007. Specifically, Peter Parker’s dance down the street remains very hard to watch and a few of James Franco’s line readings (“My best friends”) unintentionally inspire giggles. And yet, the passing of time has allowed the trilogy-capper to lose some of its disappointing sting.

What made Spider-Man 3 seem like such a trainwreck at the time was the fact that it was coming not only after Raimi’s impressive first blockbuster but also Spider-Man 2, which remains a high point for superhero cinema. Could Spidey’s third movie have trimmed some symbiotic fat to be a leaner, more serious follow-up? Absolutely, and that’s what Raimi wanted to do – but Sony did not. Even without the studio interference would it have been as good as the second film? Likely not. Regardless, there are a few pieces of what that film could have been in Spider-Man 3, most notably in just about every scene featuring Sandman, who like Doc Ock and Green Goblin before him stands as an example of how Raimi can craft complex and compelling villains just as well as he can craft lovable heroes.

Gets a Bad Rap — Iron Man 2 (2010)

While it’s not towards the top of the MCU heap, time has been kind to Iron Man 2. This is especially true given the fans’ and general audiences’ lukewarm (at best) reception to certain entries from later MCU Phases. It’s a movie that tries to do too much universe-building from time to time, but that was more of a necessary evil, rather than a lack of focus on the part of Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. The central character had already been established, so what better Phase One movie could there have been to bring S.H.I.E.L.D. and Black Widow into the mix?

This does come at a cost, admittedly. For instance, Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash is rendered a cookie-cutter caricature of a vengeful Russian archetype and little more. But when he’s sharing his scenes with a particularly flamboyant Sam Rockwell it’s fairly hard to complain too much. As a whole, Iron Man 2 is fairly rewatchable, and while it’s not as impressive as the first film, it’s more of a crowd-pleaser than Iron Man 3.

Genuinely Terrible — Hellboy (2019)

In hindsight, there were plenty of pieces in place to inspire hope for the Hellboy reboot. Yet, even with Dog Soldiers and The Descent‘s Neil Marshall behind the camera, it feels like it should have gone direct to streaming, not unlike 2024’s even cheaper-looking Hellboy: The Crooked Man did. Another piece of the puzzle that should have panned out was having David Harbour in the title role. And yet, never has such a likable performer been in such a through-and-through unlikable film.

Without Guillermo del Toro behind the wheel, the franchise loses all of its bizarre and adventurous flourishes, and what audiences are left with is a dour tone, dark visuals, and poor attempts at humor to counterbalance those elements. A few of the cast members really try to elevate the proceedings (namely Harbour and Milla Jovovich), but one gets the feeling this reboot was in trouble from moment one.

[RELATED: Where to Watch All Six Hellboy Movies Online, Including The Crooked Man]

Gets a Bad Wrap — Birds of Prey (2020)

Without a doubt, there are installments of the late DCEU that received much more hate than Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey. Some of it was warranted, like with David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman 1984, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods – while some of it was not, such as with Man of Steel. But with Birds of Prey, it was practically a nonentity. Even putting the COVID factor aside (which didn’t affect Birds of Prey until it was practically out of theaters anyway) no one really saw the film.

It’s a shame, because outside of The Suicide Squad it’s the DCEU’s most energetic and entertaining installment. It never once really plays like a traditional superhero/supervillain film, and that’s incredibly advantageous. Toss in great set design, lush visual style, and some phenomenal supporting work from Ewan McGregor and Rosie Perez to go alongside the expectedly perfect leading work from Margot Robbie. Birds of Prey is a true winner.

Genuinely Terrible — Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

For a while there, it really did look like Thor: The Dark World was the worst a Thor film could be. Then, Taika Waititi delivered the most devastating follow-up to an MCU film to date with Thor: Love and Thunder. Every aspect of Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok that worked it cranked up to eleven in Love and Thunder, and spoils what was once a nice meal.

This is primarily true of the humor, a problem which is only amplified by its juxtaposition with a cancer subplot and a grieving father for a villain. The same problem extends to the following year’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but at least in that trilogy-capper there weren’t screaming goats every five seconds. Love and Thunder tries to be too many things at once, and in the process even its most tender moments ring as hollow and insincere.

Gets a Bad Wrap — The Marvels (2023)

Given the fact The Marvels was the first MCU adventure audiences outright turned their backs on when it hit theaters, one would expect it to be worse. But, in reality, the film’s biggest crime is being a bit “Been-there-already-paid-to-see-that.” Nothing about it is particularly innovative or pushes the MCU in an interesting direction, but it’s one of the whole saga’s breeziest films to date.

The film’s ace in the hole is Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel. The film functions as a Captain Marvel sequel more than anything else, and Brie Larson is still bringing her A-game, but it’s Vellani’s joy and her character’s awe that’s the film’s infectious element. Here’s hoping the failure of her first big-screen installment doesn’t preclude her participation in further big-screen MCU installments down the line.

Gets a Bad Wrap — Kraven the Hunter (2024)

While it’s pacing behind even Madame Web at the box office, Kraven the Hunter is not the worst installment of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. In fact, compared to Madame Web, Kraven the Hunter almost looks like a good film. It’s definitely riddled with problems, like takes on characters that stray far from the source material, but at least it’s entertaining in spots.

The same cannot be said of Madame Web, where even its well-paid leading lady looks like she’d rather be getting an appendectomy. As a whole, the SSU deserves the poor reputation (and swift demise) it’s received, but if the lion’s share of the blame ends up being heaped on Kraven‘s shoulders, it won’t be fully warranted.

Kraven the Hunter is in theaters. The rest of the films in the list can be streamed on Disney+, Max, and other services.

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Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier has been hanging around the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a century as a soldier, an assassin, and a hero – but actor Sebastian Stan is teasing (or joking?) that some big changes could be on the way for Bucky. Stan made an appearance at Tokyo Comic-Con, where he lifted a prop of Captain America’s shield and made a bold proclamation: “Not Captain America…yet.”

Will Bucky Barnes Also Become Captain America?

Those are ominous words for Sebastian Stan to be saying – whether jokingly or not. His Falcon and the Winter Soldier co-star Anthony Mackie is about to carry the mantle of Captain America in his first solo film, Captain America: Brave New World. That film will (in part) confront the issue of whether or not Sam Wilson (Mackie) can carry the mantle of Captain America in a complicated modern world. There’s also the question of whether or not Sam will want to be Cap, after learning some of the deeper, darker, secrets of geopolitics, and the legacy of Captain America and the Super Soldier Serum.

Then there’s the government factor. Brave New World has made it clear that Sam Wilson will be auditioning to be the official version of Captain America sanctioned by the US government – an audition that obviously hits the wall by the time President Ross (Harrison Ford) becomes Red Hulk. Following the release of Captain America: Brave New World we will get Thunderbolts*, the next chapter of Bucky Barnes’ story in the MCU. The Thunderbolts squad will be run by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and there are theories that the film’s asterisk title is a teaser for a bigger reveal that this team will be Valentina’s government-controlled Avengers squad. That “Avengers” team would need a Captain America – and Bucky might end up competing with John Walker / US Agent (Wyatt Russell) for that title. A fight between Bucky and Walker would be an epic and unexpected way to end Thunderbolts* and would set Bucky on a collision course with his buddy Sam, in a clash of shields. That’s the kind of interconnected storytelling with dramatic stakes that MCU fans want to get back to – a story arc that makes two films and a streaming show worth the investment.

Marvel Studios is also sitting on the ultimate fan-service parachute, thanks to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars event films. A version of Bucky who became Captain America is one of many multiverse variants that could show up either in the reality where Robert Downey Jr. reigned as Doctor Doom, or in the final Multiverse Saga showdown in Secret Wars. A scene of Sam, Bucky, and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers all wielding Cap shields together would be one of those ‘stand up and cheer’ moments fans crave.

Thunderbolts* stars Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Florence Pugh as Yelena Boleva, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as “Bob.” The film is directed by Jake Schreier, from a script by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo. It has a release date of May 5, 2025.

The post Sebastian Stan’s New Marvel Comments Have Fans Wondering About His MCU Future appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new TV spot for Captain America: Brave New World introduces a real-world concept to the Sentinel of Liberty. As we close out 2024 we look onward to 2025 and the release of Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson’s first foray as the official Captain America of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joining Sam is Harrison Ford as Red Hulk, who comes into conflict with Cap throughout the film. Trailers and commercials have featured some of the epic action scenes in Brave New World, but the latest reveals a new look for Captain America that hasn’t been seen before… even in the comics.

A 30-second spot for Captain America: Brave New World begins with an assassination attempt against President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and Sam Wilson trying to convince the President that his inner circle has been compromised. We then transition to Captain America and Falcon soaring through the skies together, and a closeup of Cap’s new suit. The costume features the signature red-white-and-blue color scheme, along with a flight helmet for Cap. While Sam typically used goggles when he was Falcon, this is the first time we’ve seen him donning a helmet while flying through the sky.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Trailer Shows Red Hulk Battling Sam Wilson]

It makes a lot of sense for Sam Wilson’s Captain America to wear a flight helmet while engaging in high-air combat. Especially when you consider how high up in the air Captain America is shown battling against fighter jets high above the ocean. To breathe in that altitude is definitely a chore, so the helmet not only keeps Cap safe, but helps him stay alive as well.

Of course, we see Captain America without his helmet in a standoff with Red Hulk at the end of the video. Red Hulk is one of the many new characters debuting in Captain America: Brave New World, alongside Danny Ramirez returning as Joaquin Torres / Falcon.

Captain America: Brave New World has a surprising Eternals connection

San Diego Comic-Con was the first time that Marvel Studios acknowledged the fan speculation that the Celestial Tiamut from 2021’s Eternals plays a role in Captain America: Brave New World. The fallen Celestial will also introduce Adamantium to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time.

Many of the central fight scenes in Captain America 4 take place around Tiamut, with world leaders fighting to get their hands on the Adamantium coming from the Celestial. In footage screened by ComicBook at SDCC, Harrison Ford’s President Ross explains how, “When the Celestial mass emerged from the Indian Ocean,” humans squabbled over it and tried to export its resources. Ross explains the “new element belongs to all of us.”

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Reveals Surprising (And Realistic) New Detail appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Another year nears its end, which means it’s time to prepare for 2025’s exciting slate of movies. 2024 gave cinephiles and film fandoms plenty of reasons to stay invested in their favorite properties, and 2025 offers even more to look forward to. Numerous major franchises in the horror, action, animated, and family-friendly genres will release new titles next year. From highly-anticipated superhero films from Marvel and DC to live-action Disney remakes, 2025 is poised to deliver lots of thrills in movie theaters across the globe.

Captain America: Brave New World – February 14

The Marvel Cinematic Universe will commence its 2025 lineup with Captain America: Brave New World, directed by Julius Onah. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson takes over the mantle from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers as a fresh era with new global threats emerge in the next Captain America installment. Joining Mackie in the film’s cast are Harrison Ford as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross/Red Hulk, Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Rosa Salazar as Rachel Leighton/Diamondback, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph/Sabra, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Copperhead.

Paddington in Peru – February 14

Paddington in Peru will tell the next chapter in the adorable talking bear’s journey when he travels to the South American nation to visit his Aunt Lucy. After having its release date delayed from January, the film will be released on the same day as Captain America: Brave New World. Ben Whishaw will return to voice the titular character in Paddington in Peru, while Hugh Bonneville will reprise his role as Henry Brown. Emily Mortimer joins the cast as Mary Brown, and Imelda Staunton will voice Aunt Lucy.

[RELATED: Why Marvel Is About to Have a Big Year in 2025]

Snow White – March 21

Disney’s live-action Snow White film recently released its first trailer, and fans are looking forward to seeing Rachel Zegler portray the iconic princess. Directed by Marc Webb, Snow White will contain at least one original song in addition to the original 11 tracks that featured in the original 1937 animated movie. Gal Gadot will play the Evil Queen, while Andrew Burnap, Patrick Page, Ansu Kabia, and Colin Michael Carmichael also figure among the cast.

A Minecraft Movie – April 4

A Minecraft Movie will adapt the popular video game to the big screen for the first time. Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa, Kate McKinnon, Danielle Brooks, and more will star in the film, helmed by Napoleon Dynamite filmmaker Jared Hess. The movie follows a group of outsiders who find themselves pulled into the cubic universe of Minecraft. They must take on a quest with the help of an expert crafter in order to get out.

Sinners – April 18

Director Ryan Coogler’s next movie may be a standalone project, however, fandoms have every reason to be buzzing over the release of Sinners, which stars Black Panther and Creed star Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers who encounter an unspeakable evil in their hometown. Sinners also features fellow Marvel actors Hailee Steinfeld and Wunmi Mosaku, as well as Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Lola Kirke, and Li Jun Li.

Thunderbolts* – May 2

The second of three MCU movies to release in 2025 is Thunderbolts*, a team-up narrative following Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster. Director Jake Schreier’s film sees the titular band of anti-heroes embark on a mission directed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Lewis Pullman will make his MCU debut as Sentry.

Final Destination: Bloodlines – May 16

Final Destination: Bloodlines will arrive in 2025 as the newest addition to the franchise since 2011’s Final Destination 5. Not much is known about the plot, but the movie’s cast includes Tio Briones, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Brec Bassinger, Tony Todd, Rya Kihlstedt, Richard Harmon, Max Lloyd-Jones, Anna Lore, and Owen Patrick Joyner. Final Destination: Bloodlines is directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein.

Lilo & Stitch – May 23

The first Lilo & Stitch live-action film will be led by Maia Kealoha and Chris Sanders. Based on the Disney animated movies and series, Lilo & Stitch also features Hannah Waddingham as the Grand Councilwoman, Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, Zach Galifianakis as Jumba, Amy Hill as Tutu, Sydney Agudong as Nani, and Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles. Tia Carrere, who previously voiced Nani, will play Mrs. Kekoa in live-action. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On director Dean Fleischer Camp is directing the project.

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning – May 23

Following 2023’s Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, the successful Tom Cruise-led franchise will take another bow with Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning in 2025, with Christopher McQuarrie returning to direct. Starring alongside Cruise’s Ethan Hunt are Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, Hannah Waddingham, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, Pom Klementieff, Katy O’Brian, Nick Offerman, Indira Varma, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, and more.

Karate Kid: Legends – May 30

Jackie Chan will reprise his role as skilled martial artist Mr. Han in Karate Kid: Legends, the sixth movie in the franchise. Also returning is Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, while Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, Ming-Na Wen, and Aramis Knight join the cast. The plot of Karate Kid: Legends surrounds Wang’s Li Fong, a kung fu prodigy who moves from Beijing, China to New York City. Li decides to enter a karate competition and eventually crosses paths with Mr. Han and Daniel.

Ballerina – June 6

The John Wick franchise will debut its first spinoff with 2025’s Ballerina. The film stars Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro, an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma. Eve seeks revenge for the murder of her family as she collides with Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. Directed by Underworld filmmaker Len Wiseman, Ballerina also counts Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Gabriel Byrne, and the late Lance Reddick among its cast members.

Elio – June 13

Disney and Pixar’s next major film is Elio, a story about a young outer space enthusiast who embarks on a cosmic journey, meeting aliens and traveling through galaxies as he discovers himself. The character of Elio will be voiced by Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Yonas Kibreab. Zoe Saldaña, Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, and Shirley Henderson are also part of the cast.

How to Train Your Dragon – June 13

The live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake includes the same characters and follows the same story as the 2010 animated movie. Mason Thames will star as Hiccup, a dragon-hunting Viking who unexpectedly befriends a young winged beast. From original director Dean Deblois, How to Train Your Dragon also features Nico Parker as Astrid, Gerard Butler as Stoick, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout, Bronwyn James as Ruffnut, Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut, Nick Frost as Gobber, Ruth Codd as Phlegma, Nick Cornwall as Hürl, and Samuel Johnson as Skaldor.

28 Years Later – June 20

The follow-up to 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later, 2025’s 28 Years Later focuses on a group of survivors of the rage virus outbreak on a small island. When one member ventures out to the mainland, he uncovers many secrets and horrors involving the infected and other survivors. Helmed by returning director Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Erin Kellyman. The film’s new trailer has horror fanatics in a frenzy over its use of a horrifying recording of a 121-year-old Rudyard Kipling poem.

M3GAN 2.0 – June 27

The killer doll from 2023’s M3GAN returns in 2025’s M3GAN 2.0. Gerard Johnstone returns to direct, while Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez, and Jen Van Epps reprise their roles. Additionally, Jermaine Clement, Ivanna Sakhno, Timm Sharp, and Aristotle Athari are new additions in M3GAN 2.0. Plot details for the horror sequel have been kept under wraps.

Jurassic World Rebirth – July 2

The Jurassic World franchise will release its next installment with a brand new cast and band of characters. Jurassic World Rebirth. Five years after the events of Jurassic World: Dominion, a group of explorers look to make a major medical breakthrough by extracting DNA from three gigantic dinosaurs. Directed by Gareth Edwards, Jurassic World Rebirth stars Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis and Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett. Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Rupert Friend, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo are also set to appear in the movie.

Superman – July 11

A long-awaited revival of the timeless DC comic-book hero, James Gunn’s Superman ranks among 2025’s biggest movies. David Corenswet will star as Clark Kent and don Superman’s iconic red cape, Rachel Brosnahan will debut as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor. Other castings include Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Eli Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. The first trailer for Superman just released, and DC fans are hyped for the upcoming film.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25

The MCU will finally introduce one of its most popular superhero families with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Pedro Pascal is set to portray Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic, and Vanessa Kirby will take on the role of Sue Storm aka the Invisible Woman. Rounding out the team are Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm aka the Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch. The Fantastic Four: First Steps follows its main characters in a 1960s retro-futuristic world as they must defend their universe from the imminent threat of Ralph Ineson’s Galactus and Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer.

Thread: An Insidious Tale – August 29

Thread: An Insidious Tale adds another title to the bone-chilling horror saga. Directed by Moon Knight‘s Jeremy Slater, the film will star Kumail Nanjiani and Mandy Moore. Thread‘s story follows a couple who try to prevent their daughter’s death by casting a time-traveling spell.

The Conjuring: Last Rites – September 5

The Conjuring: Last Rites will conclude the popular horror franchise in 2025. Reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren one last time, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are newly joined by X-Men: Apocalypse star Ben Hardy and The Beast Must Die‘s Mia Tomlinson. Michael Chaves, who helmed 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, will return to direct Last Rites.

Saw XI – September 26

2025’s horror movie season includes Saw XI in its lineup. The 11th Saw film will see Kevin Greutart back in the director’s chair. Although official casting information hasn’t been made public yet, actor Tobin Bell recently confirmed that he will portray John Kramer aka the Jigsaw killer in Saw XI.

