By Jackson Arterberry

A/V Editor

There is a new era coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and “Captain America: Brave New World” is the starting point. The film serves as a crucial entry into the franchise which launches the next Avengers narrative. The movie not only provides Sam Wilson’s first long-awaited solo film with Anthony Mackie as Captain America but also brings back important characters from the past that connect to the original movie in the MCU, “The Incredible Hulk”, and sets the foundation for upcoming developments in the MCU.

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Harrison Ford. Photo via Marvel

What makes Brave New World notable is its link to “The Incredible Hulk”. General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Harrison Ford after William Hurt’s passing, has returned to the story as the President of the United States in Brave New World. In Brave New World, he is the man who in the past hunted the Hulk with unyielding determination.

Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns also known as The Leader. Photo via Marvel

The MCU has finally brought his storyline to a close as it reintroduces Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns also known as The Leader. Sterns last appeared in “The Incredible Hulk” when doctors exposed him to Bruce Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood to transform him. The return of this story arc in Brave New World indicates that Marvel plans to finally resolve his narrative which could elevate him to a primary antagonist within this stage of the MCU.

Seth Voelker also known as Sidewinder, played by Giancarlo Esposito. Photo via Marvel

Another new addition to Brave New World is Seth Voelker also called Sidewinder portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. In the comics, Sidewinder serves as the leader of Serpent Society, a highly structured terrorist group that uses snake-inspired tactics. Voelker functions as an elite strategist who performs long-range teleportations to execute dangerous heists and maintain criminal operations at an executive level. We don’t get to see these abilities in his movie adaptation but he does get set up to come back with Captain America as his next target.

Even though the primary focus of Brave New World remains Captain America’s story, its significance reaches much further than the personal development of Sam Wilson. The film establishes the foundation for an upcoming Avengers story as it brings back essential characters and concepts that will impact the broader MCU story arc.

Anthony Mackie as Captain America in Brave New World. Photo via Marvel

Beyond his personal transformation into Captain America, the MCU continues to evolve with Sam Wilson’s leadership. With most original Avengers retiring or dying, the franchise is slowly introducing new characters for the audience to anticipate a forthcoming team takeover. The primary and several secondary villains introduced in Brave New World could set up future allies or enemies that lead to the next big Avengers team-up movie following the model of Phase 1’s early films leading up to “The Avengers (2012)”.

Following Brave New World, the Marvel roadmap advances with Thunderbolts* and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday which will presumably continue the storyline of this film. The return of Ross and Sterns among other characters clearly indicates that the MCU is intentionally linking past and present  comics to build a better future.

While some fans have complained about the direction of the post Endgame MCU, Captain America: Brave New World looks like it’s going to be a vital part of the larger narrative. The continuity between The Incredible Hulk and current storylines proves  without any doubt that Marvel is establishing a gradual workflow toward the next huge event. This isn’t simply a solo superhero film; it serves as the beginning of the next Avengers story and audiences should really pay attention.

As a devoted Marvel fan, I absolutely loved this film. It delivered not only thrilling action sequences but also powerful connections to past events in the MCU, making it a rewarding experience for longtime fans.However, because of its complex storytelling and numerous callbacks to previous films, it might be challenging for casual viewers to follow. The intricate web of references and character arcs could lead to confusion or even frustration for those who aren’t deeply familiar with the MCU’s history.

Overall I think this was a great entry for the MCU and it has me looking forward to “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” film and Thunderbolts*.