Marvel brought down the house with its San Diego Comic-Con panel this year, with announcements for its upcoming movies including The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts*.

Advertisement

As expected, the studio also revealed more about Captain America: Brave New World, which will reunite fans with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, last seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

As well as revealing Giancarlo Esposito will be playing Sidewinder in the film, the studio also revealed some new footage of Harrison Ford's Thunderbolt Ross, confirming his transformation into the Red Hulk.

The footage also confirmed the return of Tiamut, the Celestial that is sticking out of the ocean since the end of Eternals, confirming it to be the source of Adamantium in the MCU.

It seems like Sam will have his work cut out for him, after fully taking up the mantle of Captain America. The film will see him wrapped up in a political conspiracy surrounding Thaddeus Ross, who has been newly elected as the President.

More like this

Mackie, Ford and Esposito will be joined in the film by the likes of Tim Blake Nelson, Shira Haas, Liv Tyler and more.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about Captain America: Brave New World. Plus, if you're keen to catch up and watch the Marvel movies and TV shows in order, we also have you covered.

Captain America: Brave New World release date

Captain America: Brave New World was originally set to release on 3rd May 2024, with this date then moving to 26th July 2024.

However, it was subsequently delayed for a number of months, moving to 14th February 2025 - the date for which it is currently set.

The film is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Five, the second phase in The Multiverse Saga.

The film was retitled Brave New World after being previously announced as Captain America: New World Order.

The title change was confirmed with a behind-the-scenes photo featuring stars Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford.

The fourth Captain America film will be followed by Thunderbolts*, which shall close out Phase Five and continue some plot elements from this film.

We asked a panel of pop-culture enthusiasts to share their thoughts on Captain America: Brave New World. Watch the full Marvel versus DC debate show now.

Will Anthony Mackie lead Captain America: Brave New World?

Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney Plus

Yes, Anthony Mackie will reprise his role as Captain America/Sam Wilson in Captain America: Brave New World.

When rumours of another Cap movie first broke, Mackie told EW that he didn't know anything about it, but that he was "excited" to see what the future holds for his character.

"I literally found out yesterday in a grocery store," he said. "The checkout guy named Dwayne, a cool cat, he's like, 'Yo, man. Is this real?!' [holds up a cell phone] I'm like, 'I haven't heard anything.'

"That's what I love about working for Marvel. They call you, they're like, 'Come to LA. We wanna tell you what's going on.' So, I'm excited to see what happens, but I haven't heard anything."

Mackie added: "What would be really bad is if the movie [Captain America 4] starts and I get blown out of the sky."

The final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with a revised title card that confirmed Sam Wilson's position as the MCU's new full-time Captain America.

Captain America: Brave New World cast

The following cast members have been confirmed for Captain America: Brave New World.

  • Anthony Mackie as Captain America/Sam Wilson
  • Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader/Dr Samuel Sterns
  • Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley
  • Danny Ramirez as Falcon/Joaquin Torres
  • Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph/Sabra
  • Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
  • Harrison Ford as General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross
  • Xosha Roquemore as a secret service agent
  • Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder
  • Seth Rollins as TBC

Other The Falcon and The Winter Soldier cast members look set to join Mackie on the big screen.

It has been confirmed that Carl Lumbly will reprise his role as aged super soldier Isaiah Bradley, while Danny Ramirez will reprise his role as Wilson's comrade in arms, Joaquin Torres, who will now take on the mantle of the Falcon from Sam.

Meanwhile, a collection of characters who originated in the MCU in The Incredible Hulk, with Tim Blake Nelson returning in his role as scientist Dr Samuel Sterns, who is now the evil genius mutated figure The Leader.

Additionally, Liv Tyler will return as the Hulk's former love interest Dr Betty Ross, while Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross is back and is now President of the United States following the events of Secret Invasion.

