Anthony Mackie steps into the lead role in Captain America: Brave New World. Here’s the first trailer for Marvel’s superhero flick, out next February.
Given the much-written-about problems going on behind the scenes on Captain America: Brave New World, we’ve been quietly wondering what on earth Marvel’s upcoming movie would look like.
There’s a confident swagger to the superhero film’s first trailer, though, with its opening seconds treating us to a distinctly Marvel in-joke: Mackie’s Sam Wilson (aka the new Cap) refers to Thaddeus Ross’ “new look” – a reference to the fact that the role is now being played by Harrison Ford, taking over from the late, much-missed William Hurt.
From there, it’s rapidly established that Ross is now President (not the first time Harrison Ford has occupied the role) and that both he and the White House are under attack from some particularly dangerous enemies.
Interestingly, the trailer makes plenty of room for Giancarlo Esposito’s indescribably cool-looking character, whose name we don’t know but we’re presuming is some kind of assassin (edit: he’s reportedly playing George Washington Bridge). It’s noteworthy because Esposito’s casting was only announced in early June, meaning the shots featuring him are likely a matter of weeks old.
Subject to several delays, Brave New World has had a change of writer and a round of extensive reshoots, said to be to improve the quality of its action sequences. Those reshoots are rumoured to have cost Marvel Studios somewhere in the region of $100m – or ten Godzilla Minus Ones.
Some variable CGI aside (something of a feature in Marvel films these days) there’s some pretty neat looking stuff in the trailer, including some crashing cars and the White House getting scalped like a spoon going through the top of a boiled egg.
Directed by Julius Onah, Captain America: Brave New World hits cinemas on the 25th February 2025 – a year to the day after Madame Web emerged. Everything’s going to be just fine.
