Captain America: Brave New World will be the project that opens a new chapter for the MCU in 2025. The first trailer for this blockbuster officially debuted on July 13, marking a new journey for the character Sam Wilson, who has inherited the vibranium shield from Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame.
The appearance of Red Hulk seems to be the focal point of the Captain America: Brave New World trailer, along with numerous hints about other characters such as Samuel Sterns/The Leader and Isaiah Bradley. However, this trailer also reveals an important detail that may lead to the formation of a new superhero team to replace the Avengers. The focus here is the complicated relationship between Captain America and U.S. President Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross.
Speculation: Sam Wilson’s Refusal to Collaborate with Thaddeus Ross as a Prelude to the Thunderbolts
One of the most anticipated elements in Captain America: Brave New World is the relationship between the new Captain America and the U.S. President. According to the trailer, Thaddeus Ross, in a new role, has offered Sam Wilson a position within the U.S. military to control this superhero. Previously, in Captain America: Civil War, Ross and Cap (Steve Rogers) had significant disagreements regarding the Sokovia Accords. Instead of submitting to government oversight, Steve decided to go rogue to save Bucky Barnes and form his own team.
In a teaser aired exclusively at CinemaCon, Marvel Studios confirmed that the Avengers are currently “inactive†and not operational at all post-Endgame. Ross is going to persuade Captain America to “get in line” with the current administration and work under the supervision of the U.S. government. However, it is likely that Sam Wilson will refuse this offer, as he has always been a loyal member of Steve Rogers’ team. This could also explain why Red Hulk (Ross) is in direct conflict with Sam in the upcoming blockbuster.
Without the Avengers at his disposal, Ross will have to turn to a different team, a team that is less “clean,” ready to undertake darker missions. This could potentially be the Thunderbolts – a team that is set to debut next year. In the comics, Ross has a close connection with this team. Additionally, Bucky Barnes, after the events in The Falcon & the Winter Soldier, is also on the path to becoming a “dark hero” and may serve as the leader of the Thunderbolts – according to Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios.
Understanding the Connection Between Thaddeus Ross and the Thunderbolts
Despite having a shared name, the Thunderbolts are not named after Thaddeus Ross. Ross himself will also join this team and even become its leader as Red Hulk. The Thunderbolts primarily execute missions related to Ross’s dark past in the military but do not have any direct connections with the U.S. government. In the film version, Ross will become President. Therefore, Marvel Studios will need to create a new storyline compared to the comic version. However, this does not prevent Thunderbolt Ross and the Thunderbolts from collaborating in the future of the MCU.
In 2022, there were reports confirming that Harrison Ford, who plays Thunderbolt Ross, will appear in Thunderbolts*. However, since then, Marvel Studios has been quite tight-lipped about this blockbuster, and fans will likely have to wait for major events like San Diego Comic-Con (July 25-28) for more information regarding Thunderbolts. Currently, Marvel Studios has confirmed members such as Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, Ghost, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, and Taskmaster. Red Hulk will be an incredible asset for the Thunderbolts’ strength, especially against Sentry (played by Lewis Pullman) – Marvel’s Superman.
Thunderbolts are a perfect fit for Ross’s dark plans
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is currently the one mobilizing the members for the Thunderbolts in the MCU. This character has previously appeared in projects like Black Widow and The Falcon & the Winter Soldier. Following that, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever revealed that Valentina is actually the CIA director in the MCU. With her current role, Valentina could potentially be a perfect ally for President Thaddeus Ross.
With Sam Wilson refusing Ross’s offer, instead of trying to recruit the Avengers, the U.S. President could team up with Valentina to form the Thunderbolts as a superhero group under government supervision. This will also diminish Ross’s cooperation with Captain America, as one of the Thunderbolts members is John Walker – who briefly served as Captain America after Steve Rogers.
Thunderbolts can take on missions that the Avengers cannot
The Thunderbolts will allow Ross to operate in the shadows, with teams that defy superhero ethics. The Avengers are the most famous superhero team in the world, symbolizing safety and the integrity of the Earth. In contrast, almost all members of the Thunderbolts come from dark backgrounds and carry darker inclinations. This allows Ross to assign them missions that the Avengers cannot undertake, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad.
Currently, the CIA is also using technology to track Vibranium, which Riri Williams/Ironheart created to protect this rare metal across various regions. The Thunderbolts could utilize this storyline, with Valentina potentially extracting a new type of Vibranium from Savage Land, similar to the original Marvel comics. After years of the Avengers being inactive in the MCU, Captain America: Brave New World will introduce a new team for the most courageous heroes on Earth, while also strengthening the superhero faction ahead of the upcoming Secret Wars.
Source: ScreenRant