Tron: Ares – October 10

2025’s Tron: Ares will be the first movie in the sci-fi franchise since 2010’s Tron: Legacy, which served as a sequel to the original 1982 film. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil director Joachim Rønning will helm Tron: Ares, while Jeff Bridges, Jodie Turner-Smith, Gillian Anderson, Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Cameron Monaghan, Greta Lee, Sarah Desjardins, and Hasan Minhaj are set to star in the project. The plot of Tron: Ares differs from its predecessors in that it revolves around a program that makes its way from the digital world to the real world.

Mortal Kombat 2 – October 24

The sequel to the 2021 movie adaptation, Mortal Kombat 2 promises even more guts and gore true to the fighting game it’s based on, with Simon McQuoid returning to direct. Other returnees from the first film include Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Max Huang as Kung Lao. Among Mortal Kombat 2‘s new castings are Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, Tati Gabrielle as Jade, Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn, Ana Thu Nguyen as Sindel, Desmond Chiam as King Jerrod, and C.J. Bloomfield as Baraka.

Predator: Badlands – November 7

Predator: Badlands follows 2022’s Prey, and will see Dan Trachtenberg back to write and direct. Elle Fanning is set to star in the franchise’s sixth installment, portraying twin sisters who hold different ideals and pursue different paths in life. It was recently revealed that a Yakutia creature aka a Predator will serve as the movie’s protagonist.

Wicked: For Good – November 21

Wicked: For Good will be tasked with succeeding the earth-shattering triumph of 2024’s Wicked. The second half of Jon M. Chu’s Broadway musical film adaptation will again feature Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, and Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond.

Zootopia 2 – November 26

2016’s Zootopia finally has its sequel, as Zootopia 2 will hit theaters in 2025. Jason Bateman returns to voice the fox Nick Wilde, while Ginnifer Goodwin reprises her role as rabbit cop Judy Hopps. In Zootopia 2, the two main characters must work together to solve a new, dangerous case that will challenge their crime-solving skills. Ke Huy Quan will feature in a villain role, and Shakira will return to voice Gazelle.

Avatar: Fire and Ash – December 19

James Cameron’s box-office hit Avatar franchise IP is getting a third installment at the end of 2025 with Avatar: Fire and Ash. Following 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which currently stands as the third-highest-grossing film of all time globally, Fire and Ash will deepen the story of Jake Sully and his family on the mythical planet of Pandora, as they encounter a new group of volcano-dwelling Na’vi and re-encounter General Ardmore (Edie Falco), Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and their band of Earth-based colonizers. A major aspect of the film’s plot will involve Sam Worthington’s Jake and Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri grieving the loss of their son. Other returning characters include Kate Winslet’s Ronal, Giovanni Ribisi’s Selfridge, Sigourney Weaver’s Kiri, Jermaine Clement’s Dr. Garvin, Cliff Curtis’ Tonowari, Jack Champion’s Spider, Bailey Bass’ Tsireya, Britain Dalton’s Lo’ak, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss’ Tuk, Jamie Flatters’ Neteyem, and more. David Thewlis and Oona Chaplin will play new characters.

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Trailers are an important artform. Sometimes, they can be so incredible, such remarkable artistic creations on their own merits, they can endure long after the films they’ve promoted have been forgotten. Battle: Los Angeles and Suicide Squad, for instance, were widely panned, but their initial trailers still resonate as profoundly impressive creations. Trailers really can become something special, and 2024 had plenty of memorable examples. This included glimpses into future 2025 features, which already got off on the right foot with audiences thanks to these marketing materials.

The seven best movie trailers for 2024 reflect movies that (if they’ve been released yet) won’t be to everyone’s liking. Heck, you might outright despise the motion pictures they’re shilling for. That just makes their artistic virtues extra impressive to absorb, though. Even movies one might find subpar can inspire trailers so great they inevitably stand out as the cream of the crop. Behold, the seven best trailers unleashed on moviegoers during 2024!

28 Years Later

The standard for modern horror movie trailers (established through titles like Hereditary) had informed a landscape of scary trailers leaning on slightly atonal string instruments, while many also employed eerie versions of familiar pop ditties. The first 28 Years Later trailer excitingly eschewed expectations by instead leaning on a 1915 reciting of the 1903 poem “Boots” from actor Taylor Holmes. The stripped-down, sparse reading of this poem was incredibly haunting and perfectly communicated the simultaneous monotony, agony, and psychological torment of living in a world ravaged by zombies. This 28 Years Later trailer leaned on a bold creative decision that already feels like it’s changing the horror movie trailer game forever.

Monkey Man

At the very end of January 2024, exciting news broke about Dev Patel’s directorial debut Monkey Man, which had spent a few years on radio silence. Previously set to get dumped onto Netflix, Monkey Man was now set for an April 5, 2024 theatrical release courtesy of Universal Pictures. To commemorate the occasion, an enthralling Monkey Man trailer was released, displaying Patel’s absorbing approach to action sequences. It was a trailer bursting with personality and sharp editing, not to mention a sense of energy that just kept ramping up as it went along. By the time the title dropped, it was impossible not to be cheering. The Monkey Man trailer was a triumph, vividly signaling why this movie needed a theatrical launch.

Captain America: Brave New World

By the time the Captain Marvel teaser dropped in fall 2018, cynical internet users had come to know the typical Marvel movie trailer structure. Initial trailers had voice-over audio from a supporting character guiding audiences through a new world before a quick closing montage of action sequences. Second trailers often followed their own structural patterns. Someone at Marvel Studios must’ve overheard that because the Captain America: Brave New World trailers have been among the most idiosyncratic ever produced for the label.

The second trailer in particular features a bevy of outstanding cross-cut editing while also highlighting some fun action beats like how Captain America simply landing can literally blow away baddies. A late beat where a flurry of critical voices play over footage of Sam Wilson trying his best also lends interesting insight into the man’s psyche, while a recurring clicking noise playing throughout the trailer quietly accentuates an ominous air. The second Captain America: Brave New World trailer took Marvel Studios marketing to a place fitting of this tentpole’s title.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Trailer Teases the True Mastermind Behind the MCU Film]

Longlegs

After a series of cryptic teases, indie distributor Neon dropped a slightly longer but still mysterious Longlegs trailer just a few months before the film’s release. It offered a more concrete glimpse into what director Osgood Perkins was cooking up. However, this piece of Longlegs marketing was still so chilling because of its restraint. There was still a sense of uncertainty and mystery permeating its images, and editing choices that could chill any viewer to the bone. The near glimpses of Nicolas Cage as the titular killer were also very well-executed. Even with showing a little more, the full Longlegs trailer became a masterpiece thanks to a “less-is-more” approach.

Kinds of Kindness

How do you market an anthology film? Better yet, how do you promote an anthology film leaning on the absurd yet dry dark comedy of filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos? Such a prospect would be a nightmare for any studio. However, Kinds of Kindness first dropped on most people’s radar through a deeply memorable teaser trailer. Short, to the point, and set to the 1983 Eurythmics song “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” the Kinds of Kindness teaser accentuated an oddball atmosphere while keeping things vague. This trailer was about being evocative and communicating a variety of visual aesthetics. It wasn’t about spoon-feeding moviegoers what Lanthimos was cooking up. The result was a dynamite trailer that inspired so many delightful YouTube parodies (taking its structure and needle drop but applying it to other movies with ensemble casts) for a reason.

Wicked

The first Wicked trailer was almost superfluous. After all, everyone was already so hyped for the idea of this Broadway musical film adaptation just after its Super Bowl spot alone. However, this piece of Wicked marketing was still a splendidly enchanting creation, especially since its lengthy 210-second runtime allowed it to function as nearly a short film. Especially memorable here was a segment at the end of the trailer cutting across various stages of Elphaba’s life, a moving depiction of all that she’s endured on her road to “Defying Gravity.” This trailer was so tremendous that even its lack of singing couldn’t bring it down.

Juror #2

One of the many things that made Warner Bros. Pictures dumping Juror #2 in its theatrical release strange was that the studio already put together a killer first trailer. Like past Clint Eastwood directorial efforts American Sniper, The Mule, and Richard Jewell, Juror #2 had a propulsive inaugural trailer that excelled as its own mini-movie. In this case, the trailer is brilliantly paced as audiences discover the dark uncertainty within Nicholas Hoult’s protagonist. Idyllic suburban existence curdles into guilt-ridden torment over a little more than two minutes of footage. It all culminates in Kiefer Sutherland ominously saying “You know what you have to do” against a dark background. Such an immediately iconic trailer (for a darn good thriller to boot) should’ve preceded a grand theatrical rollout, not been the only instance of Warner Bros. publicly promoting the project.

The post These Are the 7 Best Movie Trailers of 2024 (Even If the Movies Were No Good) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Longtime MCU producer Nate Moore recently revealed why the fourth installment in the Captain America series was changed by Marvel Studios. In an interview with Empire (via ComingSoon), Moore stated “I think ‘New World Order’ was a title we thought was really interesting and sort of moody and scary. Some of the feedback we got, internally and externally, was that that phrase has, unfortunately, been co-opted in the real world in a way that made people uncomfortable.” While there has almost always been a political element in the Captain America films, the term “new world order” is often associated with conspiracy theories espoused by extremist groups, so it makes sense that the powers that be at Marvel Studios would want to shy away from anything too controversial, especially in this divisive climate.

Now called Captain America: Brave New World, the film will see Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson become the new star-spangled hero now that Steve Rogers has given up the role. Many plot details are still under wraps, but what we do know is the film will see Wilson take on a new threat that has global implications following a massive international incident. Harrison Ford replaces the late William Hurt as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross who is now the President of the United States, and will eventually become the Red Hulk.

Tim Blake Nelson makes his long-awaited return to the MCU as Samuel Sterns, also known to comic book fans as the villain, Leader. Other returning faces include Joaquin Torres (who will suit up as the new Falcon) and Carl Lumbly as the elderly super soldier Isaiah Bradley.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World – Who Is the Villain?]

While still very much a standalone film, Captain America: Brave New World is bound to impact future movies featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Moore told Empire that “I think that Avengers teams are best when they are led by a Captain America. And this movie gives us a little bit of space to talk about, ‘Where are the Avengers? What does it mean to have Avengers? And is Sam the right guy to lead them?’”

Captain America: Brave New World will also follow up on the plot point involving Tiamut, the massive Celestial corpse sticking out of the ocean, introduced in Marvel’s Eternals. It’s also been confirmed that it will be the source of adamantium in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For those unfamiliar with the unbreakable metal, it is most closely associated with Wolverine, as his bones and claws are coated with it. The MCU has been gradually setting the stage for its version of the X-Men – will the upcoming Captain America film plant even more seeds for the arrival of Marvel’s Merry Mutants? For example, will we see a shadowy organization (i.e. Weapon X) steal some adamantium for its secret mutant experiments? All of the elements are there!

Captain America: Brave New World will be released on February 14, 2025.

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2025 is shaping to be an exciting year for superhero movie fans, with Marvel and DC set to release highly anticipated films. Thanks to Superman, DC Studios will finally bring their new cinematic universe into theaters, kicking off what we all hope will be a decade of good DC movies. Marvel Studios is also cranking things up by offering the most projects in a single year ever — all to restructure and prepare for the next Avengers movies. It has been a while since Marvel and DC brought out the big theatrical guns at the same time. The winner of this clash is obviously the fans, who get to enjoy movies featuring iconic characters from both classic comic book editors.

Captain America: Brave New World

Director: Julius Onah
Writers: Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson
Release Date: February 14, 2025 

Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) journey as Captain America takes the silver screen with Brave New World, a politically charged thriller that promises to bring the franchise back to its Winter Soldier’s peak. The story centers on Wilson navigating a complex web of international conspiracies while dealing with President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross’s ambitious plans to militarize the Captain America position and establish a new Avengers team. The film introduces adamantium to the MCU and features a star-studded cast, including Harrison Ford as President Ross, who undergoes a dramatic transformation into the Red Hulk. Adding to the tension are villains The Leader and Sidewinder, played by Tim Blake Nelson and Giancarlo Esposito, respectively. The movie also explores themes of legacy and racial inequality that were established in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as Sam works closely with Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) while training the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez).

Thunderbolts*

Director: Jake Schreier
Writer: Eric Pearson
Release Date: May 2, 2025 

Thunderbolts* is an unconventional team-up film that brings together Marvel’s most complex antiheroes under the leadership of Bucky Barnes, whose role has been compared to Jack Nicholson’s character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The ensemble includes Florence Pugh’s sharp-witted Yelena Belova, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen’s newly-controlled Ghost, and Wyatt Russell’s complicated U.S. Agent. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, now the CIA director, assembles the team with her own agenda for power and control. Recent footage suggests that Bucky joins the team after they’ve already formed, hunting them down for mysterious reasons. Newcomers Geraldine Viswanathan and Lewis Pullman join the fray, with Pullman rumored to bring the powerful Sentry to life. The story explores themes of redemption and unlikely alliances as these former adversaries must work together under increasingly dangerous circumstances.

[RELATED: James Gunn Reveals Key Difference Between DC Universe and Marvel Studios’ MCU]

Superman

Director: James Gunn
Writer: James Gunn
Release Date: July 11, 2025 

James Gunn’s fresh take on the Man of Steel promises to deliver a Superman story unlike any we’ve seen before. David Corenswet steps into the iconic role alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, with the film exploring Clark Kent’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. While not an origin story, the film focuses on Superman as a young reporter navigating his relationships with key characters in Metropolis. Gunn has emphasized that this version of Superman will be driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. The director has also teased that the film will showcase previously unseen aspects of Superman’s life and incorporate significant elements from Silver Age comics, promising to deliver epic action sequences while maintaining the character’s fundamental optimism.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Director: Matt Shakman
Writers: Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer
Release Date: July 25, 2025 

Marvel’s First Family finally makes their MCU debut in a unique period piece set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race. Pedro Pascal leads the cast as Reed Richards, alongside Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. The film blends family drama with cosmic stakes as the team faces off against the planet-devouring Galactus, voiced by Ralph Ineson, and his herald, the Silver Surfer, played by Julia Garner. The retro-futuristic setting provides a fresh take on the team’s origin, while the story promises to explore how these four individuals balance their newfound powers with their strong family bonds. With Avengers: Doomsday closing in, First Steps is also expected to explain how Robert Downey Jr. will take on the mantle of Doctor Doom, the archnemesis of the Fantastic Four.

The post Every 2025 Marvel and DC Movie Confirmed to Release (And When You Can See Them) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new detail about Captain America: Brave New World is helping Marvel fans answer a big question about the film: how can Sam Wilson/Falcon’s Captain America ever hope to battle someone like the Red Hulk? The trailers for Captain America 4 have teased Sam (Anthony Mackie) facing Thaddeus Ross/Red Hulk (Harrison Ford) as a major set piece in the film, as well as teasing some new suit tech that will keep Sam from getting obliterated in the fight.

According to longtime Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore, the team behind Brave New World invested serious time in figuring out how to sell fans on the idea of a Captain America with no Super Soldier Serum running through his veins:

“As soon as we decided this was the story we were going to tell, we realized there was a big hurdle,” Moore explained to EW. Dan Cox, Weta visual effects supervisor who worked on the film, added that Sam isn’t built for the powered-up reality of the MCU: “He takes a punch, his head’s going to go flying.”

To explain how Sam Wilson will be able to hold his own as Captain America, Moore reveals that they dipped into the other major franchise he works on: Black Panther. The kingdom of Wakanda and its prized ore, Vibranium, will be how Sam can take on Red Hulk without ending up in a body cast – or body bag.

That said, Moore teases that Vibranium may not end up being the undisputed top source of technological might anymore, as the hierarchy of power in the MCU continues to change. Apparently, Vibranium will only “somewhat” protect this new Captain America from harm. “I say ‘somewhat’ because it’s a Red Hulk,” Moore explained. “What are you going to do? We’re very conscious of not having the movie feel disingenuous. So, giving Sam equipment to survive is different than giving Sam equipment to succeed.”

[RELATED: Everything We KNow About Captain America: Brave New World]

That’s some surgical producer-speak right there. Reading between the lines: Moore is seemingly hinting at how the initial meeting between Sam Wilson/Captain America and Red Hulk will turn out. That presumably entails Sam getting thrashed pretty hard but ultimately surviving the fight, which would be a major feat for a non-enhanced human being (suit or not). MCU fans were impressed by preview scenes that show Sam using his suit to cut through a car Red Hulk throws at him – but as soon as the raging brute lands a direct hit (or one of those Loki-style slams) it seems like Sam will be taken out of the fight pretty quickly.

Theory: Sam Wilson Will Level Up With New Captain America Adamantium Gear

MCU fans have been wondering why the pivotal Marvel metal Adamantium was included in Captain America 4, and if it is the MacGuffin that is being referenced in the “Brave New World” subtitle. We know from preview events that Sam will be involved in recovering an Adamantium sample from the corpse of the dead Celestial Tiamut the Communicator (see: Eternals). If MCU history is any indication, Captain America: Brave New World will require Sam to get an Adamantium costume upgrade in order to finally take down opponents like Red Hulk and The Leader.

A new Adamantium flight suit would be a major Iron Man-style armor upgrade for Sam, instantly making him one of the most formidable warriors in the MCU. If Sam gets an Adamantium shield to go with his suit, he’ll also have a weapon (both offensive and defensive) that will be one of the most powerful on It might even be enough to cut through a Hulk’s skin – and could conceivably set Captain “America” on a collision course with a Canadian operative fitted with his own Adamantium… (Wolverine).

Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah, from a script by writers Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Matthew Orton. Kevin Feige and Nate Moore are producers on the film, which stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph, Carl Lumbay as Isaiah Bradley, Liva Tyler as Betty Ross, Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker/Sidewinder, and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader. The film will be released in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Sam Wilson is the new Captain America, but that’s old news by now. When Avengers: Endgame ended with an elderly Steve Rogers passing his shield to Sam, fans were thrilled. But as time has passed, the excitement has shifted to what this means for the MCU moving forward. Captain America: Brave New World is basically setting the stage for Avengers: Doomsday, which has fans wondering what’s next. The official trailer has already dropped some interesting details, like the Red Hulk showing up and Isaiah Bradley’s attempts to murder President Thaddeus Ross. What else could the new movie dive into?

The plot will also serve as a sequel to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which focused on Sam’s journey to become the new Captain America. Now, fans will get to see him fully take on the mantle and the weight of such a significant responsibility. Can he live up to the legacy of a figure who has been an icon since World War II? In scenes from the trailer, Sam boldly states that he’s not Steve, hinting that audiences should brace for a Captain America who’s ready to break even more barriers than he did in the Disney+ series. The movie’s title says it all.

