Every Marvel, DC and comic book movie coming in 2025 and beyond
By Josh Baggins
Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Director: Julius Onah
Writers: Dalan Musson, and Malcolm Spellman
Cast:
• Anthony Mackie – Captain America/Sam Wilson
• Shira Haas – Sabra
• Tim Blake Nelson – Leader/Samuel Sterns
• Danny Ramirez – Falcon/Joaquin Torres
• Carl Lumbly – Isaiah Bradley
• Harrison Ford – Thunderbolt Ross
• Liv Tyler – Betty Ross
• Giancarlo Esposito – Sidewinder/Seth Voelker
The previous Captain America feature came out about nine years before Brave New World's release date. Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers stood as a symbol of liberty in three solo Captain America adventures and four Avengers epics, with his last appearance in Avengers: Endgame. In his closing moments, he gifted his shield to Anthony Mackie’s Falcon.
Sam Wilson did not immediately assume the role as the leader of heroes. Mackie starred in the limited series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which charted Sam’s path to becoming Captain America. So now with Steve Rogers gone, Brave New World will be the first cinematic experience with the new Captain America. And he will not be facing off against former antagonists such as Baron Zemo or U.S. Agent. Surprisingly, this film will see the return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Leader, who’s only MCU attendance was in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. This announcement is doubly unexpected because it will be over 15 years between appearances and Leader is normally a Hulk foe.
Liv Tyler will also reprise her role from The Incredible Hulk, whose father will now be depicted by Harrison Ford, after the passing of William Hurt. Talented Nigerian American director, Julius Onah, will be taking the franchise over from the Russo Brothers. Luce showcased his proclivity for tense sequences, which could fit with the tone of other Captain America movies like Civil War and The Winter Soldier. And speaking of Winter Soldier, at the moment there is no word on whether Sebastian Stan will reunite with Captain America in Brave New World, although he will be joining a new team…
Thunderbolts*
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Director: Jake Schreier
Writers: Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin
Cast:
• Julia Louis-Dreyfuss – Contessa Valentina
• Florence Pugh – Black Widow/Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan – Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes
• Wyatt Russell – U.S. Agent/John Walker
• David Harbour – Red Guardian/Alexei
• Hannah John-Kamen – Ghost/Ava Starr
• Olga Kurylenko – Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov
• Lewis Pullman – Sentry/Robert Reynolds
• Harrison Ford – Thunderbolt Ross
The Thunderbolts are an anti-Avengers assembly of not-so-good guys. After over 30 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will finally debut a supervillain team-up. While multiple named antagonists have compiled in a single narrative, villains from previous films have not yet gathered together in a large follow-up event. So, Thunderbolts should be an enticing prospect for the franchise.
The character who was guaranteed from the beginning to round up the Thunderbolts is Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, brought to life by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. She could operate similar to Nick Fury’s role within the Avengers – recruiting the members of the team. Thus far, she appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, molding Captain Walker into U.S. Agent, in Black Widow, giving Yelena a nudge toward taking out Hawkeye, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, unveiling her position as the head of the CIA. Surprisingly, she was nowhere to be found in the Hawkeye miniseries, but a cameo in Captain America: Brave New World would seem probable.
The most popular veteran MCU figure on the Thunderbolts squad will be the Winter Soldier, as he is the only teammate to also suit up as an Avenger. His opponent from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, John Walker, will learn to work beside him in this movie. Three standout Black Widow cast members will return; Florence Pugh as the new foremost Black Widow, David Harbour as Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster. Ant-Man and the Wasp’s Hannah John-Kamen will round out the Thunderbolts roster as Ghost, while Lewis Pullman will have his inauguration as the unfathomably formidable golden guardian, Sentry.