Captain America: Brave New World (2025) – An Epic and Thrilling Adventure
The American superhero film Captain America: Brave New World, which stars Sam Wilson as Captain America and is set in 2025, is based on Marvel Comics. It is the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the fourth film in the Captain America film series, a continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Julius Onah directed the movie from a screenplay by Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson, and Onah and Peter Glanz.
Along with Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford, Anthony Mackie portrays Sam Wilson/Captain America in this film. In the film, Wilson investigates a conspiracy involving U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Ford).
Chris Evans portrayed Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War (2016), and in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Wilson takes over as Captain America. By April 2021, series writers Spellman and Musson were working on a new Captain America movie, and Mackie signed on in August of that year. When Captain America: New World Order was announced in July 2022, Onah joined. Later that year, additional members of the cast joined. Nelson and Tyler made a comeback in the second Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, The Incredible Hulk (2008).
Ford took over for William Hurt as Ross after Hurt passed away in March 2022. Ross becomes the superpowered Red Hulk in the movie. From March to June of 2023, filming took place at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. Additional filming took place in Washington, D.C. During filming, the subtitle was changed to “Brave New World.” In order to write for the reshoots, which took place between May and November 2024 and included Esposito, Matthew Orton joined in December 2023. That December, it became clear that Edwards and Glanz were involved.
As part of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Brave New World had its world premiere on February 11, 2025, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It was released on February 14 in the United States. As the third-highest-grossing film of 2025, it has earned $409.6 million worldwide. The film’s story, connections to other MCU projects, and visual effects received mixed reviews from critics. The performances, particularly those of Mackie and Ford, received praise.
Plot
Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres, the new Captain America and Falcon, are sent to Oaxaca, Mexico, five months after Thaddeus Ross is elected president of the United States, to stop the illegal sale of classified items stolen by Sidewinder and his mercenary group Serpent. Sidewinder manages to get away while Wilson and Torres recover the items. Torres is thrilled to be taking on Wilson’s role as Falcon, but Wilson is wary of involving Torres in risky missions because neither of them has superpowers like Steve Rogers did when he was Captain America. Wilson and Torres train with Isaiah Bradley, a super soldier who was imprisoned and subjected to government experiments after the mission.
Wilson accepts Ross’ invitation to a White House summit with world leaders on the condition that Bradley is also invited. Wilson is asked to assist Ross in reforming the Avengers. Ross explains on the summit that “Celestial Island,” which was formed when the Celestial Tiamut emerged in the Indian Ocean, has yielded a new metal called adamantium. The items, which were taken from a Japanese mining operation, were the first refined samples of the metal.
Ross proposes a treaty to regulate the mining and distribution of adamantium in order to avoid an arms race. During his speech, the song “Mr. As the song “Blue” plays, a few men, including Bradley, start shooting at Ross and other dignitaries. The men are apprehended by former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph, Ross’s head of security, and deny knowing anything about the attack.
Wilson is taken hostage by Sidewinder while he is investigating. Torres follows a call from Sidewinder’s phone to Camp Echo One, a secret location in West Virginia. Ross tries to save the treaty, but the Japanese government accuses him of stealing their adamantium and carrying out the attack on the White House.
Dr. Ross is recognized as the mastermind behind these occurrences. Samuel Sterns, who was exposed to Bruce Banner’s or Hulk’s blood during the Abomination’s rampage through Harlem and developed advanced intelligence. Ross jailed Sterns at Camp Echo One, publicly attributed the Abomination’s actions to him, and promised to free him if Sterns helped him become president. Wilson and Torres locate Sterns, learn about his technology use, and listen to the song “Mr. Blue” to influence minds. While they are fighting mind-controlled soldiers, he manages to get away.