What to Expect from Captain America: Brave New World

The Captain America: Brave New World trailer has already sparked high expectations, especially because it feels tonally reminiscent of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson, attended the Disney APAC Content Showcase in November and shared that, unlike other Marvel Studios films that experiment with different genres, this one will stick to a more grounded and realistic approach. “This movie stays in the line with the original Captain America, of that thrill, of that espionage, of that grounded nature with storytelling and really investing the actual audience into the story;” and the promotional material definitely backs that up. But what about the story?

It’s well known that with great powers come great responsibilities, and Sam will initially have to accept that he doesn’t have his predecessor’s super-soldier serum. Even so, he’s going to have a pretty amazing suit, one that can compensate for some of that lack of enhanced abilities. In the second trailer, Marvel fans got a glimpse of the power of the material in the former Falcon’s new wings, with Wakandan Vibranium now part of more than just his iconic shield. A scene where Sam slices a car in half with just his wings marks the explosive end of the second trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, showing off exactly what he’s capable of.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World’s Director’s Reaction to Harrison Ford’s Hulk: “Holy F-cking Sh-t”]

We also need to talk about one of the hero’s enemies in the new story – Red Hulk. This will be the first time Red Hulk has appeared in the MCU, and as comic readers know, it’s none other than General Thaddeus Ross himself (Harrison Ford). Not only will Ford’s character gain his own gamma powers, but he will be assuming the presidency of the United States in the film. Due to the events of Captain America: Civil War, Ross and Sam have some unresolved issues, but they’re expected to work through them, especially since the president wants to make Captain America an official military figure.

However, the plot will also focus on Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a character who had a significant role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In the series, Isaiah was the only survivor of a dozen African-American soldiers forcibly recruited for experiments with the super soldier serum after Steve Rogers was presumed dead. He was also one of the key reasons Sam struggled with accepting the role of Captain America, as the government had always been fearful of creating a Black super soldier. In the new movie, Isaiah will seemingly be sent to prison after trying to kill the president (though it seems clear he’s been brainwashed ala the Winter Soldier). This sets the stage for Sam’s internal conflict, as he begins to realize that he’s likely up against something much bigger than just the government.

To take it a step further, it seems that someone else is pulling the strings in Captain America: Brave New World, even above Ross. Enter Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), better known as The Leader, who could emerge as the true mastermind behind the chaos. Sterns first appeared in the MCU in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and now, he returns as the story’s main villain.

Captain America: Brave New World Will Open Doors for Future MCU Stories

Not long after the premiere of Captain America: Brave New World comes Thunderbolts*, and while the two storylines may not seem directly connected, there is one character who could bring them together. Since this will be the first appearance of Red Hulk in the MCU, one important thing to remember is Thaddeus Ross’s specific nickname, which is likely not a coincidence. This raises the question – what’s the connection with the new squad of anti-heroes? Could the team take its name from Ross himself? In the comics, Red Hulk is a key member of one version of the group, so his presence in Thunderbolts* is perhaps expected by some Marvel fans.

In addition, it’s important to remember that with Sam now taking on the mantle of Captain America, the position of Falcon became vacant. Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), who first appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Sam’s friend, he will officially take on the Falcon role in Captain America: Brave New World. It was already becoming clear that a new generation of heroes was on the way in the MCU, but the Brave New World trailer has also confirmed Sam intends to assemble a new team of Avengers.

Two more characters will also make their MCU debut in Captain America: Brave New World with Giancarlo Esposito playing Sidewinder, the leader of the Serpent Society; and Shira Haas playing Ruth Bat-Seraph. In the pages of Marvel Comics, Ruth Bat-Seraph is a mutant and a member of the Israeli secret service, but for the screen, Marvel has made the character a former Black Widow. Marvel fans may see more of these two in the future as they could very easily make their way into more MCU movies.

Captain America: Brave New World will hit theaters on February 14, 2025.

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A special look at Captain America: Brave New World alludes to the villain working in the shadows pulling the strings. Captain America: Brave New World marks Sam Wilson’s first official outing as the Sentinel of Liberty on the big screen, where he’ll be joined by Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, aka Red Hulk. We’ve seen footage of Cap squaring off with Red Hulk already, but what there hasn’t been focus on is the secret villain behind their conflict. Leader hasn’t been seen since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, but he’s scheming in the background in the Captain America: Brave New World special look.

“You know I’ve been no fan of heroes, but even I can’t deny the good that you’ve done,” Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross tells Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in the special look at Captain America: Brave New World. Ross, who is President of the United States in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wants Captain America to work alongside him. We then get footage of Captain America and Falcon on a naval ship as fighter jets fly over Tiamut, the Celestial that’s coming out of the Earth from Eternals. We then get several scenes in rapid concession, with Sam stating that someone is pulling the strings on everything. Though he’s off camera, we hear Leader say, “Captain America, you don’t even know what this is.”

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World’s Director’s Reaction to Harrison Ford’s Hulk: “Holy F-cking Sh-t”

Hulk villain Leader returns in Captain America: Brave New World

Tim Blake Nelson plays Samuel Stern, aka Leader, in Captain America: Brave New World. He was part of the initial cast when the film’s title, formerly Captain America: New World Order, was first announced back in 2022. The Leader has remained in the shadows during the marketing for Captain America: Brave New World, but Nelson has spoken about how Leader will finally have a comics-accurate look for the film.

When asked about returning as Samuel Sterns / The Leader in Captain America: Brave New World back in March, he talked about his Leader appearance. “Really excited. I had a great time filming it,” Nelson told ComicBookMovie.com. “And [I] worked with the Marvel team and this wonderful makeup artist named David Atherton with whom I’ve collaborated on a dozen movies now.”

“I think people are going to be pretty excited about what this guy looks like. And what he has to say and what he does,” he added. “All power to the amazing team over there at Marvel.” While Nelson didn’t point to his Leader gaining a giant head and green skin, it may be a foregone conclusion after reading his comments. 

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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There is a lot of pressure on Harrison Ford to bring the Red Hulk to life in Captain America: Brave New World, but director Julius Onah feels that he rose to the challenge. In an interview with Empire Magazine published this week, Onah raved about Ford’s performance – especially as he is stepping into a role previously played by a friend. Onah called Ford’s portrayal “mind-blowing,” along with a few other choice words.

“All of us on set were like, ‘Holy f—ing s—, he nailed it,'” Onah said frankly. “It’s really great to get back to a Hulk that is just f—ing breaking s—, and a rage monster.” It’s especially impressive knowing that Ford is now 82 years old, though of course he has the help of CGI. We’ve seen some of the final result in the trailer released last month. It mostly shows Ford playing President Thaddeus Ross, but at the end we get a glimpse of the Red Hulk in action.

Ford himself seemed more concerned with playing Ross than the Red Hulk. Ross has appeared in five MCU movies so far, played by the late William Hurt. Hurt passed away in 2022, and this will be the first time the character appears on screen. He clashed with the Hulk as a U.S. Military general, then with all the Avengers as the Secretary of State. Now he has been elected president, and Ford hopes to maintain some continuity in his performance.

[RELATED: Captain America 4: Anthony Mackie Says Movie Is Better Than Any Tom Holland Project]

“I was a little concerned about taking over from Bill Hurt, who was a wonderful actor,” he told Empire. ““I was ambitious to find the right way of assuming this character after the audience had seen other people doing it. I’m only slightly familiar with the Marvel Universe — I live in another universe — but I have watched a number of Marvel films with wonderful actors, apparently having a good time. And I thought, ‘Well, why not me?'”

When it comes to the Red Hulk portion of the performance, Ford thought it was simply not that complicated. He said: “I tried to understand the ambition of the filmmakers, and to be useful to them. I just didn’t sit home at night and say, ‘Oh, what do I want to do when I turn into the Hulk?’ It didn’t seem to me to be a terribly difficult acting proposition.”

Captain America: Brave New World is the next MCU movie coming out, slated to premiere on February 14, 2025. Ford is also expected to appear in the next movie, Thunderbolts on May 2, 2025. In the meantime, you can catch up on the entire MCU on Disney+.

The post Captain America: Brave New World’s Director’s Reaction to Harrison Ford’s Hulk: “Holy F-cking Sh-t” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anthony Mackie’s first solo turn as Sam Wilson will happen when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2025. That’s just around the corner, which is why the Marvel merchandising machine has been heating up in recent weeks with the launch of new Marvel Legends figures and LEGO sets. Now Funko is getting in on the action with a wave of Pop figures that includes Captain America, Red Hulk (Super-Sized), Falcon, and. Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra. It also includes the first official look at Tim Blake Nelson’s The Leader…technically. More on those figures below, but the most exciting new Marvel Funko release today is undoubtedly the glow-in-the-dark ooze Venom, which is available here as an Entertainment Earth exclusive.

Assuming you aren’t put off by the minor spoiler (odds are an upcoming trailer featuring a closer look at The Leader isn’t far off), you can check out pictures of the new Funko Pops below. Pre-orders for the wave are available here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon now. Exclusives in the wave include Captain America (flying) and Thaddeus Ross at the Funko Shop. Target also has a collection of Cap, Falcon, and Red Hulk figures in a Comc Deco.

It looks like the Leader is, well…green. This corroborates Tim Blake Nelson’s “stipulation” with Marvel regarding practical makeup:

“When I was asked to come back and play this character, one of my stipulations was — although, I have to admit, if they’d said no, I still would have done it…but pretending I could have a stipulation was, I begged, could you guys please let me do this practically?” Nelson told ComicBook. “I don’t want to wear dots. I’d like to have the appliance. I wanted to feel the weight of it; I wanted to look in the mirror and see myself that way, and I wanted the actors on set with whom I was interacting to see me that way. It just deepens it.”

What Is Captain America 4 About?

When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land grants and establish their own farms. But after Sam discovers the organization’s dark underbelly, he’ll have to tangle with its head of security: Red Hulk!

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Esposito announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he is playing the Serpent Society villain Sidewinder. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

The post New Marvel Funko Pops: Venom Exclusive and The Leader First Look From Captain America 4 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Sam Wilson and his legacy as Captain America will be explored in a new Marvel series next year. Sam Wilson: Captain America launches in January, just ahead of the release of Captain America: Brave New World. Fans of the comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be pleased to know that several fan-favorite characters will appear across both, most notably Sam Wilson and Red Hulk. But what does it mean for Sam Wilson to be a Black Captain America in today’s political climate? And what happens when there appears to be an injustice taking place, but not everyone sees it as such?

These are the themes writers Evan Narcisse and Greg Pak will explore in Sam Wilson: Captain America. ComicBook spoke to the co-writers ahead of the release of the first issue to find out how their collaboration process works, who some of the special guest stars are that appear in the debut issue, Red Hulk’s inclusion in the series, assembling a Black superhero cookout, and more. We can also exclusively reveal interior art for Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 by Eder Messias, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and Joe Caramagna, and the cover of Issue #2 by Taurin Clarke.

[RELATED: Marvel Reveals New Look at Sam Wilson’s Captain America Showdown With Red Hulk]

ComicBook: When collaborating together on a project like this, I wanted to ask how does a typical workday for both of you go?

Greg Pak: We do a lot of texting and talking to start off with. We’re both good with text. So, we have big phone conversations and then we just send each other texts back and forth when we’re thinking about these stories. And then I guess the way we’ve done it is that once we get our big plot points figured out, then one of us sits down, hammers out an outline, we send it back and forth and refine it and then text each other, “I’m stuck here. What do you think about this?” And the other guy texts back and says, “What about this?” And the first guy says, “Oh my god, that’s amazing.” And then sticks it in. I just love working with Evan and this is the way it should be.

Evan Narcisse: I’d say, when we started out, we obviously got the chance to write this book and it started with Greg reaching out to me and we started out talking about character, who do we understand Sam Wilson to be? What parts of his backstory do we see informing where he is now? That kind of thing. And then theme, right? So who’s he fighting and how does that resonate possibly with the real-world audience? And then we built the story from there, right? When you read the first issue you see that [Dennis] Harmon’s scheme definitely pings on some of the injustices that somebody like Sam would be concerned with. Sam’s a social worker, He’s a Harlemite. He’s obviously a Black man in America. So these are all things that activate him, and ping off of his sense of heroism and how he embodies the Captain America ideal.

So we started with character and theme and then the rest kind of flowed out of it and then there’s stuff historically that we wanted to touch on and put some of that stuff in the backup. But like Greg said we ping back and forth with all this stuff and then we outline and we script separate sequences but then go back and forth. We’re always touching each other’s work. There’s nothing I would say in this series so far that feels like it doesn’t belong to both of us.

Greg Pak: Even just on this last pass we did, I think since the version you read, we tweaked some dialogue. Evan just looked at a couple things and he tweaked it and it just becomes so much better. You know what I mean? And every point we’re finding little ways to refine and it feels really good to have someone, I mean our editors always have our backs, but it feels really great as a writer to have someone who has your back in that way too. Someone who’s going to take whatever you’re doing and just pick it up to the next level, help you make it what it really can be.

Evan Narcisse: I’d agree with that. Greg has touched so much of the Marvel Comics Universe over 20 years of writing. So I know when he wants to have Storm be in part of the sequences, like this is a guy who’s written Storm, who gets her, and most importantly I think, understands what she means as a metaphor and a symbol to the fan base.

So working with Greg Pak means you have access to a deep reservoir of craft knowledge but also execution and history in building a lot of the structures that we’re using in this story.

Greg Pak: Evan and I are both political science majors. I’m doing a story about a person of color who’s Captain America. That’s right up my alley but I’m not Black. I have no business solo writing a story like this. Authenticity is also a trap. The idea that only people from one background can write a thing and it’s not authentic or that it’s automatically authentic if people of a certain background are doing it, or what the hell does authentic mean? So not talking about that, but I’m talking about somebody like Evan, there are nuances that he brings from lived experience. There are nuances I bring from lived experience from being a freaking boy scout. That’s a major part of my identity. Growing up and all that. But it’s just a great combo on every level. The way characters interact with each other, little lines of dialogue, all of that stuff. It’s like having co-writers who have different experiences and broad experiences lets as many different aspects and different deeper nuances as possible.

So, it’s been a massive pleasure and just on a goofy level, Evan’s coming up with loopy sci-fi stuff that I would not have come up with either. And I’m the king of sky-loopy sci-fi stuff, but it’s just a kick. It’s a huge pleasure.

How Red Hulk’s MCU debut plays into Marvel’s Captain America comic

ComicBook: How early on in the process did Red Hulk come up as a character that was going to be inserted in the comic?

Greg Pak: From the very beginning. I mean, we won’t play games, you know what I mean? There’s a movie coming out.

Evan Narcisse: There’s no reason to be coy.

Greg Pak: There’s a movie coming out. And the great thing is that gives us a chance, because, it’s great to have a comic book coming out at the same time as the movie that has some of the same characters. All of that plays on that excitement and feeds off and contributes to it. But the great thing is that we’re not beholden to whatever’s happening in the movie. Neither of us has seen it. You know what I mean? We don’t know anything more about it than you do. So what we’re doing is independent stuff that’s happening in the comics, which is the way it should be, and it’s great. Red Hulk’s in the movie, so that’s a fun character for us to use, but it totally makes sense with everything that’s happening in the story. So it’s one of those things that’s absolutely part of the initial mandate, but it absolutely makes sense and feeds all the themes we’re working on.

Evan Narcisse: I’m a strong believer with him in the fact that the movies should follow the comics and not the other way around. I think there’s a richness and depth of characters and interpretations in the comics that make them, for me, a much richer text. And there’s variations of characters. So if this was 17 years ago, Sam would have still been the Falcon, right?

And the fact that his evolution into being somebody who shares the mantle of Captain America with Steve, that’s all happened in the comics already. That gives us so much more thematic fodder to play with in terms of what he’s been through, and I’ll say the same thing about The Hulk mythos contains so many different characters who’ve hulked out and we’re able to play with some of that in this story in a way that you really can’t in the movies because they’re just starting. They’re just introducing this character, whereas this character has been around in the comics for so long that we can tap into some of the twists and turns that Red Hulk and Sam and some of the other characters in this series have gone through. So, yeah, we’re excited to be adjacent to the movie coming out, but not beholden to it like Greg said.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World – Who Is the Villain?]

Isaiah Bradley’s role in Sam Wilson: Captain America explained

ComicBook: I did enjoy seeing the Black superhero cookout in the first issue. That was a highlight for me. Was that your idea, Evan?

Evan Narcisse: One of the things for me that was important was that Sam is part of a legacy. He has a legacy unto himself, right? Sam Wilson’s been around for 50 years at this point. And he’s obviously Captain America alongside Steve and some of the other patriotically themed heroes in the series.

But one of the things for me was that Sam, really to my reading, and I haven’t read everything, but I couldn’t remember a sequence where Isaiah Bradley, who’s historically such an important figure in the Marvel universe, and Sam ever interacted. Truth is an amazing series and really was one of the foundational stories that made me want to think about Sam as a Black Captain America. He has a predecessor. And when you start thinking about the predecessor, Isaiah’s history within the fictional construct of the Marvel Universe, it’s still something that’s treated as almost a myth. So, I wanted our work on the series to ground and expand on it and see how Truth, and a lot of Sam’s stories especially since becoming Captain America have explored what it means to be patriotic and Black at the same time right in America.

So we’re definitely going to keep on mining that territory, but also we want to show how you always hear from Black culture creators that we’re not a monolith. Let’s put that on the page. So, that’s some of what we’re going to be aiming to do in this series. And, Sam’s cousin Billy is another example of somebody who, we allude to some past military service there, but somebody who doesn’t feel like they’ve gotten what they deserve in life despite having served this country, So, what do you do then if you feel like, I did my duty. I was called upon to serve and I did that and why am I still feeling stuck? Why am I still feeling like I can’t make my life what I want it to be?

And I think whether it’s a character from Billy or Isaiah, look how Isaiah wound up, it’s a great tragedy and the story was meant to be a tragedy but I feel like one of the things I’ve been saying as we’ve been talking about this is that there are cultural histories within the Marvel Universe. People when remember Magneto stormed the UN and all this other stuff. These are effects that if you were picking up a newspaper in the Marvel Universe they’d be talking about it. So, I want to explore how does that history get embedded within the characters who serve throughout these legacies, and we’ll be seeing more of that as the series goes on.

Greg Pak: Yeah, I wanted to riff a bit on what Evan was just saying about no community being a monolith. I’ve always said that diversity within diversity, that’s the real juice, you know what I mean? I remember being on a panel with Steve Orlando years ago and he was talking about writing gay characters and about how exciting it was when he got to write more than one gay character because then he got to write a gay character as a villain. Because you don’t have just one character who has to be a role model somehow and then become boring, so just on a dramatic level, having a variety of people of whatever background means that you just have more room to show a variety of people.

[RELATED: Captain America: Brave New World Trailer Shows Red Hulk Battling Sam Wilson]

And I love the fact that in the Marvel Universe there are a bunch of different patriotic heroes, a bunch of different Black heroes who wear the flag and they are all a little different. They’ve all got a different kind of background and it shows a lot of different attitudes about what people think about the country, what it means to them, what their country’s responsibilities are to them. And we’re exploring that in a way that I think is deep and honest and true. All the shades of gray.

Marvel teases a surprise character for Sam Wilson: Captain America

ComicBook: I will say I did love seeing Patriot back in his suit after he showed up in a Marvel’s Voices one-shot earlier in the year. Will readers get to see more of Patriot and Isaiah as the series goes on?

Greg Pak: Yes. There’s one character who is going to be a big surprise, but who makes total sense to be in there and I’ll say no more. But there’s a giant Issue #2 reveal that for anybody interested, it’s going to hopefully blow your mind.

Evan Narcisse: And I’ll say this much. Even if you guess, there’s still some surprises to be had.

ComicBook: The book comes out a month before the feature film. What do you hope readers take away from your story who may be coming over from the MCU?

Evan Narcisse: There’s a deep history here. That the executions of the characters on screen tell you a story in 90 minutes, two hours, whatever. If you go to the movie and decide, hey, this Sam Wilson guy seems pretty cool or this Red Hulk character is badass. There’s literally tons of material, good material for you to work through.

If you leave a movie theater or go to a comic shop, there’s going to be an embarrassment of riches, and we just hope that our series is one of the pieces of gold that you’ll pick up at a comic shop if you see the movie before that. But yeah, if your introduction to these characters has come through a movie, welcome to the Marvel Comics Universe where they’ve been living and thriving and being more complicated and multifarious for decades. So that’s what I would say. But also I kind of think we’re pushing the envelope in terms of what a story with Sam Wilson can be.

And if we are able to push the boundaries, like Greg said, it’s just because of the momentum that we’ve been able to carry forward from people who preceded us with these characters.

Greg Pak: Eder Messias is doing the interior line art.

Evan Narcisse: Eder Messias drew that Patriot story that you talked about in the Marvel Voices anthology. So, he’s doing the main story for us in this book. And Eder is great because he gets body language, facial expressions, staging, drama, there’s a lot of intensity and kinetic energy on the page in his work. And we’re doubly blessed to have Valentine De Landro on the backup. Just utterly amazing. I got those layouts. I’m like, “Why are these layouts making me tear up? It’s not even full detail. You’re just sketching stuff out.” Hopefully, we’ll get them for a few more pages in some other sequences as the project goes on.

But we’re so happy with what he did on the backup and it’s just beautifully staged and rendered. Can’t say enough about both of the artists we’re lucky to do this with and similarly, huge high five to our colorist Fer Sifuentes-Sujo who’s doing gorgeous, gorgeous work. It’s got an organic real feel and I love it. And lettering we have Joe Caramagna.

Greg Pak: Our editor, Alanna Smith, is fantastic. Just totally gets it, you know what I mean? Having an editor who gets it, knows what you’re going for, and is nudging you in all the right directions is just solid gold every step of the way.

Buy a lot and please do pre-order with your local shop. Get all your friends to pre-order because who knows? If it does extremely well, maybe we’ll be able to do another series or something like that. Money talks. Feel free to do some talking with your wallet.

Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 goes on sale in January 2025.

The post Evan Narcisse and Greg Pak Celebrate the Legacy of Sam Wilson: Captain America appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s Captain America vs. Red Hulk on the cover of an upcoming Marvel comic, just in time for Captain America: Brave New World. The blockbuster film is the fourth in the Captain America franchise, but the first headlined by Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Red Hulk makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Captain America: Brave New World, and coincidentally, will cross paths with the Sentinel of Liberty in a new series titled Sam Wilson: Captain America. While Marvel fans wait for the big showdown between Captain America and Red Hulk on the big screen, the comics are providing a sneak peek.

ComicBook can exclusively reveal the cover of February’s Sam Wilson: Captain America #2, along with a few interior pages for Sam Wilson: Captain America #1. The Issue #2 cover by Taurin Clarke features Red Hulk and Sam Wilson in a battle high above the ground, with Red Hulk delivering a left punch that Sam blocks with his red-white-and-blue shield. The fight will likely occur near one of the floating platforms that Red Hulk is hired as Head of Security for. Sam Wilson: Captain America has Sam investing a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true.

[RELATED: Marvel’s Red Hulk Rampages Into a Solo Series Ahead of MCU Debut]

SAM WILSON, CAPTAIN AMERICA #2 (OF 5)

EVAN NARCISSE & GREK PAK (W) • EDER MESSIAS (A) • Cover by TAURIN CLARKE
VS. RED HULK!
After Eaglestar shows its true colors, Sam tangles with their big, red and furious head of security. But another player is about to enter the fray: Josiah X! He’s got a new mission and a new look – but is he there to help Sam or pursue his own agenda?

Sam Wilson: Captain America is co-written by Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader) and Evan Narcisse (Wakanda), and drawn by artist Eder Messias (Phases of the Moon Knight). Similar to Captain America: Brave New World, the limited series will see Sam Wilson and Red Hulk on opposite sides of this super spy thriller. When Captain America uncovers a nefarious plot parading itself as a new tech venture, he’ll be shocked to find that Red Hulk is running the company’s security.

First look at Sam Wilson: Captain America #1

“Working with Evan on this book has been an absolute dream. We’ve spent hours sharing big ideas, finishing each other’s thoughts, and cackling out loud over the story we’re cooking up. Seeing the pages roll in from Eder has been absolutely mind-blowing,” Pak shared.

“It’s going to be a fun, fast, high-octane adventure that also explores what it means to feel locked out of the American Dream. I feel pretty confident in saying Sam’s never flown through skies like these before,” Narcisse said.

Narcisse also gave his thoughts on the character of Sam Wilson: “One of the great things about Sam Wilson is that he straddles the line between everyman and super hero in classic Marvel fashion. The core of “Better Angels” will explore how he navigates that tension and how he and others have expanded the symbolism of the Captain America legacy in a very different way.”

“We’re pulling out all the stops to tell a story that matters, that goes deep into what it means for a Black social worker from Harlem to pick up the shield – and put on those wings! – while delivering massive action and thrills in the grand tradition of Marvel super spy science fiction,” Pak explained. “I particularly love how grounded the book is with characters like Sam’s fast-talking cousin Billie, my new favorite character ever, while taking to the sky in ways you’ve never seen! And yes, that’s a big tease! Don’t you dare miss it!”

The post Marvel Reveals New Look at Sam Wilson’s Captain America Showdown With Red Hulk appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anthony Mackie is excited for his first solo movie as Sam Wilson, Captain America: Brave New World to differentiate him from Steve Rogers. Wilson spoke to fans at a Disney event in Singapore on Wednesday, and he said that there’s more than Super Soldier Serum separating Sam from Steve. He said: “Sam’s evolution is simple. He’s still a counsellor. He’s still serving soldiers, but at the same time, now he’s a leader of his community in the country.”

Mackie spoke at Disney’s APAC Content Showcase this week – a two-day event where Marvel Studios shared a lot of news about upcoming productions with a global audience. He said that he sees Sam as someone who relies on strategy to make up for his lack of superpower, explaining: “It’s very different with the serum – you can fight anybody. When you don’t have the serum, you have to be smart and engineer different ways of defeating [enemies]. With Sam, him being a counselor, he suses more of his brains than his brawn. He uses more of his wit than his fist. He’s more of a friend to everyone.”

Of course, Sam also relies on some advanced gadgets for his crime-fighting, as he did when he was code-named Falcon. Mackie said: “It’s a high-tech suit. I went to Wakanda, met with everybody in Wakanda, we had dinner. It was a great time. They threw me a welcome party. It was dope. But when I was leaving, they gave me a suit, right? I put it on. I can kick harder, I can fly faster, and it gives me the ability to be more agile in my skills, so it’s taking all my skills to a completely different level.”

The Big Reveal

Still, Mackie’s connection to his predecessor is very strong. He shared a heartwarming story about the day he found out he would be be playing the Captain America for the next few phases of the MCU. He explained that he was actually at Chris Evans’ house watching a football game when Evans decided to show him the last two pages of the script for Avengers: Endgame. They revealed the plan for Cap going forward.

[RELATED: Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained]

“When I read it, we just hugged each other and jumped around in a circle,” Mackie said. It’s been quite a few years since then, but Mackie is finally getting a solo mission on the big screen. Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2025.

The post Captain America Star Anthony Mackie Breaks Down the Biggest Difference Between Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Looks like Hasbro has Captain America on their minds! Two Marvel Legends action figure reissues are set to go up for pre-order: a clean-shaven Captain America in his Avengers: Endgame suit and a Spider-Man: Far From Home masked Spidey in his upgraded suit from the film. Right alongside those is a “new” Marvel Legends Captain America: Brave New World shield replica, which is based on the one used by Sam Wilson in the upcoming MCU movie. These items are set to go up for pre-order tomorrow at 10am PT / 1pm ET, and they are expected to be available here at Entertainment Earth at that time. Check below for updates after the launch.

Marvel Legends Spider-Man: Far From Home Spider-Man Action Figure: This black-and-red Spidey includes an extra set of hands and webbing accessories. See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon

Marvel Legends Captain America Action Figure: This Endgame Captain America includes one of the best Chris Evans face-sculpts around. Also includes an extra pair of hands and the Captain America shield. See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon

Marvel Legends Captain America: Brave New World Shield prop replica: This 1:1 scale prop replica measures 24-inches in diameter and is inspired by the one used by Sam Wilson’s Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World. See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon (Direct links will be added after launch) / UPDATE: The shield has only launched at Hasbro Pulse thus far, though it doesn’t appear to be an exclusive. As you’ll see below, it’s the same as the previously released model.

ORIGINAL: Note that the shield is basically the same as the Marvel Legends shield that Hasbro released for Falcon and Winter Soldier. If that shield works for you, it can still be pre-ordered from Entertainment Earth for $131.99. Keep in mind that the price of the Brave New World prop replica is still unknown, and it could be priced less than the previous version.

To stay up to date with all Marvel news and collectibles, keep an eye on our Gear page!

The post Marvel Legends Captain America 4 Shield and Figure Reissues Are On Sale Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Not only is Red Hulk making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Captain America: Brave New World, but he’s also headlining a new Marvel series timed to the movie’s premiere. Harrison Ford plays General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in the fourth Captain America movie, taking over for the late William Hurt. Fans finally got to see Ford transform into Red Hulk in the latest Captain America: Brave New World trailer, and when the movie premieres in February, Red Hulk will also star in a new Marvel series by writer Benjamin Percy and artist Geoff Shaw, who collaborated on the explosive “Sabretooth War” in Wolverine.

Red Hulk is a tie-in to Marvel’s “One World Under Doom” publishing initiative and finds Red Hulk a prisoner of Doom in Latveria. Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme seeks to exploit Ross for his military expertise. The only way for Ross to escape is to unleash the Red Hulk upon Doom and destroy his kingdom from the inside. Fans looking forward to the story can check out a special prelude by Percy and Shaw later this month in Incredible Hulk #19, the milestone 800th issue of Hulk.

[RELATED: Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained]

“When I learned about the One World Under Doom event, my mind immediately went to Thunderbolt Ross,” Percy explained. “A global takeover would not be tolerated by a man who bleeds red, white, and blue (but especially RED). And his experience — as a soldier in the field, as a military strategist in the war room, as a walking weapon of mass destruction — would make him someone Doom would target well before he made his move.

“So I proposed a story in which Ross would be kidnapped by Doom and forced into a ‘Think Tank’ prison in which he would test out various war-time scenarios. That’s where we begin — in a book that does not give you a second to breathe. It moves and moves and moves with constant action and tension. Geoff Shaw is a brilliant and brutal artist who I worked with on the Wolverine/Ghost Rider crossover: Weapons of Vengeance. We planned this not just as an action showpiece, but as a war book. Get ready for a Hulk-sized assault on the senses.”

“Hulk has always been my favorite Marvel character, so to play in this gamma irradiated sand box has been a dream come true,” Shaw added. “Add Doctor Doom to the mix, arguably the Villain-of-all-villains, and artistically it’s an embarrassment of riches. We’re going to rock your red socks off!”

[RELATED: Sam Wilson and Red Hulk Collide in Captain America Series Ahead of Brave New World]

“In Incredible Hulk #19, we’ll discover Ross has been operating dangerous covert missions across the globe in the name of national security,” says series editor Mark Paniccia. “From this point on, Ben and Geoff bring intrigue and mystery paired with pulse-pounding action and shocking moments never letting their foot off the gas!” 

Red Hulk #1 goes on sale February 26th, with Captain America: Brave New World arriving in theaters a few weeks earlier on February 14th.

The post Marvel’s Red Hulk Rampages Into a Solo Series Ahead of MCU Debut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“Since when were they red?” The new Captain America: Brave New World trailer released at D23 Brazil had fans seeing red when Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer Harrison Ford, replacing the late William Hurt) hulked out, turning the president of the United States into the Red Hulk: Ross’ rampaging, crimson-colored alter ego in the Marvel comics. Footage also showed Sam Wilson’s Captain America (Anthony Mackie) thwarting a coordinated terrorist attack against the new “wartime president,” and glimpses of the two threats trying to clip Cap’s wings: Seth Voelker/Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) and Samuel Sterns/the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), the big-brained scientist last seen in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

Originally contacted by Bruce Banner to cure his anger-induced transformations into the Hulk, Sterns experimented on Banner’s blood in an attempt to cure all diseases. After he was forced to turn the super solider Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) into a hulk-like Abomination, Sterns himself was mutated when an open wound on his head was exposed to Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood. (In an Avengers prequel comic, Natasha Romanoff apprehended Sterns and handed the super-scientist over to S.H.I.E.L.D.) And now it seems Sterns has continued his work to replicate the freak accident that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk.

RELATED: The Ultimate Deadpool & Wolverine Streaming Guide

In the comics, Red Hulk debuted in the pages of Hulk Vol. 2 #1 in 2008. Initially suspected to be Banner’s former psychologist, Dr. Leonard Samson (who once used a device called the Cathexis Ray to endow himself with the Hulk’s gamma ray powers he siphoned from Banner), the true identity of Red Hulk was eventually revealed to be General Thunderbolt Ross on the final page of Hulk #22.

Who Is the Red Hulk?

Years after witnessing the accident that transformed Banner into the Hulk during the first test of the Gamma Bomb, General Ross secretly coveted the Hulk’s power as he hounded the fugitive Banner with the full might of the U.S. military. Ross’ hatred of the Hulk saw him commit treason when he formed an alliance with the mad scientist M.O.D.O.K. to free the Abomination from prison in an attempt to destroy the Hulk (in 1983’s Incredible Hulk #287-#289), and he nearly committed suicide when he was dishonorably discharged.

When Ross died helping the Hulk save his daughter Betty from the mutant Nevermind (in Incredible Hulk #330), the Leader recovered Ross’ body and had him resurrected as a living weapon powerful enough to destroy the Hulk with the Redeemer armor (Incredible Hulk #366). Ross was later revived and reunited with his daughter, but Betty died from a radiation sickness caused by the Abomination (in Incredible Hulk #466).

World War Hulks

It wasn’t until after the Hulk was exiled to the savage alien planet of Sakaar (in the Planet Hulk storyline) and returned to rage war on Earth as the World Breaker (in World War Hulk) that Ross became a Hulk. Following Captain America’s assassination (in the aftermath of Civil War), Ross had become disillusioned with America. The Leader and M.O.D.O.K. — two of the sinister scientific minds behind the Intelligencia — approached Ross and told him they could revive Betty and give him the power to destroy the Hulk.

As it turned out, the satellites that Iron Man used to bombard the Hulk with cosmic energy and end his rampage in World War Hulk had been compromised. Like Samson did years earlier, the Leader and M.O.D.O.K. siphoned off the Hulk’s gamma energy and transferred it to the Cathexis Ray. The Intelligencia then used the Cathexis Ray to transform Ross into the Red Hulk (as revealed in Hulk #23).

Scorched Earth

RELATED: Who Is Sidewinder in the MCU? Giancarlo Esposito’s Captain America Villain, Explained

The Red Hulk’s identity was a mystery when he murdered the Abomination (in Hulk Vol. 2 #1). Then-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Tony Stark deduced that this Hulk was emitting so much gamma radiation he was scorching the Earth beneath his feet, and it was at this time that Banner’s old friend, Rick Jones, was turned into a blue-skinned new Abomination (a.k.a. A-Bomb). “Rulk” knocked out A-Bomb, beat the Hulk, punched out the Watcher, and then took down Thor in space when the Asgardian Avenger tried to stop his rampage.

After the Intelligencia used a combination of gamma and cosmic energy to Hulk-ify the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men — turning Earth’s mightiest heroes into Earth’s mightiest Hulks — it was revealed the Cathexis Ray was also used to create A-Bomb and the Red She-Hulk: a revived Betty Ross.

The Intelligencia betrayed Ross and seized his plan to create an army of hulked-up soldiers. The plan was to overthrow the government and put Ross in charge after a military coup so he could repair and reshape his country torn apart by the death of Steve Rogers (he later returned), so Red Hulk drained the Leader’s gamma-soaked brain and left him “ordinary” (although Sterns, too, would eventually return when Red Hulk assembled a new Thunderbolts team).

In Hulk #24, a fiery Red Hulk fought the Hulk at the White House and absorbed so much of the Hulk’s gamma power that he turned himself into an atomic bomb. But it was a gamma bomb that birthed the Hulk, and the Hulk proved that he’s the strongest one there is when he beat the overheated Ross into surrendering.

Why Is Red Hulk Red?

RELATED: Who Is the Main Villain in Captain America 4?

The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets; but the madder Red Hulk gets, the hotter Red Hulk gets. It’s this red-hot gamma radiation that Ross absorbs and emits as Red Hulk that explains his red skin.

However, unlike the green Hulk, whose strength increases with his rage, the red Hulk builds up energy like a reactor, making him susceptible to overheating. That’s how Hulk was able to beat Red Hulk the first time (in Hulk #6), and it just might be how Cap can defeat this much stronger enemy in Captain America: Brave New World. The 35th MCU movie opens in theaters Feb. 14, 2025.

The post Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Chris Evans has long been an integral part of Marvel movies. Yet, even with his two appearances as Johnny Storm and that character’s hilarious cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s his portrayal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America that truly sent him to the center of the A-list. And that’s as it should be, considering Cap was always going to be positioned as an A-list MCU character. Yet, it probably wouldn’t have been that way were Evans’ performance not so note-perfect and engrossing.

