Captain America Paves Way for the Dawn of Avengers 2.0

Six years after the Avengers disbanded following Thanos' defeat and Tony Stark's death, the world once again requires its mightiest heroes. With new Avengers films slated for 2026 and 2027, the MCU needs to quickly reassemble the team. This crucial recruitment process begins in Captain America: Brave New World.

Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore explains the deliberate delay in reuniting the Avengers, stating, "We knew if we jumped right back into the Avengers after Endgame, we wouldn't give people a chance to miss it." He emphasizes Captain America's central role in successful Avengers teams, highlighting Sam Wilson's journey from inheriting the shield to becoming a capable leader, a transition explored in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In Brave New World, Wilson confidently embraces his role, but faces the formidable challenge of leading a new Avengers team.

A marketing clip reveals President Ross (Harrison Ford), succeeding the late William Hurt, tasks Wilson with restarting the Avengers initiative. This might surprise fans, considering Ross's role in creating the Sokovia Accords. Director Julius Onah clarifies Ross's evolution: "The man that we're meeting now is an elder statesman, a diplomat…who sees and understands the errors of his past." Ross's motivation stems from recognizing the Avengers as a potential global asset.

The new Avengers team will differ from its predecessor. Captain America's role is now officially tied to the US government, making the Avengers a branch of the defense department, a point acknowledged by Moore: "He certainly realized that the Avengers left unchecked may not be the best idea...power is more beneficial to him if it's under his command."

Ross's interest in the Avengers likely stems from the discovery of Adamantium, a powerful metal from the petrified Celestial in Eternals, triggering a potential global arms race. Moore explains the strategic advantage: "Any nation that has a group of Avengers has a leg up over anyone else."

This new dynamic suggests a potentially strained relationship between Ross and Wilson. Onah highlights the inherent tension: "Sam was put into prison…These are things that when these two men walk into a room, that tension between them is palpable."

The possibility exists that John Walker and his Thunderbolts team, introduced in the upcoming film, might become Ross's Avengers. This would leave Wilson free to form his own team, potentially in time for Avengers: Doomsday.

Regardless, Brave New World marks Wilson's journey towards Avengers leadership. Onah emphasizes Wilson's empathy as his superpower, contrasting his physical abilities with his capacity for understanding diverse perspectives. Moore adds, "I don't think Sam would be prepared to lead the Avengers until he truly believed that he was Captain America."

With only two films between Brave New World and Avengers: Doomsday, Wilson's recruitment efforts will likely feature in Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins now.