Sam Wilson isn't Steve Rogers. He knows it, the world knows it, and President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross definitely knows it. If you went into the theater expecting a carbon copy of the First Avenger, you probably walked out realizing this is a completely different beast. Captain America: Brave New World isn't just a sequel; it’s a political powder keg that drags some of the MCU's most forgotten faces back into the light.
Honestly, the characters in Captain America Brave New World are what make the movie feel more like a grounded 70s spy thriller than a typical "cape and cowl" flick. You've got no super-soldier serum here. No magic hammers. Just a guy with wings and a shield trying to navigate a world that’s basically on the brink of a new world war over a giant frozen Celestial in the middle of the ocean.
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Sam Wilson: The Human Shield
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is finally the guy in charge. It’s been a long road from the VA center in D.C. to the White House. What’s interesting about Sam is that his "superpower" isn't his strength—it’s actually his empathy. Director Julius Onah has been pretty vocal about this. Sam was a pararescueman and a counselor before he was an Avenger. He listens. He negotiates.
But empathy doesn't stop a bullet or a Hulk-sized fist.
Because Sam doesn't have the serum, he has to be smarter. He uses a vibranium wingsuit and the shield to "level the playing field," as Mackie puts it. He’s the underdog. Think Rocky Balboa but with a jetpack. In this movie, he’s forced to deal with a global incident in Oaxaca, Mexico, involving stolen samples of adamantium—the stuff that makes Wolverine’s bones indestructible. Sam’s arc here is about proving he belongs in the lead, especially when he’s staring down a president who views him as a "sidekick."
Harrison Ford is Thaddeus Ross (and Something Much Redder)
Replacing the late, great William Hurt was never going to be easy. Harrison Ford steps in as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, and he isn't just a general or a Secretary of State anymore. He’s the President of the United States. Ford brings that classic "get off my plane" energy, but with a tragic twist.
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Ross is dying.
He has heart failure. To stay alive, he’s been taking gamma-infused pills developed by Samuel Sterns. It’s a desperate move by a man who wants to leave a legacy. But gamma radiation has side effects. Huge ones. When Ross loses his temper during a press conference after being publicly linked to Sterns, he finally transforms into the Red Hulk.
It’s a brutal, messy transformation. He destroys a good chunk of the White House. The fight between Sam and the Red Hulk is less about who can punch harder and more about Sam trying to reach the man inside the monster. He uses Ross’s memories of his daughter, Betty, to calm him down. It’s a weirdly personal moment in the middle of a massive Marvel action scene.
The Return of the Forgotten: Samuel Sterns and Betty Ross
It took 17 years, but Marvel finally remembered The Incredible Hulk exists.
Tim Blake Nelson is back as Samuel Sterns, now officially The Leader. He’s been in a "storytelling limbo" since 2008. In this film, he’s the puppet master. He isn't just a guy with a big head; he’s an intellectual powerhouse who uses technology and even specific songs—like "Mr. Blue"—to mind-control people. He frames Isaiah Bradley for an assassination attempt on Ross, which kicks off the whole plot.
And then there’s Liv Tyler.
Her return as Betty Ross adds the emotional weight the movie needs. She hasn't been seen since the Edward Norton days. Her presence is what ultimately pulls her father back from the brink of being a permanent Red Hulk. It’s a quiet, heavy performance that reminds us these "super" people have families they’ve completely failed.
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The New Guard: Falcon and Sabra
Danny Ramirez is Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon. He and Sam have a great, brotherly dynamic that feels way more natural than Sam’s old bickering with Bucky. Torres is an Air Force intelligence officer who’s trying to figure out how the physics of flying actually work while staying alive in a dogfight.
Then there’s Ruth Bat-Seraph, played by Shira Haas.
In the comics, she’s Sabra, an Israeli superhero. The movie takes a "new approach." She’s a former Black Widow turned U.S. government official. She’s Ross’s security advisor, and she’s a total wildcard. She doesn't have powers here, but she’s a lethal operative who ends up on a collision course with Sam because of her loyalty to the President.
A Crowd of Mercenaries and Veterans
The Serpent Society finally made it to the big screen, sort of. Giancarlo Esposito plays Seth Voelker, better known as Sidewinder. He’s a grounded, tactical mercenary who’s way more dangerous than a guy named after a snake has any right to be. He’s leading the crew trying to sell that stolen adamantium.
We also get more of Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley. His story is heart-wrenching. After everything he went through in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he’s mind-controlled into attacking Ross. It’s a cruel twist for a man who just wanted peace. Sam eventually clears his name, but the scars are there to stay.
What to Watch for Next
If you’ve finished the movie, the board is set for some massive shifts in the MCU. Here is what you should keep an eye on:
- The Raft: President Ross ends the movie incarcerated in the same underwater prison he used to throw the Avengers into during Civil War. Talk about irony.
- Adamantium: Now that the world knows about the metal on Celestial Island, expect every future movie to be a scramble for this resource. It’s the new Vibranium.
- The New Avengers: Sam is tasked with reforming the team. With Joaquin Torres as the new Falcon and potentially others joining, the "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" roster is about to look very different in Avengers: Doomsday.
To get the full picture of how we got here, it's worth re-watching the final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and, surprisingly, the 2008 Incredible Hulk. The connections are much deeper than just a few cameos.