From Captain America: The First Avenger to Avengers: Endgame, Evans’ take on the character was always a highlight. And, while his exit from the cinematic universe felt organic and earned, the larger franchise hasn’t felt the same without him ever since – an issue addressed in the upcoming film Captain America: Brave New World. But, for those who do very much miss Evans and his Cap, there are plenty of movies and standout scenes within them that are worth revisiting. Not to mention, there’s always Evans’ other movies to binge, including his upcoming big-screen team-up with Dwayne Johnson in Red One.

10. “If You Want a Job Done Right…” in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

There are many scenes in Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger that rank high in the pantheon of Chris Evans’ MCU moments. There’s his transformation from scrawny kid to bulked-up man. There’s his losing Bucky Barnes. And there are the scenes that display his courage.

In a way, they’re all tied. His defiant utterance of “I can do this all day” to some ruthless bullies is iconic. His jumping on what he thinks is a live grenade to save his fellow recruits is about as endearing as endearing can get. And, most importantly, there’s his taking it upon himself to go behind enemy lines and rescue the POWs who his commanding officers seem to have deemed a lost cause. But, to Steve Rogers, the cause is not lost, the soldiers are not doomed, and his fight is just beginning. He has this gift of enhanced physicality, and he’s going to use it for good.

9. Losing a Bet in The Avengers (2012)

In the first act of 2012’s box office juggernaut The Avengers, Nick Fury makes Captain America (and, in a way, the audience) a ten-dollar bet. Specifically, he’ll show Cap – who was alive nearly 100 years ago and stopped a red-faced Nazi only to become frozen for decades – something that will surprise even him. And, just as audiences had grown accustomed to big spectacles yet shelled out their ten dollars, Cap did the same after witnessing the gargantuan nature of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.

In a film loaded with quick jokes, including a particularly memorable one involving Galaga, it’s this small moment that reigns supreme. The Avengers had a mighty task to pull off. Even though the majority of its characters had been introduced before, it had to show how they’d interact with one another. Little moments like Cap paying up are what helped it accomplish that task.

8. Loki’s Impression in Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The majority of Evans’ appearances as Captain America were either fronting the film or serving as a major part of an ensemble. Yet, there was the occasional exception. The first of these exceptions was Thor: The Dark World.

After The Avengers, audiences started to wonder when MCU icons would start to pop up in one another’s solo films, and just how that would take shape. Iron Man 3 bypassed this opportunity but the other MCU installment from 2013 did not. In terms of how it took shape: humorously. Having Loki morph into Captain America for a few moments not only showed that he knew enough about Cap to poke fun at him – it also gave Evans an opportunity to riff on his own character.

7. “This isn’t Freedom, This is Fear” in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Evans’ personal favorite Marvel movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is the same for many others. And for good reason, it’s tightly paced, extremely well-written, and introduced one of the overarching universe’s best villains (not that he’d stay that way for long). Yet, while the bone-crunching action sequences are some of the MCU’s best and the inclusion of Robert Redford was certainly notable, it’s the small moments of political commentary that help it cement itself as a top-tier installment.

For instance, upon witnessing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s new fleet of Helicarriers. What was once impressive to Rogers has now become a sign of oppression. What Fury and others at S.H.I.E.L.D. have deemed a measure to ensure freedom, Rogers instead deems as a measure to induce macro-scale fear. Captain America was for the people.

6. Chopping Wood in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

While it’s the least effective of the four Avengers movies that have been released thus far, the somewhat over-hated Avengers: Age of Ultron does have its moments. And some of these seemingly small moments had major repercussions down the line. For instance, there’s Steve Rogers and Tony Stark’s tense discussion at their temporary safe house, AKA Clint Barton’s house.

While chopping wood, the two discuss the ramifications of Stark having built an AI death machine, albeit one that was intended to serve as a protector. Frustrated with the direction of their conversation, Rogers gives up on swinging the axe and instead rips a log in two as if it were paper. It’s both a humorous show of strength and a bit of foreshadowing that, before long, he and Stark are going to be butting heads for real.

5. Cap v. Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Not quite a solo Captain America movie and not quite an Avengers movie, Captain America: Civil War is one of the MCU’s odd ducks. It’s also one of the MCU’s most important entries. Tony Stark’s creation of Ultron may have caused a rift between all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but it was Captain America and Iron Man’s feud that really took center stage.

This became particularly emphasized when it came to the Winter Soldier. Upon learning that it was in fact the brainwashed assassin that killed his parents, Stark’s fight becomes personal. And, in acknowledging that brainwashing element and wanting to defend his friend beneath it, the fight has become personal for Steve Rogers, as well. Their third-act one-on-one (two-on-one, including the Winter Soldier) fight is one of the most intense stretch of minutes in the MCU, one of the few physical conflicts where it feels like an MCU hero is actively trying to kill their opponent.

4. The PSAs in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Like with Thor: The Dark World, Captain America only has a cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming. But also like with the second Thor film, it’s quite the memorable cameo and Evans makes a meal of it. The cameo takes the form of several PSAs, with Cap dressed up in his classic garb, just as he wore in Captain America: The First Avenger.

The humor of the scene is that Peter Parker is watching these health-focused PSAs not long after meeting Cap for the first time. Meeting and fighting, rather, considering the breathing symbol of truth, justice, and the American way is now considered by many to be a war criminal. Which is a fact that Hannibal Buress’ Coach Wilson points out with hilariously deadpan acuity.

3. “I Am Steve Rogers” in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Of the four Avengers movies, there’s only one where Captain America is basically at the sidelines. Specifically, Avengers: Infinity War. And yet he still gets a few small moments to really shine. The first is, fittingly, his first scene in the film. Wanda Maximoff is defending Vision from Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight in a subway station. The roar of a train starts to dominate the soundtrack, but it’s not the speeding locomotive that garners the most attention. It’s the barely seen individual suddenly standing behind it.

It’s a great intro, but there’s a scene later in the movie that gives it a run for its memorability money. Specifically, on Wakanda, Cap is introduced to some of the Guardians of the Galaxy. This includes Groot who, true to form, says “I am Groot.” Not understanding that this is just about the only thing Groot can say, Cap puts his hand to his chest and politely reciprocates with “I am Steve Rogers.”

2. On Your Left in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Sometimes a callback is cheesy. But, in the case of Sam Wilson’s “On your left” line to Cap in Avengers: Endgame, it was enough to get one’s heart swelling and racing with joy. The line was first spoken in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when a single, fairly simple scene firmly established that Wilson and Rogers had a bond, brothers from different times and worlds.

And, at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Rogers lost his brother, just as everyone else across the universe loved individuals they loved. So, when Cap hears Falcon’s voice through his earpiece, it’s the first sign that the universal nightmare is over, that those lost have had their lives restored. And, as seen, Falcon is not the only hero emerging from those whirling portals to stand side-by-side with Captain America in what looked to be his final battle.

“…Assemble.” in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

It took four Avengers movies, but Evans finally got to utter Captain America’s most iconic phrase. It was something fans had been itching for, and Avengers: Endgame‘s big pre-battle moment didn’t disappoint. Seeing all the heroes lined up with him, ready to fight, it was the kind of scene IMAX screens are made for, even more so than big set pieces.

He’s already gone through two and a half hours of fighting with Thanos, his minions, even a past version of himself. So, naturally, Rogers’ is pretty exasperated and exhausted. Yet, through tired huffs, he manages to get the whole group ready to fight, win or lose, live or die (for some, die again), with just two words. They didn’t need to be yelled out; they just needed to be uttered the right way.

You can stream all of Chris Evans’ Captain America appearances on Disney+. Captain America: Brave New World Has A Theatrical Release Date of February 14, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World‘s new trailer has Marvel fans hyped for the film’s release – but they’re also asking one big question that still remains unanswered: who is the villain of this film?

Captain America 4 has certainly made it clear that Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) will have plenty of threats to deal with – from the new Red Hulk to a group of gun-toting black-ops mercenaries led by the mysterious Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito). However, the full trailer for Brave New World has also made it clear that Sam will be contacted by some yet-unseen antagonist, who (as Sam describes in voiceover) has been pulling all the strings. While hardcore MCU fans may already know the answer, mainstream audiences are in for a very big surprise.

Captain America 4: Meet The Leader

The MCU first began with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk back in 2008. The latter film has become something of an odd middle child of the franchise, whose mythology largely fell through the cracks of the franchise that followed. That included the elements that Incredible Hulk set in place for later sequels – including the creation of one of Bruce Banner/Hulk’s greatest enemies: The Leader.

Actor Tim Blake Nelson (O’ Brother Where Art Thou?) appeared in The Incredible Hulk as Samuel Sterns, a cellular biologist who started a secret correspondence with a fugitive Bruce Banner, trying help cure him of his Hulk persona. Bruce gives Sterns a sample of his blood (one of the most dangerous substances on Earth), but Sterns betrays his trust, synthesizing the blood into an entire supply to experiment with. When mercenary Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) coerces Stern into using some of that blood on him, it mutates him into The Abomination. Blonsky destroys Sterns’ lab during his transformation, causing some of the gamma-irradiated blood to spill into a cut on Sterns’ head. Last seen, Sterns’ head was bubbling and mutating – but the question of where he’s been since then is one of the longest-running mysteries of the MCU.

In Marvel Comics, the Leader has the gamma-powered intellect to rival Hulk’s gamma-powered strength. His mind has limitless potential for expansion; complete recall of anything seen or learned; and unparalleled ability for pattern recognition and logical structure. The Leader’s mind evolves to also include telepathic and telekinetic abilities, giving him sway over the average person’s mind through contact, the power to affect memory, create illusions, and even unleash telekinetic blasts.

With that range of abilities, it’s not hard to imagine Captain America: Brave New World refitting The Leader for the MCU by having him operating as a mastermind playing socio-political events on Earth like a chess game. The franchise could go so far as to explain that Sterns was initially overwhelmed by his mutation and massive intellect, before mastering it and putting it into practice during the chaotic post-Blip era.

Based on President Ross’s (Harrison Ford) transformation into Red Hulk, it seems likely that Sterns has made advances with the synthesized Hulk blood he manufactured, and there’s no telling what other technological/biological schemes he has in mind. With game-changing new substances like Adamantium now in play, the Leader could indeed be the catalyst to a Brave New World of the MCU.

Captain America: Brave New World has a theatrical release date of February 14, 2025.

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On Saturday at D23 Expo Brazil, Marvel Studios released a new Captain America: Brave New World trailer. The trailer offers the most extensive look yet at the transformation of President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) into the Red Hulk, including a fight between the Red Hulk and Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). The trailer seemed designed to evoke the feeling of a tense conspiracy thriller, leaning heavily on the moment when a seemingly brainwashed Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) attacks President Ross. The new Captain America: Barve New World trailer also offers fans their best look yet at Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph (codenamed Sabra in the comics), a former Black Widow who has become part of President Ross’s inner circle.

You can watch the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World above. Marvel also released a new poster for the film, an homage to Captain America #230, which can be seen below.

Captain America: Brave New World is Sam Wilson/Anthony Mackie’s first cinematic outing as Captain America, Steve Roger’s successor, since taking over the mantle in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Sam seemed reluctant to step into his mentor’s shoes in that series, but — with some goading from Ross — now appears eager to prove how he operates differently than the most famous bearer of the Captain America mantle.

The Captain America: Brave New World trailer also features footage of a battle taking place around the outstretched arm of Tiamut the Communicator, the emergent Celestial transformed into marble by the Uni-Mind-enhanced Sersi in Marvel’s Eternals movie. The presence of a massive humanoid-alien corpse in Earth’s ocean has long been one of the great, unaddressed, dangling MCU plot threads. It seems like Captain America: Brave New World may finally deal with its implications.

[Related: Captain America: Brave New World Official Photos Revealed]

Next year is shaping up to be a time of transition for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After 2024 featured only one Marvel Studios film, Deadpool & Wolverine — which was as much a celebration of the pre-MCU Marvel movies as anything else — Captain America: Brave New World is the first of three films Marvel has set for 2025. Brave New World and Thunderbolts* seem to lean into the MCU’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier template of political thriller aesthetics with tight but grounded action. Those films will wrap up Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ahead of Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will kick off Phase 6.

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Hasbro’s 1027 event took place recently, and it included details on pre-orders for Marvel Legends figures inspired by the upcoming film Captain America: Brave New World. The lineup include Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Harrison Ford’s General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross aka Red Hulk, and Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres / Falcon. Pre-orders for those figures launched last week, but the Dark Avengers Warbird figure that debuted alongside the Captain America 4 wave is set to launch on November 7th.

Links for the Captain: America: Brave New World Marvel Legends figure pre-orders are available below. Look for the Dark Avengers Warbird figure to arrive starting at 10am PT / 1pm ET on 11/7 here at Entertainment Earth as a Fan Channel exclusive. It is expected to retail for $24.99, though that hasn’t been confirmed. UPDATE: Confirmed! Direct link added.

The Dark Avengers Warbird figure is inspired by the villainous Karla Sofen / Moonstone in her Dark Ms. Marvel costume. The character first appeared in Captain America #192 (1975), first adopting the Warbird moniker in Avengers #1 from 2009.

• Marvel Legends Captain America – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon
• Marvel Legends Red Hulk – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon
• Marvel Legends Falcon – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon

The Captain America and Falcon figures are both deluxe offerings with wing accessories and alternate hands. Red Hulk will include an alternate head and hands, though it seems as though they don’t have the rights to use Harrison Ford’s likeness. Still, we expect that the Red Hulk figure will be the most popular of the wave, so go after it first.

What Is Captain America 4 About?

When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land grants and establish their own farms. But after Sam discovers the organization’s dark underbelly, he’ll have to tangle with its head of security: Red Hulk!

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Esposito announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he is playing the Serpent Society villain Sidewinder. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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The fourth movie in the Captain America series, Captain America: Brave New World, is set to release on February 14, 2025, which is going to arrive faster than you think. LEGO is getting us prepared with the first wave of sets for the film. The lineup include a new Captain America Construction figure, the Captain America vs. Red Hulk Battle set, and two LEGO Brickheadz figures of Captain America & Red Hulk.

You can pre-order the first two sets now via the links below with a release date of December 1st, but you’ll have to wait until that date at 12am ET to place an order for the Brickheadz.

• Captain America Construction Figure (76296): Stands at 11-inches tall and made of 359 pieces, this Construction Figure is also poseable like a regular action figure! / $34.99 / Pre-order here at LEGO.com
• Captain America vs. Red Hulk Battle (76292): This battle set includes multiple mini-figures: Captain America and Falcon (both with opening wings), Red Hulk and Ruth Bat-Seraph. The jet also includes an operable cockpit that fits any of the mini-figures and two stud blasters. 223 pieces. / $54.99 / Pre-order here at LEGO.com
• Captain America & Red Hulk Figures (40668): This Brickheadz set is 202 pieces with each figure measuring about 3-inches. Captain America includes his wings and shield. / $19.99 / Available for pre-order on December 1st at LEGO.com

If you’re a LEGO Marvel fan, then you were probably paying close attention to the new collection of sets for November 2024 that were released today. One of the biggest sets of the year was announced: the X-Mansion. The LEGO Marvel X-Men: The X-Mansion (76294) set features 3,093 pieces, 10 mini-figures, and a buildable Sentinel! It also comes with a LEGO Marvel Cerebro (5009015) set as a gift with purchase while they last, which probably won’t be long. LEGO Insiders can order one here for $329.99 through November 4th when it becomes available to everyone.

Captain America: Brave New World is part of Marvel’s Phase 5, which started way back in February 2023. Now, Phase 5 has almost finished, with only a few more projects needed to round it out.  What If…? season 3 is the next one in line, then Your Favorite Neighborhood Spider-Man, a new animated spidey show airing on Disney+ alongside What If…?. After that it’s Captain America, Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts, and finally, Ironheart. With all of those projects upcoming, we’re excited to see how the rest of Phase 5 will play out. 

Stay up to date with all Marvel collectibles and news by keeping an eye on our Gear page!

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What if I told you there’s a way that Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie can connect the worlds of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and Netflix’s street-level heroes, also known as the DefendersVerse. Marvel Studios has had plenty of success with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with other studios trying to replicate what works. After being in limbo, the list of Marvel heroes on Netflix – Daredevil and Punisher, for example – are being officially integrated into the MCU. Sony Pictures continues to build on its Spider-Man adjacent universe with Venom: The Last Dance, and even Deadpool is a part of the MCU following Deadpool & Wolverine. There is a lot riding on Thunderbolts*, but one thing it has the potential to do is connect all three of these worlds.

Thunderbolts* features a ragtag team of anti-heroes headlined by Yelena Belova and Winter Soldier. Numerous iterations of the Thunderbolts in the comics have operated outside the lines, hardly ever being considered traditional heroes like the Avengers. For example, their roots involve the villainous Baron Zemo gathering a group of bad guys and dressing them up as heroes. One era of Thunderbolts comics may have been overlooked by the general public, but it lays the groundwork for how characters from Thunderbolts*, Venom, and Deadpool could all work together on the big screen.

Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts, explained

Back in 2012, Marvel Comics debuted a new publishing initatived titled Marvel NOW! that saw all of its titles starting over with new #1 issues and creative teams. One of those titles was Thunderbolts by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. Instead of being led by Baron Zemo or Norman Osborn, this Thunderbolts team was brought together by Red Hulk to function as a black ops team in a similar manner as X-Force. Red Hulk pulled out his gamma-radiated rolodex to recruit some heavy-hitters to the Thunderbolts: Deadpool, Punisher, Elektra, and Agent Venom (Flash Thompson).

Deadpool was a veteran of working on different X-Force teams, so he was an easy addition to the Thunderbolts. Venom may be seen as a full-fledged hero right now, but even when Flash Thompson was Agent Venom, the missions he underwent would leave you questioning if you really wanted to root for him. As for Punisher and Elektra, they definitely fell under the “morally grey” category. Under Red Hulk’s leadership, the Thunderbolts hit hard and left bodies in their wake, including Hulk nemesis Leader. Samuel Sterns would eventually join the team as Red Leader, with Ghost Rider also coming onboard before the team disbanded.

Since the Thunderbolts were led by Red Hulk, they took on his crimson color scheme. Deadpool and Elektra already wore red, but Agent Venom and Punisher switched out their white for red, making for a stylish upgrade if we do say so ourselves. As you can imagine, there was some tremendous friction on the Thunderbolts, mostly caused by Red Hulk’s machinations. While a romantic relationship formed between Punisher and Elektra, Punisher ultimately turned on the team when he quit and then was the subject of an assassination attempt that he thought was orchestrated by Red Hulk.