Harrison Ford attends the "Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny" photocall at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2023 in Cannes, France.
Harrison Ford. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

This time around, however, Hollywood legend Harrison Ford will take on the role of Ross after the death of original actor William Hurt in 2022.

Ford is also set to return in the following film, Thunderbolts, alongside Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier/James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes.

Despite the strength of Bucky and Sam's partnership, Stan was not confirmed for the main cast of Brave New World and will next be seen in Thunderbolts*.

Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Sebastian Stan as Bucky in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Earlier in the year, there were also rumours that Chris Evans could return as Captain America, following his supposed exit from the franchise in Avengers: Endgame. If Evans is set to return, it makes sense that it would be during a fourth Captain America movie.

Other potential surprise returnees could include Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter/Power Broker, Wyatt Russell's John Walker/US Agent, Adepero Oduye as Sarah Wilson, Don Cheadle as War Machine/James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Daniel Bruhl as Helmut Zemo, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Shira Haas has also joined the cast as Marvel Comics character Sabra, but were she fits in remains to be seen.

There is, of course, the potential for other characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to make their comebacks here, too.

In addition, as detailed above, Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito has been cast as Sidewinder, the King of supervillain group the Serpent Society, while WWE star Seth Rollins appears to have also joined the film.

Who is Liv Tyler's Betty Ross?

Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. Marvel Studios

Liv Tyler is returning to the MCU after 15 years away. It's a hugely surprising turn of events, not least because she last starred in a Marvel movie that many would rather forget: The Incredible Hulk.

The movie, released in 2008, was the second MCU movie after 2008's Iron Man.

Ross was a scientist and professor at Culver University and the daughter of Thaddeus Ross, who will be played by Harrison Ford in the upcoming movie.

She was also the love interest for Bruce Banner, originally played by Edward Norton before Mark Ruffalo took over in later films, as he grappled with turning into the Hulk.

How Ross will return – and what she might think if she comes face to face with Ruffalo's Banner – remains to be seen. Either way, fans are hugely excited for such an unexpected return.

Captain America: Brave New World plot speculation

At this point, we have a general idea of the plot of Captain America: Brave New World.

The official synopsis says: "After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, 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."

We already know that President Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross will take on a major role, with Isaiah Bradley seen shooting at him in the trailer. The President is also seen trying to make Captain America an official military position, while Sam argues that his inner circle has been compromised.

The end of the trailer – and the poster – also tease the arrival of Red Hulk, the alter-ego of Ross in the comics, suggesting his transformation could be a major part of the storyline.

Where the villainous figure of The Leader/Dr Samuel Sterns and Ross's daughter Dr Betty Ross fit into this remains to be seen.

Should the film work also as a continuation of Sam's story beyond his Disney Plus debut as Captain America, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier certainly left plenty of loose threads for the winged Cap.

For one, Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Contessa Valentina Allegra said things were about to get weird when she recruited John Walker for an undisclosed future mission, so that could certainly come into play.

Emily VanCamp plays Sharon Carter in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Emily VanCamp plays Sharon Carter in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Disney

There's also the possibility that Sharon Carter will go full villain, judging by that Falcon and the Winter Soldier final post-credit scene. Spellman did have something to say about that.

"I think Sharon, how villainous is she? I don't know. You know what I'm saying? Did she really hurt Sam at all in that storyline?" he told ComicBook.com. "Like, to me, Sharon could go all the way bad, or could come back. Who knows where she's going to go? You know what I'm saying? I don't know. I haven't put in a ton of thought. I might've just said too much right there."

Of course, it's also more than possible that a brand new storyline, connected to Marvel's Phase Six, will be put in place for Sam's first big screen solo adventure.

Is there a Captain America: Brave New World trailer?

There is! You can watch the first official teaser trailer right here now.

Captain America: Brave New World will be released in cinemas on 14th February 2025.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier streams exclusively on Disney Plus. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £4.99 a month or £79.90 a year now.

Advertisement

Check out the rest of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement