Captain America in the MCU: Who’s next?

Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME..L to R: Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

With big changes coming in Avengers: Endgame, the biggest question isn’t who’ll live, but who comes next for the Captain America mantle?

Marvel/Disney announced last week that The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) will be getting their own series on the upcoming Disney streaming service. Chris Evans has also repeatedly cryptically implied that he’s done all he wants with Captain America. From CinemaBlend.com:

"“I think just the completion of the arc. That’s safe to say, right? This movie does kind of provide an ending… he’s been through so much.”"

The question this brings up is: who will be the next Captain America? In recent comics both Winter Soldier and The Falcon had taken the mantle for stretches of time. With those two characters and actors locked into a small screen series, who else currently in–or hinted at existing in–the MCU has potential to wield the shield?

Hawkeye

The most well-known of potential inheritors is probably Clint Barton. It’s known that Clint turns up alive in Avengers: Endgame. In the comics, after Captain America’s death at the end of the Civil War storyline (much different than the movie version), Iron Man asked Clint take over the role, which he ultimately turned down. In the Marvel Comics Universe there has always been a long simmering rivalry between the two characters, which hasn’t been played up in the movies. There’s currently a Hawkeye miniseries planned for Disney+, which could set up the evolution of Hawkeye.

Pros:

Moving Hawkeye into the role would be a good “promotion” for Jeremy Renner. It also opens the door for some youth: making room to introduce Kate Bishop, the second Marvel Comics Hawkeye, who has been a fan favorite in several series over the past decade.

Cons:

Renner’s films The Born Legacy, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and Tag haven’t taken off. Disney might not think he has the box office prowess.