Future Thunderbolts* teams can include Deadpool, Venom, Punisher, and Elektra

If Thunderbolts* is a success, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to see Marvel Studios greenlighting a sequel. Though we may need an answer as to what the asterik in Thunderbolts* stands for first. In any case, we can cross our fingers and hope there’s a way for the superhero universes from Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures to crossover in a legitimate way. This means Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to appear in a movie next to Tom Hardy’s Venom, or for Venom to run into Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. If these types of meetings eventually take place, then we’re one step closer to Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts moving from the comics to the big and small screens.

Just imagine if we got a Thunderbolts movie starring Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Harrison Ford as Red Hulk, Elodie Yung reprising her Daredevil role as Elektra, and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher? A movie sporting this type of A-list talent could help audiences forget about the Avengers. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have other franchises to help grow the MCU, just like the breakout hit that was the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. 

Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, the ball is in your court.

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Captain America: Brave New World is coming up next year and Marvel Comics might have just hinted at a surprising MCU return with their new title. This week, fans got to see Sam Wilson: Captain America, a limited series featuring the talents of Greg Pak, Evan Narcisse and Eder Messias. Interestingly enough, our hero is tangling with Red Hulk, just like in the upcoming movie. But, there’s another sneaky addition that MCU fans might want to keep an eye on. Taurin Clarke’s dynamite cover for Sam Wilson: Captain America also features Eli Bradley’s Patriot as part of the story. Isaiah Bradley has been confirmed to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie, but there’s been no word of his grandson making a return appearance in the franchise. Could this be the first hint at Eli’s role in the film? 

Back in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, audiences were introduced to Isaiah Bradley, the first Captain America. Also included was his grandson Eli, played by Elijah Richardson. The American government experimented on Bradley and used his blood to try and replicate the Super Soldier serum that gave Steve Rogers his powers. It’s clear that Isaiah still has the raw physical power afforded to him by those experiments, as he’s jumping through windows in the Captain America: Brave New World trailer. But, it was never specified if his grandson inherited some of those powers. Could he be another burgeoning superhero in waiting for the MCU?

In Marvel Comics continuity, there’s a long-running story featuring Eli as the hero Patriot fighting alongside the Young Avengers. As the team’s Captain America surrogate, he helps them navigate the early days of their team-up after being trained by Steve Rogers. Of course, the MCU would probably like to streamline his origin as it gets pretty complicated with Patriots powers originating from a superhuman drug and then later replacing those sketchy abilities through a blood transfusion from Isaiah Bradley later on. With so many other young heroes rumbling about the MCU at the moment, it wouldn’t be too strange to see Eli join-up with the rest of the Young Avengers that Kamala Khan is recruiting right now. We’ll have to wait and see.

Young Avengers Slowly Assembling During All Of These Movies

From the early moments of Phase 4, Marvel fans have been expecting the Young Avengers to form. WandaVision featured Scarlet Witch’s kids Billy and Tommy. From there, more young heroes just kept cropping up. Things came to a head in The Marvels when Kamala Khan got a hold of a SWORD information tablet. With access to their database, she could look up any young superhero on-file and find them. She approached Hawkeye Kate Bishop in the movie’s post-credits scene. Iman Vellani joined ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast to talk about Ms. Marvel. She is looking forward to the Young Avengers assembling like the rest of us.

“I just want to see them interact. I think they’ve left so many of the younger character stories open-ended, and to see fans start shipping people together, it would be something like, I want to see Kamala interact with America,” Vellani shared. “I want to see Kamala interact with Patriot, I don’t know. Just all these random people. And so yeah, I think there’s so many different avenues you could take with this.”

 At the time, it was a little bit curious to see the Ms. Marvel actress mention Patriot as he hasn’t been discussed too much by Marvel Studios since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. To be fair to Vellani, she was probably just listing the Young Avengers lineup that fans know from the comics. But, with Cassie Lang, America Chavez, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel and more already teased for whatever Marvel Studios has cooking, there is room for another couple members of the team. (A lot of MCU fans believe we’re about to get another foundational member really soon in Agatha All Along…) At any case, with Marvel doing more cross-comics synergy than ever before, maybe this new Captain America book is a subtle hint.

Do you think Stan is right about Marvel? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

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cThe main characters in Captain America: Brave New World are going to headline a new Marvel series before the film hits theaters next year. Promotion and marketing for the fourth Captain America movie has centered on Sam Wilson, who is taking over the mantle of Cap from Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, aka Red Hulk. With Captain America: Brave New World on the horizon, you just knew that Marvel would release a comic that at least had Sam Wilson’s Cap in it. This appears to be the case, and Red Hulk and other characters from the film will also make appearances.

Marvel announced Sam Wilson: Captain America, a new limited series by co-writers Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader) and Evan Narcisse (Wakanda), and drawn by artist Eder Messias (Phases of the Moon Knight). Similar to Captain America: Brave New World, the limited series will see Sam Wilson and Red Hulk on opposite sides of this super spy thriller. When Captain America uncovers a nefarious plot parading itself as a new tech venture, he’ll be shocked to find that Red Hulk is running the company’s security. The cover by Taurin Clarke reveals other heroes will also take part in the story, including Isaiah Bradley, Patriot (Eli Bradley), War Machine, and Storm.

Sam Wilson: Captain America creators share excitement for Marvel series

“Working with Evan on this book has been an absolute dream. We’ve spent hours sharing big ideas, finishing each other’s thoughts, and cackling out loud over the story we’re cooking up. Seeing the pages roll in from Eder has been absolutely mind-blowing,” Pak shared.

“It’s going to be a fun, fast, high-octane adventure that also explores what it means to feel locked out of the American Dream. I feel pretty confident in saying Sam’s never flown through skies like these before,” Narcisse said.

Narcisse also gave his thoughts on the character of Sam Wilson: “One of the great things about Sam Wilson is that he straddles the line between everyman and super hero in classic Marvel fashion. The core of “Better Angels” will explore how he navigates that tension and how he and others have expanded the symbolism of the Captain America legacy in a very different way.”

“We’re pulling out all the stops to tell a story that matters, that goes deep into what it means for a Black social worker from Harlem to pick up the shield – and put on those wings! – while delivering massive action and thrills in the grand tradition of Marvel super spy science fiction,” Pak explained. “I particularly love how grounded the book is with characters like Sam’s fast-talking cousin Billie, my new favorite character ever, while taking to the sky in ways you’ve never seen! And yes, that’s a big tease! Don’t you dare miss it!”

What is Sam Wilson: Captain America about?

When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land grants and establish their own farms. But after Sam discovers the organization’s dark underbelly, he’ll have to tangle with its head of security: Red Hulk!

Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 goes on sale in January 2025.

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross / Red Hulk, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Esposito announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he is playing the Serpent Society villain Sidewinder. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming next year and some new comments from a Marvel Studios executive should make some fans really excited about the future of the franchise. Asad Ayaz is the chief brand officer for all of Disney now and he joined Fast Company to discuss their whirlwind 2024 projects. During this conversation, the executive looked ahead to 2025 and heralded an accessible slate featuring Captain America: Brave New World, Fantastic Four’s MCU debut and Thunderbolts*. Each one of these has a distinct flavor for the MCU. And, excitingly for some viewers, there’s very minimal preparation to get into the stories and connect with the characters.

“If you’ve seen our first trailer, it’s a very grounded political thriller. It couldn’t be more different [to Deadpool] in every way. When you see our work for Fantastic Four or Thunderbolts, they’re going to feel very unique,” Ayaz explained. “And while, yes, there is a connection between these characters in the same universe, it is creatively very unique, and feels like you could come into any one of these movies.”

Thunderbolts* is still shrouded in mystery and all we know about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that it’s a period piece. (In fact, Marvel’s First Family could originate in another universe entirely.) So, the barrier to entry is very low. You could pretty easily imagine someone walking into Thunderbolts* because Florence Pugh is doing cool stunts and they like David Harbour from Stranger Things. The same might be true for a Fantastic Four viewer as they might remember the 2000s movies and be intrigued by the retro vibes from a trailer. There’s also the goodwill from Deadpool & Wolverine in a lot of Marvel fans’ minds as well.

Marvel Studios Pulls Back & Reloading After 2023

In the year leading up to 2020, Marvel Studios had marching orders to produce a bunch of content to help Disney+ launch. While a lot of fans enjoyed having a new MCU show to obsess over every other month. Some viewers felt like it was too much too fast. (Although a lot of that pushback can be understood as a reaction to other outside factors that are not as easy to get online and marshall anger at.) So, now, the studio has pulled back a bit. There are less movies coming out and less shows. (But, there are still a bunch of excellent animated programs on the horizon.) ComicBook’s Phase Zero asked Marvel TV executive Brad Winderbaum about the much-ballyhooed pivot. He says that the extra time is already paying dividends.

“I mean, frankly, in all honesty, there was a mandate to kind of create as much as we could for Disney+ as quickly as we could,” Winderbaum told us during the Phase Zero podcast. “And then there was a shift. And all of a sudden, we have to start spreading our release dates out. So, that really accounts for a lot of the delays. 

“Now, we’re using that time. We’re not sitting idle. So, it’s like it stays in the oven. You can bake certain things a little more,” he added. “It’s actually, I think, ultimately, it’s only going to make things better. But, most of it is just frankly shrapnel from the business.” 

It’s a moment of frank honesty from someone entrenched in the MCU’s braintrust. But, it’s also a sign that they think the new approach is already doing good things for the brand. If you look at the recent releases, there hasn’t really been anything the audience vehemently disagreed with since Loki Season 2. X-Men ’97 drew universal acclaim, Echo surprised the fans who gave the series a chance, Deadpool & Wolverine proved to be absolutely massive at the box office in their only 2024 outing. So, there’s a lot of positive momentum behind the MCU right now. Agatha All Along just got rolling and should get a bump as Halloween stretches closer and closer.

Do you like that the movies are being billed as more standalone now? Did you want more connection? Check out all the pop culture discussion at @ComicBook!

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The Incredible Hulk star Tim Blake Nelson recently made headlines by revealing how he was “heartbroken when it seemed I wasn’t going to come back as The Leader, but now I’m glad it took 16 years because it’s made the character more interesting.” Years of tangled rights issues with The Hulk franchise kept Marvel Studios from launching the obvious sequel that would’ve brought Nelson’s Leader back for his big debut, stranding his character (and other Incredible Hulk supporting cast) in MCU limbo for years. Now, Tim Blake Nelson is finally making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, where his character, Samuel Sterns, will be revealed as  “The Leader,” one of Marvel’s most nefarious mastermind villains. 

The climax of Incredible Hulk (2008) showed how a sample of Bruce Banner’s gamma-infused blood spilled on Sterns’ head beginning his transformation into a gamma-powered intellect. What Sterns has been up to since then is unknown – and none of the public marketing for Captain America: Brave New World (so far) has provided any insight as to what he looks like now, or what his master plan is for the MCU, and the various factions all vying for power. 

For his part, Nelson has already teased that “The Marvel team has come up with a really interesting explanation—revelation, I should say, as to what he’s been up to for 16 years and why.” Even without knowing the larger plans for The Leader’s MCU arc, it’s already clear that the villain will be putting a well-thought-out plan in motion during Captain America: Brave New World. But to what ultimate end? 

What The Leader’s Role In Captain America: Brave New World Could Mean For the MCU

The details about Captain America 4’s story that we know involve Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) inadvertently helping to kick off a new arms race, when he recovers of the sample of the metal Adamantium from the body of the corpse of the Celestial that died mid-birth in Marvel’s Eternals. As Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross tries to cement his presidency on the foundation of worldly unity and prosperity, an unseen hand begins throwing things into chaos – and that hand most likely belongs to The Leader. 

So far, details of The Leader’s plan arguably include all of the following: 

• Brainwashing former super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumby) into committing an assassination attempt or some kind of disruptive act of terrorism against the government. 
• Injecting President Ross with the gamma-radiation serum that transforms him into Red Hulk. 
• Coordinating with or employing organizations like the Serpent Society to carry out the violent attacks and/or heists associated with his plan. 

That’s a lot of moving pieces – but what’s the end goal? 

What Is The Leader’s Master Plan for the MCU? 

Ever since Captain America 4 was announced, there has been fan speculation that the film will be another game-changing event like Captain America: The Winter Soldier with its reveal of Hydra’s infiltration, and SHIELD’s collapse. This time, however, it’s theorized that The Leader could be trying to formally usher in the era of the “supervillain,” by enhancing or upgrading a targeted list of individuals and/or organizations to help shift the balance of global power. Hence the title of the film. Theories go so far as The Leader creating new gamma and/or super-serum power-players; enhancing the technology of crooks and gangsters to create a new era of street-level supervillains; possibly unleashing some kind of general mutation wave that could ripple into the X-Men franchise’s pond. Given The Leader’s level of intellect, possibly all of the above. 

That’s about all we can glean from speculation at this point; answering what The Leader hopes to gain from this level of scheming and world-shifting is hard to know – especially in the context of an MCU “Multiverse Saga” storyline. There is some evidence that whatever happens in Brave New World leads directly into Thunderbolts; that film’s preview footage has hinted at the group having to pull off a mission at a facility that could be hiding an even greater game-changing superpower coming to the MCU. If that’s also part of The Leader’s larger plan, we could quickly start to see the villain taking up the role of a “big bad,” whose presence touches multiple movie and TV projects. 

Captain America: Brave New World Cast & Crew

Captain America: Brave New World will star Howard Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/ alcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito will play Seth Voelker/Sidewinder recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Tim Blake Nelson will finally return to the role of The Leader in Captain America: Brave New World, more than fifteen years after he originated the part in The Incredible Hulk. Following on the heels of Ang Lee’s eccentric Hulk, The Incredible Hulk sought to bring the character into a more mainstream action role — and also to provide the first building blocks for what would eventually be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) making an appearance in the post-credits sequence. After the modest success of The Incredible Hulk, though, Marvel Studios never returned to the character for another solo outing, and all the teasing they did for the future of Nelson’s role looked likt iw ould never come to pass.

That was a bummer for Nelson, who said he was heartbroken at the time, but that with hindsight (and a chance to continue the role in a radically different Marvel Cinematic Universe), he is glad it happened the way it did.

“I learned from the actress Lois Smith, at a really good time in my career, that for character actors – and I am decidedly a character actor, and proudly a character actor – that it ultimately isn’t about one movie or achieving one particular accomplishment,” Nelson told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s more about the accumulation of characters, what I like to call my rogues gallery of dysfunctional weirdos that I’ve been allowed to play. The movies need those people to make the leading actors look good, and I’m happy to play that role. They’re often the most interesting characters in a movie. Being brought back into the MCU by [Marvel producers] Kevin [Feige] and Nate [Moore] and Kyana [F. Davidson] to be a villain alongside Giancarlo [Esposito] against Anthony Mackie has been a great honor. It’s been a really interesting adventure. I was heartbroken when it seemed I wasn’t going to come back as The Leader, but now I’m glad it took 16 years because it’s made the character more interesting. And I’ve gotten to do a lot of other great stuff during those 16 years that maybe wouldn’t have come my way if I had played the lead villain character in a Hulk sequel two years after Edward Norton’s Hulk. I loved working with Edward and got to direct Edward in a movie right after that [2009’s Leaves of Grass], so not to take a panglossian attitude toward all this, I still do think it all happened in the best possible way, even though there was a lot of despair associated with the intervening years.”

Captain America: Brave New World will star Howard Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/ alcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito will play Seth Voelker/Sidewinder recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Marvel Studios has put forth a lot of renewed effort this year, trying to assure its fanbase (and Disney shareholders) that the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise still has promising years ahead of it. Numerous reports broke alleging widespread trouble behind the scenes of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, while fans and insiders both seemed to agree that the franchise had begun putting out too much quantity, at the high cost of quality. Then there have been real-life events like celebrity scandals (Jonathan Majors) and Hollywood politics (Actors and Writers strikes), which have forced Marvel to make big pivots with production timetables and the overarching story of the current MCU Multiverse Saga.

But now, big changes have been made. Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped back in; the entire content strategy for franchises like the MCU or Star Wars is changing back to ‘quality over quantity’. Marvel Studios has started to have major PR successes with its previews for upcoming 2025 projects like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, or Daredevil: Born Again, but there still so many unanswered questions facing the franchise, moving forward. One of the biggest questions is, without a doubt: Can the MCU Multiverse Saga land this nose-diving plane? 

The End Is Nigh

Let’s take a look at how much runway we have left: 

Phase Five of the MCU will conclude next year, following the releases of Agatha All Along, Captain America: Brave New World, Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts* and Ironheart (in that order). 

Phase Six of the MCU will end the Multiverse Saga, and is currently scheduled to run 2026-2027. Confirmed projects in that phase include Fantastic Four: First Steps and Blade (in 2025); Avengers: Doomsday and the Vision Quest Disney+ series (in 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. 

There is room in that schedule for other projects to be added, like the Wonder Man Disney+ series already in development, or any number of Marvel Special Presentation features. However, there’s not a lot of runway between now (Fall 2024 at the time of writing this) and the summer of 2027, when the Multiverse Saga will end. Given how many characters and storylines will have been introduced in MCU Phases 4 – 6, it feels nearly impossible that this Multiverse Saga can pull off a massive, well-earned climax like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame did; or that the franchise can even find a way to make the Multiverse Saga feel like a tight, interconnected story like the Infinity Saga (mostly) was.

Why The Multiverse Saga Ending Will Be A FAIL

It’s hard to see how the Multiverse Saga can do little more than pull together many of the characters that were introduced in Phases 4 – 6, but that will (in many cases) be only the second (third, tops) time we see those characters operating in the MCU. We haven’t had multiple projects featuring Shang-Chi, Shuri/Black Panther II, or The Eternals; meanwhile, veteran franchises like Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man have seen massive status quo shifts that haven’t been addressed, while the Fantastic Four will be a very new set of characters and mythos in the MCU. 

Equally unsure are the relevance and importance of the Disney+ series and their characters. Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America are obvious sure bets for the climatic Secret Wars event – but Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Hawkeye, and Kate Bishop, She-Hulk, Peggy Carter or even Daredevil are far less certain to make an appearance. Even if they do, again, it will be only the second time dedicated fans see many of those characters onscreen – and it will be a first introduction for all those fans who only watch movies and skip the TV shows. 

…That’s not even counting Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and the work needed to re-introduce the Multiverse Saga’s main antagonist and replace Jonathan Majors’ Kang. 

Can Marvel Studios bring the Multiverse Saga to an end by Summer 2027? Certainly. And frankly, the sooner the franchise moves past this quagmire of character variants and alternate timelines, the better. But the ending is most likely going to feel rushed and the larger interconnect story will likely still look riddled with plot holes, logical inconsistencies, and dangling plot threads for individual franchises that are not sufficiently answered – and a soft reboot into Phase 7 will look more like an escape hatch, rather than another hard-earned win. 

