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

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

"We know people miss the Avengers, and we miss them too," says Nate Moore, a Marvel Studios producer instrumental in the fourth Captain America film. "But jumping straight back after Endgame wouldn't let people truly miss them."

Moore emphasizes that the most successful Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always featured Captain America at their core. After Steve Rogers passed his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU focused on developing Wilson into a capable leader. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored this challenging transition. In Brave New World, Wilson proudly wears the red, white, and blue, but faces a new challenge: leading a new Avengers team.

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

"He had a legacy defined by anger," explains director Julius Onah. "But now, he's an elder statesman, a diplomat, acknowledging past mistakes and striving to do better. He wants to initiate the Avengers because they benefit the world."

Ross, a general, understands tactical advantages. This new Avengers team, however, will differ from its predecessor. Captain America is now an official US government role, with Wilson working directly under the President. This makes a Captain America-led Avengers team effectively a branch of the US defense department.

"Ross passed the Sokovia Accords," says Moore. "He realized unchecked Avengers weren't ideal. He understands that controlled power benefits him, so he aims to control it before someone else does."

Ross's interest likely stems from a world-altering discovery. The petrified Celestial from Eternals is revealed (at San Diego Comic Con 2024) to be a source of Adamantium, a superior metal to Wakanda's Vibranium. This discovery could spark a global Adamantium arms race, making superheroes a valuable asset.

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

How Sam Wilson/Falcon Became Captain America in the Comics

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

"I focused on Sam's emotional journey," says Onah. "Contrasting him with someone who previously divided the Avengers created palpable tension. The Sokovia Accords and Sam's imprisonment due to Ross's actions are significant factors in their dynamic."

Perhaps Walker and his morally ambiguous team from Thunderbolts will become Ross's Avengers. Ross's nickname is "Thunderbolt," after all. This leaves Wilson free to assemble his own independent team, potentially in time for Doctor Doom's arrival in Avengers: Doomsday (2026).

Brave New World marks Wilson's journey towards leading the Avengers. Onah aimed to showcase Wilson's readiness for this role.

Wilson's empathy is highlighted as his superpower. He's a man with a shield and wings, but his ability to understand diverse perspectives allows him to effectively wield the shield's values. "That's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," says Onah.

"Sam wouldn't lead the Avengers until he truly believed he was Captain America," adds Moore. "We wanted to show his journey of self-doubt, ultimately leading the audience to agree: there's no one else. He is Captain America, ready to lead."

With only two films between Brave New World and Avengers: Doomsday, Wilson will likely recruit his team in Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps. While the path is shorter than the five films leading to The Avengers (2012), heroes like Spider-Man, Thor, and Banner may be waiting for the call. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.