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It is a new era, or better yet, a Brave New World for the Captain America franchise. Early next year, Marvel Studios will release the fourth Captain America film, this time starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson. This upcoming film picks up from the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and will depict Sam Wilson as he navigates his country's geopolitics as the new Captain America. 

Anthony Mackie first joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Falcon in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He helped Steve Rogers acclimate to life in the twenty-first century, establishing a strong sense of rapport and camaraderie with the first Captain America. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier miniseries on Disney+ further fleshed out the lives of Sam Wilson and his fellow Cap ally, Bucky Barnes, as the two tried to get on their feet again after being "blipped" out of existence for five years, thanks to Thanos. Now, Mackie will headline his own Captain America film, and will be joined by a star-studded cast. 

• Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
• Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross/Red Hulk
• Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder
• Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
• Rosa Salazar as Rachel Leighton/Diamondback
• Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon
• Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader
• Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph/Sabra
• Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley
• Takehiro Hira as Prime Minister Ozaki

Brave New World marks the return of beloved character actor, Tim Blake Nelson, to the MCU. He was briefly in 2008's The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton. Fans are also excited to see Giancarlo Esposito take on the role of Sidewinder. As Buggin' Out in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, and Moff Gideon on The Mandalorian, Esposito has left a memorable impression on pop culture. The sky is the limit when it comes to an Esposito performance. 

Captain America: Brave New World will release in theaters on February 14, 2025

Consider this a meta post-credits scene for Marvel fans - the four key articles you need to read next to continue the thrills:

• How to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in release or chronological order
• The best Marvel Comics stories of all time
• All the MCU movies ranked from best to worst
• Our weekly Marvel insider's column, Marvel Matters