The next MCU release will be the Agatha All Along Disney+ series on September 19th. 

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Thunderbolts* made a brief appearance during Marvel’s 85th anniversary video release yesterday. The entire team was sitting in an elevator waiting for whatever’s on the other side of those doors to complete their mission. However, Sebastian Stan’s long hair is also back and Marvel fans are thrilled about it. Last time we saw Bucky, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, His hair was cropped close as he was helping Sam Wilson adjust to the mantle of Captain America. It’s been a while though, and that means he’s back to the shaggy cut he had while catching Steve Rogers’ shield menacingly.

It’s pretty clear that Stan is thrilled to be back in the Marvel fold and has missed being around the MCU over the last few years. He hasn’t so much as made an appearance in a post-credits scene lately. But, that’s all poised to change when Thunderbolts* hits theaters next year. Stan told Variety that this re-entry is something that he’s been looking forward to for a while.

“I’m excited. I’m going to go back basically in a month or so. I’ve missed it. It’s a great cast,” Stan in a new profile from Variety. “The batting average is so high that it’s difficult to always land everything right away. It’s always been a great experience. With this one in particular, I think there’s a lot of good things.”

Why Is This Movie Called Thunderbolts*?

One of the big questions surrounding Thunderbolts* is: What’s with that asterisk? Well, we’ll get answers closer to the release date of this movie. At CinemaCon this year, MCU architect Kevin Feige couldn’t help teasing it. “Yes, you’ll notice the asterisk on Thunderbolts*,” Feige told he capacity crowd. “That is the official title of Thunderbolts* and we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out.” So, we’re obviously still waiting. A lot of the other Marvel releases surrounding it on the calendar provide some clues.

Back when the Phase 4, 5, and 6 slate were revealed at San Diego Comic-Con years ago, people theorized that Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* will be linked. Well, the next Captain America trailer is out and there’s no direct links. But, there are some other hints. We know Cap 4 involved Tiamut the Celestial and something with the United States government. In addition, we can assume that the same authority sent Bucky and his team into whatever death trap they’re waiting for in that elevator. So, fans have basically accepted that Thunderbolts* might be a stealth Dark Avengers movie.

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie managed to make one fan’s day. On Reddit, user Difficult-Season3600 shared an amazing story of how the Marvel star provided a once-in-a lifetime experience for his nephew. The valet described meeting Anthony Mackie outside of a nightclub in Atlanta. He had immigrated to the United States from Turkey and was feeling a bit lonely. Luckily, the Captain America star was in the mood for a quick conversation. Mackie mentioned that he’d been to Turkey and really enjoyed himself.

When asked for a picture with the fan, Mackie politely declined. But, he made an effort to make it up to this guy. Seeing as how he wanted a picture for his nephew, the Captain America actor resolved to bring him something back. In an awesome moment, about a week later, Mackie showed up at the valet station with a signed photo for the young fan. (Who’s name is Yigit, which means Hero in Turkish.) He would share this on social media because he believed Mackie deserved credit for this act of kindness.

The Redditor wrote, “In these times, when I’m far from my family, home, and friends, trying to build a life in America with dreams and aspirations, he reminded me that life is full of coincidences and surprises. The thoughtfulness and effort he showed… I don’t know what to say. If by any chance he sees this post somewhere… Thank you, Mackie. I have a very rich native language and am fluent in it, but I can’t find the words to express my gratitude and admiration for your humanity.”

Anthony Mackie’s Captain America Steps Up

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with Anthony Mackie’s Avenger assuming the mantle of Captain America. His speech to the elected officials after stopping The Flag Smashers was one of the key moments in the entire series. Variety ended up asking him about Sam Wilson’s monologue and how it speaks to the core themes for his Captain America. At his core, this character is a caretaker of people who cannot fight for themselves.

“This is the moment where he becomes Captain America, so what’s his Captain America going to stand for?” Mackie explained. “Because he was a soldier, he was a caretaker of soldiers, a counselor, he’s not the guy who’s going to bust his way through problems.

“The humanitarian side of him was something that I feel is his superpower, his ability to have empathy and sympathy for those around him is your superpower,” he added. “So that monologue was about him showing that if one of us is mistreated, we’re all to blame. And that’s the overall theme of the the new Captain America, not that not Black Cap, or Cap for the people, he’s Captain America for all.”

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Marvel Studios has officially begun a comeback campaign with Deadpool & Wolverine’s success – but that’s just one step forward. The Marvel Cinematic Universe still has a lot to prove its upcoming TV and movie projects, which currently include the new Disney+ series Agatha All Along this fall, and a packed 2025 slate that includes pivotal releases like Daredevil: Born Again, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps. 

As more information and promotional material for the upcoming MCU slate continues to roll out, we’re getting exciting new details about what these new films and TV shows will be all about. 

See for yourself, below! 

Agatha All Along

Release Date: September 18, 2024

Synopsis: When a new series of tragedies strike the city of Westview, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power when a suspicious goth teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road.

Wandavision writer Jac Schaeffer returns as showrunner for Agatha All Along, with Schaeffer, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum and Mary Livanos serving as executive producers for the series, with Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg, and Gandja Montiero all serving as directors for Agatha All Along. 

The cast of Agatha All Along features Kathryn Hahn returning as Agatha Harkness, leading a cast that includes Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili and Debra Jo Rupp.

Agatha All Along will stream on Disney+. 

Captain America: Brave New World

Release Date: February 14, 2025 

Synopsis: Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident.

The cast of Captain America: Brave New World includes Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, Shira Haas as Sabra, and Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder. 

Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Daredevil: Born Again

Release Date: March 2025

Synopsis: A reboot of the Daredevil Netflix series set within the MCU.

Charlie Cox returns as Matt Murdock / Daredevil and he’ll be joined by Vincent D’Onofrio (Wilson Fisk / Kingpin), Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle / Punisher), Wilson Bethel (Benjamin Poindexter / Bullseye), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Fisk), Margarita Levieva, Michael Gandolfini, Genneya Walton, and Arty Froushan. 

Thunderbolts*

Release Dates: May 2, 2025

Synopsis: A Group of antiheroes goes on missions for the American government – so far, that’s the only official synopsis for Thunderbolts*, but teasers have hinted at the team going on a mission involving The Sentry (Lewis Pullman), one of Marvel’s most powerful (and dangerous) characters. 

Jake Schreier (Paper Towns, Beef) is directing Thunderbolts* from a script by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow), Lee Sung Jin (Beef), and Joanna Calo (Bojack Horseman). Harbour is joined in the film by Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr / Ghost), Wyatt Russell (John Walker / US Agent), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster), Lewis Pullman (Bob), Gerladine Viswanathan (Mel).

Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release Date: July 25, 2025

Synopsis: This MCU reboot of The Fantastic Four is set in an alternate timeline where the world has developed into a retro-futuristic vision. A family/team of scientists ends up getting transformed by cosmic forces and must use their powers and smarts to defend Earth against a world-consuming entity (Galactus). 

Fantastic Four: First Steps will star Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman; Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) as Ben Grimm/The Thing; and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Julia Garner will appear in the film as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer, with Ralph Ineson as Galactus. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne will appear in as-yet-unannounced roles. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the movie.

Ironheart

Release Date: 2025 (TBD) 

Synopsis: In Ironheart, the teenage super-genius who created the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man “returns from MIT to her hometown of Chicago and begins to unravel threads that bring danger and adventure right to her doorstep.”

Dominique Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams, after first appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart will also star  Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) as Parker Robbins, a.k.a. the mystical misfit known as The Hood. Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) will play Joe McGillicuddy, a (supposedly) new character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, serves as executive producer on the series via his Proximity Media banner. Chinaka Hodge, a writer on TNT’s Snowpiercer and Netflix’s The Midnight Club, is Ironheart’s head writer and series creator. The show is based on the Marvel Comics character created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato.

Avengers: Doomsday

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Synopsis: Avengers: Doomsday will be the beginning of the end for the Marvel Multiverse Saga, and will feature Robert Downey Jr.’s return, as the titular Doctor Doom. 

Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo will also be returning to direct Doomsday, from a script by Michael Waldron (Loki) and Stephen McFeely (Endgame). No word yet on which MCU characters and actors will be featured in the film. 

Avengers: Secret Wars

Release Date: May 7, 2027

Synopsis: The culminating event of the MCU Multiverse Saga, based on the comic book storylines that saw different Marvel realties pulled together for a massive battle royale. 

No word yet on the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars. Like Avengers: Doomsday it will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, from a script by Michael Waldron (Loki) and Stephen McFeely (Endgame)

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Marvel fans now have an official look at what Harrison Ford’s transformation into the massive Red Hulk will look like in Captain America: Brave New World. The upcoming fourth film in the Captain America film series will have Anthony Mackie in the starring role as Sam Wilson / Captain America. Harrison Ford joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who fans of the comics know as Red Hulk. Trailers for Captain America: Brave New World gave a tease of Red Hulk, but a new video celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary features the character in all his red glory.

The final moments of the “Celebrating 85 Years of Marvel” video features Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross, who is President of the United States in the MCU, in front of a podium on the White House lawn. We then see him slowly turning into the Red Hulk, as his size begins to hover over the podium. The CGI appears to be the same used for Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, with Harrison Ford’s face perfectly crafted on the CGI Red Hulk. Once his transformation is complete, Red Hulk lets out a familiar Hulk roar as the video concludes.

Harrison Ford reveals why he joined MCU

Harrison Ford was recently a guest on The Official Marvel Podcast, where he discussed his reasoning for joining the MCU. According to Ford, it had to do with other actors speaking positively about their experiences with Marvel Studios. While Ford is a veteran of big time franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones, he is making sure to enjoy himself while joining the MCU full-time. 

“I had watched other actors, brilliant actors have a wonderful time,” Ford began. “I’m not a brilliant actor, but I thought I might have a good time. I’m delighted by what we’ve done. The movie’s gonna… kick a**. 

Giancarlo Esposito is playing Sidewinder in Brave New World as well, and is also excited about taking on this new role. “To do something new,” Esposito responded when asked about his reasons for joining the MCU. “To take a character that’s iconic from the comics and create something new is always special to me.

Who is in Captain America: Brave New World?

Captain America: Brave New World will also star Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in currently-unknown roles, with Esposito recently being added to the film in reshoots. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025.

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Some of Marvel Studio’s upcoming projects are the focus of a new trailer celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary. For fans in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con and Disney’s D23, much of the footage from projects such as Thunderbolts*, Captain America: Brave New World, and Daredevil: Born Again won’t be new to them. However, if you weren’t at these fan events, then you’ll be pleased to get a better look at what Marvel Studios has lined up for 2025 and beyond. There’s renewed anticipation for Marvel’s upcoming slate, especially after the announcements of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and the retitled Avengers: Doomsday. Now, let’s take a look at what else is to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Footage from the Marvel video hosted by Entertainment Weekly features the first official looks at footage from Thunderbolts*, as well as Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk from Captain America: Brave New World. Also, Charlie Cox is back as the defender of Hell’s Kitchen in Daredevil: Born Again. Ironheart, the upcoming series for Disney+ that brings Dominique Thorne back as Riri Williams, can also be seen, along with the next Disney+ series Agatha All Along.

Thunderbolts* trailer description from SDCC

ComicBook’s Phase Zero podcast was in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con, and has your breakdown of the Thunderbolts* footage that was shown. You can read a description of the footage below:

Yelena knocks on Alexei’s door. He is slobbing it up on the couch and tries to spruce up the place and himself before opening the door but it’s still very, very messy. He claims to be taking steps with a lot of work and being fulfilled, clearly lying. He asks what brings her here. “There is something wrong with me,” she said. 

Bucky enters a courtroom. US Agent looks at news articles about himsel. Yelena has a hallway fight reminiscent of Black Widow’s in Iron Man 2. She investigates a room, finds charts, and gets shot at by US Agent. Ghost comes to her aid while another enemy helps US Agent. “Bob” enters the room wearing a hospital gown. The room locks down its doors. 

Yelena explains she is a contract killer and has surmised that someone wants all of them dead. The room turns into a furnace. At a part with Loki’s scepter in a glass case, Bucky is not happy to see Valentina. He puts on his Vibranium arm.

Music makes the whole movie feel a bit delirious. Dark color tones make the movie feel gritty. There is a scene in what might be Avengers Tower.

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie had to admit that Tom Holland was right recently. On Instagram, the Sam Wilson actor reflected on a busy San Diego Comic-Con where the trailer for his new movie played in front of a packed Hall H audience. Looking up at his own face with his co-stars really put things in perspective for Mackie. He credits Tom Holland’s previous joking about having your own movie being an entirely different experience for the epiphany. So, Captain America: Brave New World draws even closer as this “feud” intensifies.

“I had to take time and let the scope of what happened sink in,” Mackie posted. “You were right @tomholland2013, it is different when you go with your own movie! #bravenewworld @isaia @marvelstudios @comic_con.”

This playful rivalry actually goes back ages. In 2018, Holland joked that Mackie didn’t have his own movie during a convention panel and it just spiraled out from there. It’s become a great back-and-forth between the two Avengers. Mackie got a great score on Spider-Man’s ride at Avengers Campus and bragged about it to Holland. Then, he had to joke about the situation in an interview with ComicBookMovie.

“Listen, I love Anthony Mackie. If there’s a Spider-Man/Captain America team-up down the line, then we should absolutely make that happen,” Holland smirked. “You know, he can brag about beating me on my own ride – which I haven’t actually ridden yet – but until he’s got his own ride, he’s got nothing. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

How Does Captain America 4 Move This World Forward?

Marvel and the new Captain America haven’t been shy about hyping Anthony Mackie’s next MCU appearance. When the first teasers for Captain America: Brave New World began making the rounds, the actor talked to Entertainment Weekly about how this movie serves as a new launching pad for the MCU’s storylines on Earth. Yes, fans are still barreling towards Avengers: Secret Wars and all that Multiverse drama. But, something big is brewing on the homefront as well.

“This movie is a clear reset. It really reestablishes the idea of what this universe is and what this universe is going to be,” Mackie mused. “I think with these movies, you’re getting a clear, new branding of what Marvel is headed towards the same way they did with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

“The title implies that there’s a new, bigger enemy now; there’s a new frontier that we have to conquer,” Mackie continued. “From Captain America: The First Avenger to Endgame, the enemy was always good versus bad. Now that we’ve conquered that, where do we go from here? When the bad guys reappear, in what form are they reappearing? It is a new storyline with new characters, with new beliefs, and it creates a new idea of this new world that we’re going into.”

Would you like to see Spider-Man and Captain America crossover before the next Avengers movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World Star Harrison Ford explained why he decided to join the Marvel Studios movie. The Official Marvel Podcast got a second with the actor after a big weekend at D23. Ford’s biggest reason for joining up was the experience other established actors had in this massive franchise. The Indiana Jones star tried to play it humble and say that even though he wasn’t a brilliant actor, he could have a good time in the MCU. His role in Captain America: Brave New World is poised to be one of the biggest entries for this franchise in a long time. In that regard, he’ll fit right in.

“I had watched other actors, brilliant actors have a wonderful time,” Ford began. “I’m not a brilliant actor, but I thought I might have a good time. I’m delighted by what we’ve done. The movie’s gonna… kick a**. 

Amazingly, our prospective Red Hulk isn’t the only high-profile debut in the oncoming Captain America movie. Giancarlo Esposito is playing Sidewinder in Brave New World as well. He’s excited to begin his journey as well! “To do something new,” Esposito responded when asked about his reasons for joining the MCU. “To take a character that’s iconic from the comics and create something new is always special to me. 

Ford Continues A Legendary Career

Despite all that modesty, it’s been a busy few weeks for Harrison Ford. In the midst of trotting out Captain America: Brave New World at Disney’s D23 fan event, he also got a massive honor from the company. Ford joined the ranks of other Disney Legends in the 2024 class during that weekend. In fact, his new friend Anthony Mackie was the one to introduce him in front of the packed crowd on Sunday. The 82-year-old is pretty much seen and done everything, but he did seem a bit moved by all the love.

“Dear Harrison Ford, I started my career with you in a small role in a very large movie,” Mackie told his co-star. “And now, I have the opportunity to sit on set with you every day, as not only my mentor, but my co-star. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to have you teach me every day. And show me what it meant to be a leading man. Even though it was my movie, you told me what it meant to carry a crew, to carry a cast, and to be the lead. I thank you for that.”

“The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor our company bestows,” Disney CEO Bob Iger told the ecstatic audience. “It’s presented as a celebration of talent, a recognition of achievement, and, above all, a sincere expression of our deep gratitude. Disney Legends are bound by the special place they have earned in our history for their tremendous contributions in service of entertaining and delighting fans around the globe.”

How do you feel about the Red Hulk? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World’s villain is already being teased by Tim Blake Nelson. Coming out of San Diego Comic-Con, The Official Marvel Podcast asked the actor about what was coming up for The Leader. Nelson quipped that he’s been on ice for about 16 years since The Incredible Hulk. Captain America: Brave New World is actually going to take us into that big green brain. Nelson began, “I always like the challenge of presenting a villain’s point of view. He’s been on ice, shall we say, for about 16 years. But, he comes back with a vengeance.” So, there have been some machinations behind the scenes while our favorite Avengers have been saving the world from a variety of threats.

A lot of Marvel fans are going to get stuck on that “been on ice” comment before anything else. The MCU itself has a bit of a preoccupation with some of the characters becoming stuck in cryogenic stasis. Notably Captain America, but also The Winter Soldier, and probably a couple more. Could that present the way that Marvel Studios will explain The Leader’s extended absence since The Incredible Hulk? Possibly! But, it is much more likely that Samuel Stearns has been lurking in the shadows this entire time. The villain has probably been waiting for the moment that the universe is the most vulnerable to enact some master plan that puts all of the heroes on notice. For now, we have to wait.

The Leader Has Been Busy

There are a ton of dramatic Marvel returns in Captain America: Brave New World. But, the biggest one, arguably, is The Leader. While Nelson was teasing the reason for his extended absence up above, the actor has also been open about wanting the MCU villain to be as practical as possible in the upcoming movie. Talking to ComicBook at San Diego Comic-Con, Nelson said that keeping things grounded was his biggest ask in order to return. After all, The Incredible Hulk only teased his final form and its a bit of an open slate. Early teases have been promising, but the star thinks comics fans will be happy with what Marvel came up with.

“When I was asked to come back and play this character, one of my stipulations was — although, I have to admit, if they’d said no, I still would have done it…but pretending I could have a stipulation was, I begged, could you guys please let me do this practically?” Nelson told ComicBook. “I don’t want to wear dots. I’d like to have the appliance. I wanted to feel the weight of it; I wanted to look in the mirror and see myself that way, and I wanted the actors on set with whom I was interacting to see me that way. It just deepens it.”

What do you think The Leader has been up to? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie previewed what Sam Wilson’s been up to since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This week on The Official Marvel Podcast, the new Captain America took a second to talk after those big San Diego Comic-Con reveals. Mackie addressed the upcoming return of Sam Wilson and found time to take a shot at Tom Holland again. Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t hit theaters until early next year. But, Marvel is doing its best to get both Mackie and Harrison Ford out there to tease the incoming tussle between the MCU hero and a Red Hulk. Luckily for Sam, he’s got at least some backup in the form of a new Falcon. Check out what he had to say right here.

“Well, he’s Cap. Finally,” Mackie laughed. “Now we see him running missions on his own and trying to figure out where he fits into the whole world. This is way better than any of Tom Holland’s movies. And, I have Harrison Ford!”

Mackie had some nice words to say about his Falcon and the Winter Soldier ally Danny Ramirez returning as Joaquin Torrez. He teased the new Falcon, “The stuff that he’s doing with his character and what he brings. The flavor, the beauty, the joy he brings to that character. I feel like it brings a whole new energy to the Marvel Universe.” In addition, Ramirez is hyped to put those wings on. “It’s a beautiful generational baton passing… To put that on and to feel how I felt. To have to do some stuff and feel, ‘Oh, this is the movie we’re making.’ I was finally able to see what it was like for Anthony [Mackie] to put on the suit.”

Harrison Ford Is Thunderbolt Ross

But, of course, we have to talk about Harrison Ford becoming President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Yes, Captain America: Brave New World brings the Star Wars legend into the MCU. During San Diego Comic-Con, Ford said that he was happy to be stepping into the role. He’s gained an appreciation for these actors and a really fun chemistry with Mackie in particular. It’s a fun-loving side of his public persona that has delighted social media in a lot of ways. Ford is absolutely crushing the early days and everyone is excited to see Red Hulk tangle with Captain America.

“This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill, who played the character previously,” Ford previously explained. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action… I’m very proud to be in this film. I think it has turned out to be fantastic,

How do you think Captain America will fit with the MCU’s future? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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Captain America: Brave New World star Tim Blake Nelson says that the Marvel sequel could end up being like one of Wolverine’s best movies. Variety spoke to the actor recently ahead of his big MCU return. He plays Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, in Anthony Mackie’s big big screen debut as Captain America. This summer, James Mangold’s Logan has been the talk of the town, as it features heavily in Deadpool & Wolverine. That grounded movie feel is something that film fans have said they want on social media. Nelson argues that Captain America: Brave New World is about to give those MCU die-hards something that they’ve been missing for a while now.

“Marvel is an unheard of phenomenon in the movie industry. Kevin Feige and his studio created dozens of connected movies that exist in one Cinematic Universe, to use their term. There’s no comparable achievement. So no –  I don’t think it’s over,” Nelson argued. He would also go on to mention that Captain America’s trilogy of movies are among the “most grounded” of the MCU franchises. Then, the Samuel Sterns actor brought up Logan and it’s popular place as a comic book movie high-point. “This is going to be a wonderful movie,” he argued.

“I deeply, deeply grieved over the prospect of not being able to come back into the MCU. all I wanted to do, as an actor, was to figure out what happens to this guy. 18 years later I got to do it and I wasn’t disappointed,” Nelson added. ” It was a great challenge and I was guided beautifully by Julius Onah, who’s an indie director. These are real directors who want to work with real actors and give them opportunities to play outlandish characters. Marvel supports that.”

Some New Faces In Captain America: Brave New World

A whole bunch of big names have come aboard Captain America: Brave New World. Harrison Ford is the largest among them. (Possibly in a literal sense with the actor transforming into the Red Hulk. Variety spoke to the Thunderbolt Ross actor at San Diego Comic Con, and they were wondering what it would take for him to get into the spirit of being a Red Hulk. As always, the ever entertaining for had an answer that took the Internet by storm. Sometimes, you gotta Hulk out like no one’s watching.

“What did it take? it took not caring. it took being an idiot for money, which I’ve done before,” Ford quipped. “I don’t mean to disparage it. I’m just saying you have to do certain things that  normally Your mother would not want you to do –  or your acting coach, if you had one. But it’s fun, and I enjoyed it. I had a great time and I’m delighted at the response that we got with the trailer.”

Do you think Captain America 4 could end up being a top-tier comic book movie? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

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We’re in the Endgame now. By that, we mean the end of the major conventions of the year, where juggernauts of the industry like Disney (Marvel) debut some of their coolest stuff to come. Fresh off SDCC, we have another event in D23. So far, the information filtering out is just starting to shake the market, with the full effects playing out this week. Next week’s list will show the full impact of Disney and Marvel’s big day, but until then, check out what’s shaking the market on this week’s Top Ten!

Want to know what comic books are trending each week and why? COVRPRICE.COM uses live sales analytics to identify and compile the most robust market price guide, highlighting the weekly top trending comics. No opinions. Just data. Each week, they present a newly updated list of the TOP 10 COMICS trending in the aftermarket. These trends are due to rumors, fan-favorite covers, story-driven content, and content-related news.

Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value for the Week of 08/12/24

1: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 – JIM LEE – HIDDEN GEM (1:50) | MARVEL | AUGUST 2024 : New X-Men run, new X-Men! That’s right; we have a new team of sorts in the Outliers, consisting of teenage mutants Deathdream, Ransom, Jitter, and Calico. Led by Rogue, this variant cover from Jim Lee is quite fitting! The fandom loves Lee’s work, especially thanks to the nostalgia factor from his fantastic work on the 90’s X-Men run. When he delivers a rendition of Rogue like this, fans line up in a hurry to secure a copy! We tracked it at a high sale of $133 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $83.

2: THE UNCANNY X-MEN VOL.1 #251 | MARVEL | NOVEMBER 1989 : *POTENTIAL SPOILERS* : If you know, you know. Of course, this classic Mark Silvestri cover was brought back to the forefront thanks to that scene in Deadpool and Wolverine. Despite the push that brought on, this book was heating up for weeks before it was released. Part of that was the rumors swirling regarding its association with the film, but the flip side was the sheer mass of people discovering it for the first time. It has a “got to have it” effect on fans, as it’s just that good! We tracked it at a high sale of $314 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current FN raw of $35.

3: THE POWER FANTASY #1 – CASPAR WIJNGAARD – CHASE | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : It wasn’t long before word got out about this highly anticipated new series receiving a Chase variant. Chase variants typically urge collectors to “chase” after a rarer version of the original release. Think of it as a ratio variant without the ratio. Most are familiar with Funko, who creates a line of Spider-Man Funko pops that all look similar. However, they quietly release a variant or chase version that may have a different coloring, an extra accessory, pose, or something to differentiate it from the original or normal version. Naturally, being a “rarer” version causes those on the hunt for it to either pay up to secure it or keep on hunting even harder. In comics, it’s not a regular occurrence, so when word began to spread, fans took notice and kept their eyes peeled. Some who succeeded at finding a copy were quick to list it online, causing an aftermarket surge and letting those who missed out get a shot. We tracked it at a high sale of $30 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $16. 

4: HULK #1 – ED MCGUINNESS – REGULAR | MARVEL | MARCH 2008 : We got our first hint of Red Hulk a few weeks ago when the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World finally dropped. Well, those who attended D23 got another sneak peek at Red Hulk in action. The videos quickly leaked online, and for those who saw them before, they were scrubbed from the internet and online was awash with conversation. If the market is any indication, it’s good conversation, as the first appearance of Red Hulk has been changing hands in droves. We tracked it at a high sale of $305 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $90. 

5: THE AVENGERS VOL.1 #25 | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 1966 : We don’t know what capacity Robert Downey Jr. will be in the Doom role he was recently announced to be playing. There are just too many variables that make it difficult to predict. But, some information has helped fans formulate strong opinions. One is that the Russo brothers will be returning to direct future Avengers films. Considering they directed the highest-grossing and most beloved Avengers films to date, it makes some believe we have an Avengers VS Doom battle in store. That may come to pass, or it may not, but that hasn’t stopped fans from securing the first battle between the two entities in comics. And for a 12-cent early Avengers book, pricing isn’t half bad! We tracked it at a high sale of $796 for a CGC 8.5 copy and a current VG raw of $85.

6: DEADPOOL #31 | MARVEL | JULY 2014 : Ellie Camacho isn’t a household name, but she’s getting there. As the daughter of Deadpool, she has big shoes to fill. She will be getting her chance in October when she is set to become the new Deadpool in issue #7. As the product of a one-night stand, which was later abandoned by the goofball Wade Wilson, there are bound to be some major moments coming up for the character. With her new role on the horizon, fans were quick to secure her first appearance. We tracked it at a high sale of $160 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current NM raw of $23.

7: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS VOL.1 #10 – DIRECT | MARVEL | FEBRUARY 1985 : Doom. Doom. Doom. We can hardly escape the iconic villain, but that’s the point. Doom plays heavily into future Disney/Marvel plans, considering the fact the actor they attached to the character is Robert Downey Jr. His iconic covers have been on a tear, and this book is no different. One of Dr. Doom’s most iconic covers hails from Mike Zeck and has been a fan favorite for years. However, some who attended D23 believe that the plan Marvel is enacting may involve Doom, Battleworld, and the Future Foundation. Things will be clarified over time as more information is released. But, the current unsubstantiated “evidence” is starting to narrow the path for collectors in a big way. We tracked it at a high sale of $275 for a CGC 9.8 copy and a current VF raw of $26. 

8: IRON MAN VOL. 2 #11 | Marvel | September 1997 : A classic cover from Whilce Portacio put this book on the map recently. Thanks to the events at Hall H, Dr. Doom/Iron Man covers have been on fire. Outside of that, this book has a ton going on within! It’s a ton of timey wimey wibbly wobbly stuff, but it has Iron Man and Dr. Doom working together before finding all new respect for each other. Still, it’s a cheap 90’s book that’s plentiful and scratching the itch for collectors until more information is known. We tracked it at a high sale of $25 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $3.

9: THE POWER FANTASY #1 – CASPAR WIJNGAARD – THANK YOU | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : Thank You variants have seen an uptick in frequency in the past few years, typically enjoying a healthy aftermarket when they do drop. The hype for the series was already building before it was released. Some fans were after the “chase” variant, while others were in search of this one. It quickly separated itself from the rest of the pack as the variant to secure! We tracked it at a high sale of $118 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $86.

10: TRANSFORMERS #11 – JAMES HARREN – THANK YOU | IMAGE | AUGUST 2024 : This book hasn’t even dropped yet but is already experiencing some heat! It’s a major Transformers issue that already has tons of fans interested. Then, Image delivered a “Thank You” variant from the incredible James Harren cover, swiping (or homaging) his amazing work on Ultramega #1. On top of that, Ultramega is returning later this year, which fans have been dying for. This book scratches all the itches but will be difficult to find with a substantial price tag. Good luck, collectors! We tracked it at a high sale of $130 for an NM copy and a current NM raw of $93.

The post Top 10 Comic Books Rising in Value in the Last Week Include Deadpool, Secret Wars, and The Power Fantasy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Anthony Mackie is saluting his Captain America: Brave New World co-star Harrison Ford. The iconic Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor — who makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a.k.a. Red Hulk, in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie — was inducted into the 2024 class of Disney Legends at the D23 fan event over the weekend. Ford, 82, was among 14 honorees recognized during Sunday’s ceremony, which celebrates artists and visionaries who have significantly contributed to the company’s 101-year legacy.

“The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor our company bestows,” Disney CEO BobIger said. “It’s presented as a celebration of talent, a recognition ofachievement, and, above all, a sincere expression of our deep gratitude.Disney Legends are bound by the special place they have earned in ourhistory for their tremendous contributions in service of entertainingand delighting fans around the globe.”

Calling the Indiana Jones and Han Solo actor “the definition of a leading man, who stands alone in a category all his own,” Iger introduced a star-studded tribute video honoring Ford with appearances by Mackie alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Indiana Jones series director Steven Spielberg and producer Frank Marshall, Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s Karen Allen, Temple of Doom‘s Ke Huy Quan, Dial of Destiny’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, The Force Awakens co-stars Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley, and fellow Disney Legend George Lucas.

“I started my career with you in a small role in a very large movie,” Mackie, referring to 2003’s Hollywood Homicide, says in a segment of the video posted online. “And now I have the opportunity to sit on set with you every day — as not only my mentor, but my co-star. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to have you teach me every day, and show me what it meant to be a leading man. Even though it was my movie.”

“You taught me what it meant to carry a crew, to carry a cast, and to be the lead,” Mackie continued. “I thank you for that.”

When accepting the award, an emotional Ford said he’s “so very grateful” to be part of the 37-year tradition naming him a Disney Legend.

“I love the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Nobody does anything in this business alone,” Ford said. “We work in collaboration, no matter who we are or what we’re doing. We’re working on an idea. I have the privilege of being a storyteller — an assisted storyteller. I have my part of the story to tell. But so does everyone else.”

“The stories are for you, about you, about us. Our common humanity,” Ford continued. “And to be able to work in that area is a privilege. We have a bond between us that’s based on the quality of the product, and Disney produces great product.”  As part of Disney’s Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Marvel franchises, Ford added he’s “very honored” to be in the company of the 2024 class of Disney Legends.

Among this year’s honorees are Oscar-nominated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actress Angela Bassett, Avatar filmmaker James Cameron, The Simpsons series co-creator James L. Brooks, Star Wars and Muppets puppeteer Frank Oz, and Indiana Jones and Star Wars composer John Williams. Marvel artist Steve Ditko, who co-created Spider-Man and Doctor Strange with Stan Lee, was recognized posthumously.

The 2024 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony is available to stream now on Disney+. Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World — starring Mackie and Ford with Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with GiancarloEsposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson — opens in theaters February 14th, 2025.

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Captain America: Brave New World made a big impact at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, and there was certainly a spotlight on Harrison Ford and his role in the film. Ford will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the new Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (replacing the late William Hurt), and the character will be getting a pivotal new transformation into the Red Hulk. 

Ford generated headlines during SDCC 2024 when he gave the crowd his best “Hulk-Out” while on stage in Hall H during Marvel’s Captain America 4 panel. The footage shown at the panel also revealed a full look at Red Hulk, which got mixed reactions from fans when it came to the look of the facial-capture design that puts Ford’s face on Red Hulk. 

In an interview with Variety at Comic-Con, Ford (jokingly) explained what it took to get him to do the motion-capture performance to create Red Hulk: “What did it take? It took not caring. It took being an idiot for money, which I’ve done before.”

The actor was conscious of how those comments could be taken, because he quickly added that, “I don’t mean to disparage it. I’m just saying you have to do certain things that normally your mother would not want you to do — or your acting coach, if you had one. But it’s fun, and I enjoyed it. I had a great time, and I’m delighted at the response that we got with the trailer.”

During the Hall H panel, Ford was unabashedly happy with his choice to do Captain America: Brave New World – no matter how silly the process may have been: 

“This is a character that’s based on a lot of history developed with Bill [Hurt], who played the character previously,” Ford said. “But now, I am Thaddeus, and I’m delighted. And I’m proud to become a member of the Marvel universe. I’ve been watching fantastic actors — some of which are here tonight — have a really good time working in the Marvel universe, and I wanted a piece of the action. I’m very proud to be in this film. I think it has turned out to be fantastic,” 

Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito as the leader of the Serpent Society. Captain America: Brave New World is directed by Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce), with a script from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman, as well as Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton.

Captain America 4 Comic-Con Footage Described

ComicBook’s Phase Zero host Brandon Davis was in Hall H, and describes the footage as such:

In the footage, Harrison Ford’s President Ross, explains how, “When the Celestial mass emerged from the Indian Ocean,” humans squabbled over it and tried to export its resources. He explains the “new element belongs to all of us.” Moments later, the President and Sam talk about past disagreements being overshadowed by Sam’s recent accomplishments and the desire to “rebuild the Avengers.” They discuss what will happen when they disagree on how to manage a situation. Sam gets a new suit in the next clip, leading to a sizzle reel. 

Sidewinder locks and loads and calls out “standby for proof of death” before shooting at Sam. Tense footage leads to Sam barging into a board room to talk to the President. He explains that his inner circle has been compromised but Ross wants to put the entire thing “to bed.” Sam isn’t happy with that. Cut to an action scene, then Sam flying, and rockets chasing him around Tiamut. Sam walks with Joaquin in his full green Falcon suit. A sizzle rounds out the trailer with action clips leading to the President becoming the Red Hulk at a podium in front of the White House and roaring.

Captain America: Brave New World opens only in theaters on February 14th, 2025.

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The ComicBook Nation crew gives a spoiler-free review of Deadpool & Wolverine, and then dips into all of the breaking news from San Diego Comic-Con so far! We also review Kite Man: Hell Yeah! And then talk Transformers, Joker 2, Absolute Power, and comics, along with a preview of this year’s Gen Con!

PLUS: Two Bonus Episodes – one LIVE from Comic-Con! ComicBook Nation host Kofi Outlaw teams with Phase Zero hosts Brandon Davis and Jenna Anderson, and ComicBook.com’s Chris Killian to break down the biggest reveals, wild happenings, and crazy behind-the-scenes stories from Thursday and Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! 

A second BONUS episode reunites ComicBook Nation hosts Kofi Outlaw, Janell Wheeler and Matt Aguilar summon their energy reserves to recap SDCC after the convention is done. Tune in for it all! 

Deadpool & Wolverine Review 

Phase Zero host Jenna Anderson said this in her 4.5. out of 5-star Deadpool & Wolverine Review: 

Amid the never-ending conversation around superhero fatigue, too many spoilers, and not enough effective storytelling, it feels rare to be truly surprised by a new superhero adaptation. Deadpool & Wolverine is such a pleasant surprise – both in its jaw-dropping elements and in the sentimental reason for those elements even existing – that it almost feels like a miracle. The movie’s handful of flaws are outweighed by its pure blockbuster storytelling and the gleeful rapport of its two protagonists. Through its no-holds-barred execution and the wildly entertaining performances of its ensemble cast, Deadpool & Wolverine serves as the most unlikely reminder of why we care about superhero movies in the first place.

Comic-Con Recap

ComicBook Nation is here to wrap up all the biggest news from Friday at San Diego Comic-Con! The Boys season 5 news and a Soldier Boy spin off! A new Lord of the Rings Rings of Power Season 2 Trailer! Huge anime updates for One Piece and much, much more!

 ComicBook Nation is bringing you ALL the big news, huge reveals, and major returns cough* Robert Downey Jr * cough from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

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