So, I'm sure most of you out there caught that reveal teaser for Captain America Brave New World or as I would call it The Winter Soldier 2.0 which isn't a bad thing when you factor in the Tom Clancyesque intrigue. Most of you would notice right away that there's that same spinning kick move that Sam Wilson performed in the 2014 sequel and while I have had slight reservations when first hearing about this sequel slated for Valentine's Day 2025, this teaser shows promise.
Well, it should after several script revisions and reshoots so I guess it makes sense that Marvel Studios should dial it down to one movie per year, as opposed to cranking out three a year, which in hindsight, did not pay off especially during the infamous MCU Phase four stage.
So, now that we have finally seen a tease from this trailer, will Captain America A Brave New World help to reignite that Marvel magic from the 2010s?
As someone who liked Disney Plus Falcon and the Winter Soldier except for that hammy “do better “ speech, I think this movie has potential, but that's my perception from the trailer bias aside. Now this is not going to be one of those "Reaction" videos with some content creator making an exaggerated facial expression on his or her thumbnail, but a few observations
From what was shown during the trailer:
Isaiah Bradley's role is reminiscent to The Manchurian Candidate, when the forgotten War hero as well as the first Super Soldier is attempting to assassinate President Roos, during what seems to be a Whitehouse event, one theory could be that he was used as a "sleeper assassin" just like Bucky Barnes, but after what may or may not be a failed attempt Isiah leaps through a window meaning that his fall didn’t stick to landing ergo the following shot of a funeral. It would have been interesting per se if Bradley was still pissed about how he was mistreated by a racist United States government decades ago and just blacked out for a lack of a better word, but that arc from FATWS was cathartic so there’s no need for a rehash at this stage in the game.
While some scientists may have harvested the Super Soldier serum from Bradley's blood to duplicate the formula, it’s more likely that Ross will take it upon himself to personally inject the unproven serum ergo, Red Hulk or "Rulk" for short.
There's so much to take in from a 1-minute spot but I'll make it short and simple, like the silhouetted man with a somewhat elongated hat and mysterious voice is obviously the Leader as in Sam Sterns who was last seen in 2008's Incredible Hulk. I have no idea which role Giancarlo Esposito is supposed to be and while many suggested him playing an antagonist, his part could go either way. He could be a special federal agent for all we know.
Joaquin Torres formerly of Falcon and the Winter Soldier returns but this time, he plays a bigger role as the new Falcon as both are shown soaring in the skies with Uncle Sam having a new "Super Suit " the Helmet makes more sense physics wise, especially when flying at super speed.
One of the big elephants in the room aside from Rulk, is Sam Wilson as the new Captain America capable of taking on bigger threats without having the Super Soldier serum? Yes, he held his own during Captain America the Winter Soldier, Civil War, and even the Avengers Infinity saga but without the beneficiaries from the serum, or even power armor like Iron Man, it's going to take more than a winged jetpack to fight Ross' red rampaging alter ego, but from the looks of the trailer, Sam still has a good throwing arm as that mighty shield nearly took down the entire Whitehouse....oh, that scene wasn't shot like that on purpose? My bad. 😜
Maybe Sebastián Stan will take some time from filming the Thunderbolts to make a guest appearance and Sam is gonna need some serious backup when going against Ross, the Leader and or maybe Emil Bronsky but the latter has lightened up a bit so perhaps he could be an unexpected ally.
I love toying around with these theories including my own just to see if any of us "called it."
Will Brave New World may just be the cure for Marvel Studios' slump next to Deadpool and Wolverine? While parts of the film may encompass both themes and rudiments from Captain America The Winter Soldier and to some degree, Whitehouse Down" personally, I have faith in Nate Moore and Michael Spellman who might recapture that lightning from a bottle unlike Thor: Love and Thunder.
And speaking of sappy, what's with Comic Book movies being released on Valentine's Day? Must be the "Red" aesthetic but most couples I assume would rather go to a restaurant or spend quality time at home doing well....