Summary
- Chris Evans' Captain America held the MCU together, appearing in at least one movie a year from 2011-2019.
- Sam Wilson's Captain America has barely appeared in the MCU, creating an absence that Marvel needs to address.
- Captain America: Brave New World could set up an important role for Sam Wilson, possibly as the new leader of the Avengers.
best in the MCU, and that makes sense, as every movie Evans led as Captain America was exciting. 2019's Avengers: Endgame was the end of the line for three original Avengers: Evans' Captain America, Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow.
While the actor has been frequently future MCU movies is currently out of the cards for the star, at least until Avengers: Secret Wars pulls out the big guns. The Multiverse Saga has received the most criticism in the MCU so far, with the loss of major franchise stars leaving a mark. While Iron Man's death was the biggest aspect of the Infinity Saga's ending, Captain America had a more special role in a key way, and Marvel has yet to make up for losing it.

Wait, Has The MCU Finally Confirmed Steve Rogers Is Dead?
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Chris Evans’ Captain America Held The MCU Together For Years
The Actor Had A Unique MCU Streak
Evans' Steve Rogers was the heart of the MCU. Captain America interacted with several heroes and villains throughout the Infinity Saga, with the MCU hero being respected by pretty much everyone he crossed paths with. Captain America also served as the leader of the Avengers, and had he and Iron Man not broken up the team due to their falling out in Captain America: Civil War, then the MCU's heroes would most likely have been successful against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Still, Steve Rogers led all the MCU's heroes into battle in Avengers: Endgame, and they were successful.
Besides being the leader of the Avengers and the face of the MCU's best trilogy, Evans held a unique franchise streak that cements how Captain America was the glue that held the MCU together. The actor debuted in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, with his last movie being 2019's Avengers: Endgame. From 2011 to 2019, Evans appeared in at least one MCU movie a year, meaning he was onscreen every year of his MCU tenure, a feat no other actor has achieved. That led to Captain America's growing importance in the franchise and a vacuum forming after he left.

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The MCU’s New Captain America Has Barely Appeared
Sam Wilson Will Now Get His First Solo Movie
While Evans exited the MCU, the actor did leave behind a successor. Avengers: Endgame's ending saw an old Steve Rogers on his shield to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. After facing a few obstacles in Disney+'s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam ended up donning his classic white Captain America costume from Marvel Comics and becoming the MCU's new Sentinel of Liberty. However, Sam Wilson's Captain America has barely appeared in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame, with Marvel going from a Captain America who was present every year to one who debuted in 2021 and will return in 2025.
Captain America's MCU absence becomes even worse when putting only Marvel films into question. While the hero was known before for appearing in at least one movie a year, Mackie's new version of Captain America has been MIA from Marvel films since 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Coming back to theaters only in 2025's Captain America: Brave New World, audiences who missed Marvel's TV shows will have gone six years without seeing Captain America. Important characters being absent for long periods is one of the main issues of the MCU's Multiverse Saga, but Marvel seems finally ready to fix it.

Captain America: Brave New World Is The Winter Soldier Sequel I've Waited 10 Years For
Following Captain America: Brave New World's first trailer, it's clear to me that it is coming to fill a spot left by one of the MCU's best movies.
Brave New World Can Set Up An Important Role For Sam Wilson’s Captain America
The Hero Could Become A Major MCU Leader
Before the release of the movie's first trailer, exclusive CinemaCon footage of Captain America: Brave New World revealed that Harrison Ford's Thunderbolt Ross asks Sam Wilson to start a new Avengers team. After being a sidekick for most of his time in the MCU as Falcon, Sam Wilson now has the chance to become one of the faces of the franchise as the new Captain America. Instead of bigger characters like Doctor Strange or Spider-Man, having Sam lead the new Avengers like Steve Rogers did would be Marvel's way of betting on the success of the new Captain America.
After his weird MCU absence, with characters like Wong appearing more than the new Captain America in the Multiverse Saga so far, Marvel seems to be preparing Sam Wilson to grow in importance in the MCU. As the first Captain America: Brave New World trailer showed, the movie will be very similar in tone and action to the beloved Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with the serious storyline presented for the film being perfect to raise Sam's MCU status. While Evans' streak remains undisputed, perhaps the new Captain America could start to appear more consistently across the MCU's new releases.
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Captain America: The First Avenger
- Release Date
- July 22, 2011
- Runtime
- 124 Minutes
- Director
- Joe Johnston
Cast
- Captain America / Steve Rogers
- Peggy Carter
Captain America: The First Avenger follows Steve Rogers, a frail man from Brooklyn transformed into the super-soldier Captain America during World War II. As he aids the war effort, Rogers confronts Red Skull, who seeks world domination through a powerful device for a nefarious organization.
- Writers
- Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Runtime
- 136 minutes
- Director
- Anthony Russo
- Writers
- Stephen McFeely, Christopher Markus
Cast
- Chris Evans
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Captain America: Civil War
- Release Date
- May 6, 2016
- Runtime
- 147 minutes
- Director
- Joe Russo
Cast
- Steve Rogers / Captain America
- Tony Stark / Iron Man
Captain America: Civil War focuses on the aftermath of Age of Ultron as international governments legislate to regulate superhuman activity. This divides the Avengers, forming opposing factions led by Iron Man and Captain America, culminating in a significant conflict between former allies.
- Writers
- Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
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Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
- Director
- Julius Onah
Cast
- Sam Wilson / Captain America
- Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross / Red Hulk
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New World Order) marks Sam Wilson's first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers' successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk's former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
After meeting President Thaddeus Ross, Sam is caught in a global crisis. He must expose the mastermind behind a sinister plot before the world descends into turmoil. Captain America: Brave New World marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.- Writers
- Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman
Marvel Movies |
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July 26, 2024 |
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February 14, 2025 |
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May 2, 2025 |
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July 25, 2025 |
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November 7, 2025 |
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May 1, 2026 |
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May 7, 2027 |
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