Sam Wilson will soon officially carry on the Captain America mantle on the big screen in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, and a new update from one of the film’s stars is promising for a return to one of the MCU Phase 1 and 2’s biggest strengths. The movies of the MCU have kept the franchise a cinematic juggernaut for over a decade and a half, but it’s hard to argue that Marvel’s behemoth hasn’t lost a beat of steam in the past few years. There’s no simple fix to the Marvel Studios’ ailments, but Captain America 4’s story and central villain may be a step in the right direction.

Though The MCU’s saga-closing Avengers movies are set to arrive in 2026 and 2027, it already feels like the final push of solo films has begun – perhaps due to an unusually light 2024 (Deapool & Wolverine being the only MCU movie of the year). After the Merc with a Mouth hits theaters in July 2024, Sam Wilson will usher in 2025, followed by Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four. If Captain America: Brave New World can offer a tonal return-to form, the MCU may have an easier time finding its footing in time for the saga’s final narrative push.