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 must quickly reassemble the team, a process beginning in Captain America: Brave New World.

"We know people miss the Avengers, and we miss the Avengers," says Nate Moore, a Marvel Studios producer. "But we knew if we jumped right back into the Avengers after Endgame, we wouldn't give people a chance to miss it."

Moore points out that the best Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always centered around Captain America. After Steve Rogers passed the shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU needed time to develop Wilson into a capable leader. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored this transition. In Brave New World, Wilson proudly wears the stars and stripes, but faces a new challenge: leading a new Avengers team.

A marketing clip reveals President Ross (Harrison Ford, replacing the late William Hurt) asks Wilson to restart the Avengers initiative. This surprises some fans, as Ross enacted the Sokovia Accords, which fractured the team.

"He was a man defined by his anger," says director Julius Onah. "But now he's an elder statesman, a diplomat, who understands his past mistakes and wants to do better. He wants to initiate the Avengers because they could benefit the world."

Ross, a general, understands tactical advantages. His vision for the Avengers differs from the past. Captain America is now an official US government role, making a Captain America-led team a branch of the 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 wants to control it before someone else does."

Ross's interest isn't solely for future films. The discovery of a world-altering substance—the petrified Celestial from Eternals—revealed to be a source of Adamantium, is the likely catalyst. This super-metal could spark a global arms race, making superheroes a valuable asset.

"Any nation with Avengers has an advantage," says Moore. "Ross, being a general, understands that."

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. Rogers was anti-government control, and Wilson upholds his predecessor's values.

"I focused on Sam's emotional journey," says Onah. "Putting him opposite someone who previously divided the Avengers created palpable tension. Sam was imprisoned because of Ross's actions."

Perhaps Walker and his morally ambiguous team from Thunderbolts will become Ross's Avengers. Ross's nickname is Thunderbolt, after all.

Wilson might form his own independent team, ready for Doctor Doom's arrival in Avengers: Doomsday. Brave New World marks Wilson's journey towards leading the Avengers. Onah highlights Wilson's worthiness.

Onah describes Wilson's empathy as his superpower. His ability to understand allies and enemies allows him to effectively wield the shield and its values. "That's what makes him a Captain America of this moment," Onah says.

"Sam wouldn't lead the Avengers until he believed he was Captain America," adds Moore. "We wanted to show him questioning his decision. Hopefully, by the end, he and the audience will agree: there's no one else. He is Captain America, ready to lead."

Wilson must act quickly. Only two films precede Avengers: Doomsday. He'll likely recruit in Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four: First Steps. It's a shorter path than the five films leading to 2012's The Avengers, but Spider-Man, Thor, and Banner might be waiting. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.