Film Phase 5 — The Multiverse War (2025–2026)

Captain America: Brave New World

Name: Captain America: Brave New World
Released: 2025-02-14
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 6
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Tim Blake Nelson

"The future favors the brave."

Released February 14, 2025 1h 58m ★ 6.0TMDB ★ Essential

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

Watch note

Sam Wilson as Captain America defeats Red Hulk (Thaddeus Ross). The Leader is the hidden manipulator. Sam's arc from FATWS completes here — he's confirmed as a major Doomsday character.

Why It Matters in the MCU

The fourth Captain America film positions Sam Wilson in a geopolitical conspiracy that feels indebted to the Winter Soldier playbook while introducing the Red Hulk and pressing on the tension between Rogers' legacy and Wilson's own authority. Anthony Mackie's first solo film as Captain America works hardest in the sequences that probe what it means to carry the shield as a Black man in American political space. Harrison Ford's presidential turn gives the film an unexpected register — less superhero movie, more political thriller with costume elements — and his performance is the most interesting thing in the film.

Watch These First

17 titles lead into Captain America: Brave New World — 41 hours in total, 12 of them essential.

Captain America: The First Avenger Essential 2h 4m ★ 7.0
Thor Essential 1h 55m ★ 6.8
The Avengers Essential 2h 23m ★ 8.1
Iron Man 3 2h 10m ★ 6.9
Thor: The Dark World 1h 52m ★ 6.5
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Essential 2h 16m ★ 7.7
Guardians of the Galaxy Essential 2h 1m ★ 7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 2h 16m ★ 7.6
Avengers: Age of Ultron Essential 2h 21m ★ 7.3
Captain America: Civil War Essential 2h 27m ★ 7.4
Black Panther Essential 2h 14m ★ 7.4
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2h 13m ★ 7.3
Doctor Strange Essential 1h 55m ★ 7.4
Thor: Ragnarok Essential 2h 10m ★ 7.6
Avengers: Infinity War Essential 2h 29m ★ 8.2
Avengers: Endgame Essential 3h 2m ★ 8.2
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Season 1) 5h ★ 7.6

Create a watch plan for these 17

Opens the planner with just these titles, so you can set your own pace.

Where It Fits in the MCU

Captain America: Brave New World sits at position 157 of 165 in the MCU's story-chronological order, placing it within the Phase 5 — The Multiverse War (2025–2026) era. It is rated Essential — must-watch for following the main MCU narrative. Watching in story-chronological order provides the most coherent character development experience — individual arcs build naturally toward the franchise's major crossover events, with each film's post-credits scenes carrying forward into what follows.