Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson Faces Off Against Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk in Marvel’s New 'Captain America: Brave New World' Trailer
Even with the massive hit that was "Deadpool and Wolverine" last summer, Marvel is still recovering after a series of disappointments, both on the big screen and the small. One could argue that Marvel has weathered the storm and is now back on track. Another could say the studio is still heading toward an iceberg, and one more bad year could sink everything. And yet, some might cynically argue (sure, I'll point my thumbs toward my face and say, this guy right here believes this:) that Marvel has already hit that proverbial iceberg, with everything left on their slate should be looked at like chairs on the Titanic. Regardless, Marvel is hoping to start the new year with a bang -- not because they have to, but because they need to. First on their 2025 slate is the release of "Captain America: Brave New World," an action thriller starring Sam Wilson (again played by Anthony Mackie) as he takes up the mantle of Captain America, succeeding his dear friend, Steve Rogers. Mackie has proven to be a reliable player in the MCU, but this will test how much his natural charisma can carry a movie like this as the leading man.
Fortunately, he'll have some backup in the form of a proven Hollywood legend, Harrison Ford. The "Indiana Jones" star joins the MCU for the first time, taking over the role of Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, the former U.S. general now newly elected as President of the United States. This character was previously portrayed by the late William Hurt in earlier MCU films.
In the upcoming movie, President Ross, despite his shaky past and history with superheroes, offers Wilson an official military position in his administration as the White House-approved and sponsored Captain America.
(This tenuous relationship between Wilson and Ross is hinted at in the new official trailer for the upcoming MCU movie, which you can watch above.)
But hey, it wouldn’t be an MCU movie without a little conflict. Wilson has major concerns about Ross's administration after Sam's friend, retired super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), becomes the prime suspect in a terrorist attack. While uncovering a political conspiracy, Wilson must go rogue to clear his friend's name, only to be labeled a terrorist sympathizer and Enemy of the State. Sam must navigate a web of mistrust and decide who he can rely on to uncover the truth, testing his loyalty to an America under the power of President Ross, who just might have some questionable plans of his own to rid the world of evildoers … aka the Red Hulk!
"Captain America: Brave New World" is directed by Julius Onah, known for "The Cloverfield Paradox" and the acclaimed drama "Luce." The film features a strong supporting cast including Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Seth Rollins, Rosa Salazar, and Giancarlo Esposito, with Liv Tyler as biologist Betty Ross, who is Thaddeus's daughter, and Tim Blake Nelson as genius cellular biologist Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader. Both Tyler and Nelson are reprising their roles from the 2008 MCU movie "The Incredible Hulk."
Written by Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Matthew Orton, the film continues Sam Wilson's journey from the 2021 MCU miniseries "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," marking his full transition from The Falcon to the new Captain America.
"Captain America: Brave New World" is set to shield its way into theaters on February 14, 2025.
