Captain America: Brave New World Launches Avengers 2.0

It's been nearly six years since the Avengers disbanded after defeating Thanos and mourning the loss of Tony Stark. However, the world's need for its mightiest heroes is undeniable, and with new Avengers films slated for 2026 and 2027, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) must swiftly reassemble its iconic team. The journey to recruit the next generation of Avengers starts with Captain America: Brave New World.

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

Moore highlights that the most successful Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always been led by Captain America. After Steve Rogers passed the shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU dedicated time to develop Wilson into the leader he needed to become. This wasn't an easy transition for Wilson, as depicted in the six-part Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which explored his struggles with taking on the Captain America mantle. By the time of Brave New World, Wilson proudly dons the red, white, and blue. Yet, as he masters the role of Captain America, a new challenge awaits: leading the next Avengers team.

A pre-release marketing clip for Brave New World reveals that President Ross, portrayed by Harrison Ford following the passing of William Hurt, approaches Wilson to revive the Avengers project. This move might surprise fans, given Ross's history with the Sokovia Accords, which famously divided the Avengers. So, why would Ross, known for his role in the team's breakup, want to see them reassembled?

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

As a general, Ross understands tactical advantages. However, he doesn't plan to recreate the Avengers as they once were. Following The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Captain America is now an official role within the United States government. In the opening of Brave New World, Wilson works directly with the President, suggesting that a Captain America-led Avengers team would operate as a branch of the US defense department.

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

Ross's interest in reassembling the Avengers likely stems from the discovery of a world-changing substance. The Celestial that turned to stone at the end of Eternals has been revealed to be a source of Adamantium, Marvel's renowned super metal and a crucial alternative to Wakanda's Vibranium. With this valuable resource accessible in the ocean, nations are poised for an Adamantium arms race, making a superhero team strategically vital.

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

How Sam Wilson/Falcon Became Captain America in the Comics

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The underlying motives for this new Avengers team suggest a rocky relationship between President Ross and Sam Wilson's Captain America. Steve Rogers was staunchly against government control, and Wilson has strived to uphold those values throughout his career. "I really focused on the emotional journey that Sam was taking," says Onah. "It was really cool to then put him opposite somebody who had divided the Avengers in the past. Because of that history, Sam was put into prison. The Sokovia Accords, all the stuff that Ross pushed forward as Secretary of State came into play. These are things that when these two men walk into a room, that tension between them is palpable."

It's possible that Sam Wilson may not be the leader President Ross envisions. The answer might lie in 2025's Thunderbolts, featuring a team of anti-heroes including John Walker, who infamously disgraced the Captain America legacy in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Perhaps Walker and his team could become the President's Avengers, given Ross's nickname, Thunderbolt.

If this scenario unfolds, Wilson might form his own independent team of superheroes, just in time for Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Doctor Doom in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. Regardless of the specifics, Brave New World marks the next step in Wilson's journey since he took up the shield, leading inevitably to his role as the leader of the Avengers. Knowing this film would be the first to address the assembly of the next Avengers team, Onah was eager to prepare Wilson for what lies ahead.

"Historically, the Avengers have been led by a Captain America, and Sam Wilson is very much so a worthy one," Onah states. "But part of telling this story is also reinforcing, illustrating, and dramatizing for an audience: why is he worthy?"

Wilson's worthiness stems from his empathy, which Onah describes as his superpower. As an MCU fan knows, Wilson is more than just a man with a shield and mechanical wings; his ability to understand the perspectives of both allies and enemies enables him to effectively wield the shield and embody the values it represents. "I think that's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," Onah says.

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

With only two films separating Brave New World from Avengers: Doomsday, Wilson must act quickly. It's likely that Captain America will appear in both Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps as he recruits his team ahead of the 2026 event. Though the path to the new Avengers is shorter than the five films leading to 2012's The Avengers, heroes like Spider-Man, Thor, and Bruce Banner may be ready and waiting for Wilson's call. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins with Captain America: Brave New World.