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 is swiftly reassembling the team, starting with Captain America: Brave New World.

"We know people miss the Avengers, and we miss them too," says Nate Moore, a veteran Marvel Studios producer and key figure behind the fourth Captain America film. "But we knew that jumping straight back into Avengers after Endgame wouldn't allow people to truly miss them."

Moore highlights that the most successful Avengers teams in Marvel comics have always centered around Captain America. After Steve Rogers passed his shield to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU invested time in developing Wilson into a capable leader. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showcased his struggles with this transition. By Brave New World, Wilson proudly wears the red, white, and blue. However, he faces a new challenge: leading a new Avengers team.

A pre-release clip reveals President Ross (Harrison Ford, succeeding the late William Hurt) asking Wilson to restart the Avengers initiative. This might surprise longtime fans, considering Ross's role in establishing the Sokovia Accords, which fractured the team.

"He had a legacy defined by anger," explains Brave New World's director, Julius Onah. "But the Ross we meet is an elder statesman, a diplomat, who recognizes 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. This new Avengers team won't be a carbon copy of the previous one. Captain America is now an official US government role, and Wilson works directly with the President. This means an Avengers team led by Captain America would essentially be a branch of the US defense department.

"Ross passed the Sokovia Accords," says Moore. "He realized unchecked Avengers might not be ideal. He understands that controlled power benefits him, so he wants to control it before someone else does."

Ross's interest isn't solely about future films. The discovery of a world-altering substance plays a significant role. The Celestial petrified in Eternals is revealed (at San Diego Comic Con 2024) to be a source of Adamantium, a super metal rivaling Wakanda's Vibranium. This discovery could trigger a global Adamantium arms race, making superheroes valuable assets.

"Any nation with Avengers has an advantage," says Moore. "And Ross, as 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 President Ross and Captain America. Their partnership is inherently complex. Rogers was anti-government control, and Wilson has strived to uphold his predecessor's values.

"I focused on Sam's emotional journey," says Onah. "It was interesting to pit him against someone who previously divided the Avengers. Ross's actions, including the Sokovia Accords and Sam's imprisonment, create palpable tension between them."

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

This suggests Sam Wilson might not be the man Ross seeks. If so, who will lead this government-run Avengers team? Thunderbolts (2025), featuring anti-heroes like John Walker, might provide the answer. Walker's past actions could make him a more suitable candidate for Ross.

This leaves Wilson free to assemble his own independent team, potentially in time for Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom's arrival in Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Regardless, Brave New World marks the next step in Wilson's journey to becoming the Avengers' leader. Onah emphasizes Wilson's readiness for this role.

Onah highlights Wilson's empathy as his superpower. He's a man with a shield and wings, capable of fighting, but his ability to understand different perspectives allows him to effectively wield the shield's values. "That's what makes him a Captain America for this time," Onah says.

"Sam wouldn't lead the Avengers until he truly believed he was Captain America," adds Moore. "Our goal was to show his journey of self-doubt. Hopefully, by the end, both he and the audience will agree: there's no one else. He is Captain America, ready to lead the Avengers."

Wilson needs to act quickly. Only two films separate Brave New World from Avengers: Doomsday. He'll likely recruit his team 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 Bruce Banner might be waiting for the call. The assembly of Avengers 2.0 begins here.