When Captain America: Brave New World arrived in theaters, it brought more than the weight of yet another MCU film—it came at a bumpy time for Marvel Studios. The times since Endgame have been rough, with lukewarm sequels, spotty Disney+ series, and mutterings (or perhaps grumblings) about superhero burn. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson fully becoming Captain America was set up as a possible inflection point. The question was simple: could this movie rekindle the spark?
The result is… complicated. Tone-wise, the film unmistakably attempts to get that political-thriller vibe of The Winter Soldier. Sam partners with new Falcon Joaquin Torres to exonerate Isaiah Bradley and expose a web of corruption that permeates the U.S. government. There’s a world-trotting aspect, a glittering MacGuffin in the shape of adamantium (extracted from a crashed Celestial, of course), and a President Ross, Harrison Ford playing the part vacated by William Hurt’s untimely passing, who hulks out during the third act. A few of the airborne set pieces do evoke the punch and precision of Top Gun: Maverick, but often the film’s grasp falls short of its reach.
At its core, Sam’s story is about legacy—shouldering Steve Rogers’ shield while knowing he’ll never be that Captain America. The script doesn’t dodge the subject; Ross delivers a blunt line, “You may be Captain America, but you’re not Steve Rogers,” that stings for Sam and, arguably, for the audience. Bucky Barnes, now improbably serving in Congress, offers the counterpoint: Sam was chosen for his integrity, not his brawn. It’s a good thematic premise, and Mackie’s natural charm makes it work, but the film never explores that conflict as deeply as it should.
The public has been much more charitable than critics. With a 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, Brave New World ranks near the bottom of the MCU franchise, although the 79% audience score indicates that there was still a big section of viewers who liked it for its sincerity and spectacle. Collider called it “one of the weakest entries in the decades-long franchise,” but some fans believe the backlash is overblown—flawed movie or not, they consider Sam Wilson’s Captain America a merited progression.
The box office is uneven. Opening more than Presidents Day weekend with $100 million domestically and $192 million internationally, the film appeared primed to perform well. But a vicious 68% plunge in week two derailed momentum, and the domestic total just scraped through $200 million. With a global finish of $400 million after six weeks, it adds to the list of Marvel’s poorest performers in recent memory. It has been called “the new normal” by analysts such as Paul Dergarabedian—a downbeat prospect for a studio that used to make billion-dollar smashes look routine.
Why the slowdown? There’s some outright burnout here—35 movies in, the formula is beginning to fray at the seams. But there is also a feeling that Marvel’s storytelling compass is losing its bearings. Critics have described Brave New World as a rushed cut-up of The Winter Soldier and Civil War, minus the conviction or concentration that made them succeed. The Serpent Society appears but hardly makes a dent, various subplots struggle to be heard, and the references to earlier MCU entries sometimes read as homework instead of something clever. Even the action, though refined, never quite feels inspired.
Its political commentary tries to address government overreach, Blip-era tensions, and the moralities of leadership, instead of skimming the surface instead of diving in. Harrison Ford’s President Ross might have been the ideal vehicle through which to examine institutional responsibility, but the script remains on safer, more generic ground. As one critic jibed, the movie appears “so set on not offending white audiences” that it grinds its rougher edges off.
Nevertheless, the film is not without significance. It brings adamantium into the MCU, recovered from a Celestial carcass, to pave the way for potential conflicts, perhaps even wars between Wakanda and other countries. It establishes definitively that there’s no functioning Avengers unit, positioning Sam to assemble one when Ross quits. It sows seeds for Thunderbolts and Avengers: Doomsday, too, and quietly moves on from the Blip-era Phase 4 baggage.
And then there’s representation. Sam Wilson as Captain America remains a rarity: a Black lead carrying one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. That the film didn’t receive broader acclaim, despite Mackie’s engaging performance and the weight of what his character represents, points to uncomfortable truths about audience expectations and the industry’s limits on progress.
Captain America: Brave New World is an MCU turning point—half-legacy-conscious, half-trying to find a new path. It’s sloppy, overstuffed, and too often plays it safe, but it also marks a change in Marvel’s era of storytelling. If it’s looked back upon as a decent stumble or a necessary change, it will depend on what follows. One thing’s for sure: Marvel can no longer afford to coast. As Sam Wilson himself, the franchise must earn its right to bear the shield.
More related images you may be interested in:
