The Marvel Cinematic Universe was vastly different when the last Captain America movie premiered nine years ago. In “Captain America: Civil War,” the supervillain Thanos had not yet snuffed out half of humanity, Tony Stark was still alive and the vibranium shield of Captain America still belonged to Steve Rogers.
Now, in “Captain America: Brave New World” (in theaters), the shield and its hefty responsibilities have passed to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the winged Avenger who must decipher the origins of an attack on the President. The film’s plot draws on classic Marvel movies like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Endgame,” but it also features characters from more recent offerings, such as the Marvel series on Disney+, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.”
Here’s what you need to know before watching.
How did Sam Wilson become Captain America?
For much of the history of the M.C.U., Captain America was synonymous with Steve Rogers, the frail but big-hearted young man who transformed into one of Marvel’s most recognizable heroes when he received a super serum and an indestructible shield.
In “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Rogers befriends Wilson, an Air Force veteran grieving the loss of his wingman. Equipped with the Falcon flight suit, Wilson joins forces with Rogers to combat terrorists and other threats. He quickly becomes one of Captain America’s closest allies, siding with Rogers when the Avengers split into feuding factions in “Captain America: Civil War.” Wilson was one of the many people who disappeared in the five-year “Blip” caused by Thanos’s snap, but he reappeared in “Avengers: Endgame.”
In “Endgame,” Rogers goes back in time to return the Infinity Stones but instead of returning to the present day, he decides to stay in the past and live a full life with his lover Peggy Carter. Wilson ultimately finds Rogers sitting on a bench, his face wrinkled and his body aged. Rogers hands him the shield and anoints him as the new Captain America. “I’ll do my best,” Wilson says.
What happened on “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”?
Rogers leaves monumental shoes to fill, and the 6-episode “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” series, released in 2021, focuses on Wilson’s struggle to bear the weight of his predecessor’s legacy. Initially, instead of donning the shield, Wilson gives it to the Smithsonian.
Wilson spends much of the show fighting an anarchist group. Along the way, he meets two characters who will also appear in “Brave New World”: Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), a friend from the Air Force, as well as Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a soldier who was given the super serum from the U.S. government during the 1950s but whose identity and accomplishments were erased by the military.
By the end of the show, Wilson decides to fully embrace his identity as Captain America, wielding the shield and giving his old Falcon suit to Torres.
Who is Thaddeus Ross?
The trailer for “Brave New World” revealed that Thaddeus Ross, the U.S. President, plays a central role in the film. Ross is portrayed by Harrison Ford, who takes over after William Hurt, who previously played the character, died in 2022. Ross has had a long history in the M.C.U., appearing in the 2008 film “The Incredible Hulk,” in which, as a lieutenant general, he oversaw the government weapons project that eventually led Bruce Banner to become Hulk.
He later appeared in “Civil War” as secretary of state and the proponent of the Sokovia Accords, a set of legal documents meant to regulate the activities of the Avengers. In that film, Ross imprisoned Wilson because of his resistance to the Accords.
Trailers for “Brave New World” show Ross being attacked in what seems to be an assassination attempt. They also show him becoming Red Hulk, a fiery, crimson version of Hulk. This will be the first time Red Hulk appears in the M.C.U., but in the comics, Ross transforms into Red Hulk after he is infused with gamma radiation.
What is adamantium?
Like vibranium, adamantium is an indestructible steel alloy that can withstand extreme blasts. The precious metal was created by the same scientist who designed the vibranium for Captain America’s shield, and it’s the same material that makes up the claws for Wolverine, one of the X-Men. It’s likely that adamantium will play an important role in the film’s plot.
