2025 will be a brave new world for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in more ways than one. After a year and more of delays, reconfiguration, and second thoughts, the studio behind the biggest comic book film franchise ever made is coming back to theaters with four whole films — and it all starts with Captain America: Brave New World.
Marvel’s newly released teaser for the fourth Captain America film shows Sam Wilson being recruited by U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross for an official military role as Captain America, plus an assassination attempt on Ross, and the man formerly known as the Falcon getting wrapped up in a government conspiracy. (You liked The Winter Soldier, right?) Oh, and there’s a new Hulk in D.C. — a brief tease of the Red Hulk caps off Captain America: Brave New World’s punchy teaser.
Brave New World features returning characters from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney Plus series, including Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres (the Falcon to Sam Wilson’s Cap in the comics), and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley. But it’s mixing those characters up with a much older Marvel Studios pillar: 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Tim Blake Nelson will complete his transformation into the Hulk villain known as the Leader, while Liv Tyler will reprise her role as Bruce Banner’s onetime flame Betty Ross. Harrison Ford will play Gen. Thaddeus Ross (stepping in for the late William Hurt), who, again, is now the newly elected president of the United States.
Also, Seth Rollins and Giancarlo Esposito have been cast in unannounced roles, so that’s fun! Esposito is, unsurprisingly, a bad-looking dude.
Brave New World has had a rocky road to theaters, with principal photography having been completed in June 2023, followed by extensive reshoots for several months in 2024. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on Feb. 14, 2025. Marvel will round out 2025 with three more films: Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four, and (in theory) Blade.