Bat-Seraph is sent by Ross to secure Camp Echo One. There, she finds Wilson and Torres and helps them. Dennis Dunphy, a military friend of Wilson’s, takes the trio to a meeting where Sidewinder is being held. Wilson deduces Sterns’ scheme to ruin Ross’s reputation after learning enough from Sidewinder. Wilson, Torres, and Bat-Seraph travel to Celestial Island, where Ross and the Japanese Prime Minister are competing for adamantium ownership. Sterns forces two American pilots to attack the Japanese fleet by taking control of their thoughts.
Wilson and Torres stop the planes and get the Japanese to stop fighting. However, Torres gets seriously hurt in the fight. Ross tells Wilson that he is dying of heart failure and gave Sterns the pills that have extended his life. Ross refused to release Sterns because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to make the pills anymore, which sparked Sterns’ resentment and plans for retribution.
Wilson is consoled by Bucky Barnes, a friend. When Dunphy found out that the pills had been putting gamma radiation into Ross’s body, Sterns killed him and surrendered to Wilson. While Ross is at a press conference, the circumstances surrounding Sterns’ arrest and their connection are made public. Ross becomes a red Hulk after losing control of his emotions and destroying a portion of the White House.
Ross is able to reason with Wilson after Wilson injures him sufficiently to bring back memories of his visits to the cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., with his estranged daughter Betty. Ross goes back to normal. After the incident, the treaty is ratified, Bradley is cleared, and Wilson invites a recovering Torres to join the Avengers. Wilson and Betty visit Ross while he is incarcerated at the Raft after he resigns. A prisoner Sterns warns Wilson of an impending attack from other worlds in a scene after the credits roll.
Cast
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America:
An Avenger and former pararescueman who was trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially-designed wing pack.[7] Producer Nate Moore said Wilson’s Captain America is an underdog similar to Rocky Balboa from the Rocky film series, because he does not have the abilities or allies of the previous Captain America, Steve Rogers. Wilson has to earn the mantle after claiming it without support.[8] Director Julius Onah said the film would show Wilson “stepping up to be the leader as Captain America”.[9] Mackie said Wilson would not be a judgmental Captain America and has a different understanding of good and evil,[10] with a focus on listening, compassion, and counseling.[11] He likened his performance to the Tupac Shakur song “Hit ‘Em Up” (1996).[12] Onah said empathy was Wilson’s “superpower”. He wanted to use the character’s emotional intelligence to help resolve President Thaddeus Ross’s story, for which Wilson has to “see past his own blind spots” regarding Ross. Since Wilson is not a super soldier like Rogers, he uses Captain America’s shield and his wingsuit—both made from the fictional metal vibranium—to “level the playing field” in fights. To prepare for the film’s action sequences, Mackie focused on yoga and Pilates routines to improve his flexibility and core strength. - Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon:
A first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force who takes on Wilson’s former mantle of Falcon, using a similar wing pack. Mackie said Wilson and Torres have an equal friendship, in contrast with Wilson’s admiration of Rogers and dislike of Bucky Barnes in previous MCU projects, though Torres looks up to Wilson as an inspiration. Mackie gave Ramirez advice on wearing the Falcon costume. Ramirez compared working in the MCU to his experience joining the Top Gun franchise in the film Top Gun: Maverick (2022). That film and its star Tom Cruise inspired Ramirez to ensure the film’s flying scenes used the correct body positions and physics. - Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph:
An Israeli former Black Widow who serves as President Ross’s security advisor. Moore said the character’s perspective on Ross puts her on a collision course with Wilson, and Onah described her as a “great part of the tapestry” of the film’s paranoid thriller story. She is briefly seen wearing a suit that resembles the comic book character‘s white and blue costume, but it is partly concealed under a jacket. - Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley:
An African-American Korean War veteran and super soldier who was imprisoned and experimented on for 30 years.[17] In the film, Samuel Sterns takes control of Bradley’s mind and frames him for an assassination attempt on President Ross, leading to Bradley’s arrest. This begins further exploration of the injustices that Bradley has faced in his life. He is released and exonerated at the end of the film thanks to Wilson’s actions. - Xosha Roquemore as Leila Taylor:
A Secret Service agent working for President Ross who has a history with Wilson. Taylor is a romantic interest for Wilson in the comics, but the film does not indicate any romantic interest between the characters. - Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder:
The leader of Serpent, a violent special-ops team. Esposito described Sidewinder as an intelligent “badass”. He said the physicality of the role differentiated Sidewinder from his character Gus Fring of the Breaking Bad franchise, who is also an intelligent antagonist, and he was excited to show his physicality on screen. Esposito does not wear a comics-accurate, snake-themed costume in the film, but wanted to feature some references to the comic book costume by including some of the colors from that version in his film costume. Esposito’s eyes were also changed to be blue to match the comic version of Sidewinder. Onah and Esposito took inspiration for Sidewinder from the real-life private military company Wagner Group, as well as warlords from Africa who have a “powerful aura that commands the respect and loyalty of [their] followers”. - Liv Tyler as Betty Ross:
A cellular biologist and Thaddeus Ross’s estranged daughter who resents her father for his obsessive pursuit of Bruce Banner / Hulk years prior. Onah said it was a “no-brainer” to bring Tyler back after so many years since her first appearance in the film The Incredible Hulk (2008), and he said she was central to President Ross’s storyline in Brave New World. In the final cut, Betty is often mentioned but she is only heard on a phone call and then briefly appears in one of the last scenes. Onah said they considered including her earlier in the film, but decided to save her for the end to help build Ross’s longing to reconnect with Betty. - Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns:
A cellular biologist who was accidentally cross-contaminated with Banner’s blood during the events of The Incredible Hulk, gaining superhuman intelligence. Nelson was glad to return to the character after years of disappointment over a sequel to The Incredible Hulk not being produced, and was satisfied with what the writers conceived for what Sterns had been doing since that film, with the character being imprisoned and exploited by Thaddeus Ross. Nelson said portraying Sterns’s pathos and rage required him to “grow up” as an actor. The character is generally depicted in the comics as having a large head to accommodate an expanded brain. He has a more “grotesque” appearance in the film, with “parts of his brain seemingly bursting from his skull”, one eye glowing green, and the other clouded and seemingly blind. Practical effects were used for the character per Nelson’s request, as he wanted to have the “deformation” visible for himself and the other actors to experience on set; the character’s appearance was later augmented with visual effects. - Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross / Red Hulk:
The newly elected president of the United States who wants to work with Captain America. Ross was previously a U.S. Army general and then the U.S. Secretary of State in the MCU. Moore said there are “natural sparks” between Wilson and Ross due to the events of the film Captain America: Civil War (2016), but producer Kevin Feige said their dynamic is changed now that they are Captain America and president, respectively.[39] Ford said similarities between Ross and any real-life presidents were coincidental and his focus was on the character’s own history, personality, and circumstances. In the film, Ross wants to “turn a new leaf” and distance himself from his more emotional, volatile past, hoping to reconnect with his daughter Betty. His regression to “the guy he doesn’t want to be anymore” is represented by the character’s transformation into the monstrous Red Hulk,[43] which is portrayed by Ford through motion capture. Onah and Ford convinced Marvel Studios that Red Hulk should not speak in the film, believing it would undermine the character’s emotional storyline if Red Hulk was a “rational being” rather than a “figure of rage and anger”. Ford replaces William Hurt, who portrayed Ross in the MCU from 2008 to 2021 before his death in March 2022.
Additionally, Sebastian Stan reprises his MCU role as Bucky Barnes in a cameo appearance. Barnes is campaigning to be a congressman, setting up his role in the film Thunderbolts* (2025). Also appearing are Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Copperhead, a member of Serpent; William Mark McCullough as Dennis Dunphy, a U.S. military commander and ally to Wilson; and Takehiro Hira as Japanese prime minister Ozaki.
Review (taken from google)
