Captain America: Brave New World star, Anthony Mackie, promises the new MCU movie will see the franchise return to its former greatness, after a string of underperforming and unloved entries. Brave New World has Mackie returning as Sam Wilson once again, after he formally accepted the mantel of Captain America in the Disney+ series, Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Wilson faces a new challenge in Brave New World in the form of the Serpent Society.
Alongside Mackie, the movie also stars Harrison Ford as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a.k.a. Red Hulk, Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker, Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader, and Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.
In a new featurette for Captain America: Brave New World, which went behind-the-scenes on the movie’s production, Anthony Mackie gave fans a major reason to be excited about the MCU’s next entry. “I come to set every day with a smile on my face ’cause we’re making Captain America,” the actor began. “And being handed the shield, it just means a lot to me. It’s personal.”
Mackie’s next statement got a lot of fans even more excited, as the actor promised that Brave New World would transport them back to the heyday of the MCU. He explained:

“Audiences are going to really appreciate [Brave New World] bringing it back to old-school Marvel, and I’m excited for people to see that.”

Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige also appeared in the featurette and explained where we find Sam Wilson at the start of Brave New World. While the former Falcon was reluctant about picking up the shield in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, according to Feige, he’s wholeheartedly committed to the role in the new movie. “He has made that decision to become, unabashedly, Captain America,” Feige said.
Harrison Ford’s Casting Was a “Pinch Yourself” Moment for Kevin Feige

In the featurette, Feige also addressed the elephant (or should we say Red Hulk?) in the room: Ford’s casting. “Harrison Ford playing President Ross, is one of the many ‘pinch yourself’ moments,” Feige said. Ford took over the role from the late William Hurt, who played Thunderbolt Ross in The Incredible Hulk, and reprised the role in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame, and Black Widow, before his passing in 2022.

Related

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Popcorn Bucket Will Let You Dig for Snacks in Red Hulk’s Back

A new wave of wild popcorn buckets has arrived just in time for ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’

Ford has joked in the past about taking on the role for that sweet, sweet Marvel paycheck, but in the featurette he seemed a lot more serious. Ford said he knew a lot of actors who were taking on MCU movies, and felt a bit of FOMO from seeing the final films. “I’ve seen actors in the Marvel movies have a really good time,” Ford said. “And I thought, ‘Well, maybe I ought to get me some of that.'”
Captain America: Brave New World debuts in theaters on February 14. It is one of three MCU movies being released this year. Thunderbolts*, named after Ford’s character in Brave New World, hits theaters on May 2, 2025, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps lands on July 25, 2025.