Fans Decry Title of ‘Captain America 4’ For Racist Origins

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Credit: Marvel Studios

Sometimes it seems like Anthony Mackie cannot catch a break with Marvel fans. Left and right, even major publications refuse to acknowledge that Sam Wilson is Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And even after six episodes of Falcon and the Winter Solider on Disney+, many refused to admit that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) chose Sam Wilson to take his shield over Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). And now Sam Wilson has a new hurdle to overcome as some fans find the title of Captain America: New World Order problematic.

Related: Marvel Loses Hundreds of Millions, Disney’s Most Profitable Studio “In a Bit of a Slump” 

Anthony Mackie as Captain America
Credit: Marvel Studios

Sam Wilson fans have a rough time waiting for updates on his next appearance in the Marvel Universe, suffering as another Captain America variant, Captain Carter (Haley Atwell), stole the spotlight by taking over the Captain America Twitter account when she debuted on What If…? and cameoed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). And Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige finally announced that Captain America 4 will come in May 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con.

But fans quickly pointed out that the New World Order title comes from an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Per Middlebury Institute of International Studies, the New World Order (NWO) conspiracy can be described as:

“The New World Order (NWO) is a conspiracy theory in which adherents believe that a cabal of powerful elites is secretly implementing a dystopian international governing structure that will grant them complete control over the global populace. […] While the associated rhetoric within these online groups can appear innocuous at first, this conspiracy theory presents a real-world danger, as it promotes a fatalistic worldview for adherents, possibly inciting them to commit violence against communities, infrastructure, and individuals deemed complicit in the NWO’s implementation.

This cabal narrative is commonly associated with other anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that claim Jewish culpability, alleging that they are behind the orchestration of the NWO, leading to an increased danger towards Jewish communities.”

Related: Marvel Confirms One Avenger WILL Join the Thunderbolts

Anthony Mackie holding Captain America's shield
Credit: Marvel Studios

While Disney and Marvel Studios have made a lot of progress in Phase Four to correct the Jewish erasure of characters like Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) by introducing the MCU’s first Jewish superhero in Moon Knight with Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley (Oscar Isaac), but Jewish fans are not willing to write Marvel Studios a blank check.

Users like demonicowgirl expressed their frustration, saying:

“marvel really named a movie after the new world order like. does nobody in that studio have an internet connection. have they never encountered a single conspiracy theory in their life.”

And Jewish Armenian agrees:

“marvel naming their next captain america movie “new world order” shows how antisemitism is undertaught & unknown to the public. otherwise, they wouldn’t use the name of one of the most prominent antisemitic conspiracy theories for a movie about superheroes. #MarvelStudios”

And noimjory was quick to point out the possible consequences of Captain America: New World Order:

“Having new world order be a part of a marvel title is a really bad choice and is gonna set a lot of right wing conspiracy weirdos off”

Related: Fans Call For Marvel, ‘Black Panther 2’ Boycott After “Biggest Attack In MCU History”

What is the origin of Marvel’s New World Order?

Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. the Red Skull, from Captain America: The First Avenger
Credit: Marvel Studios

In Marvel Comics, New World Order is a group of villains led by Johann Schmidt/Red Skull based on the real world conspiracy theory. First introduced in Incredible Hulk #403 (1993) by Peter David and Gary Frank, members include Cain Marko/Juggernaut, Marvin Flumm/Mentallo, Piecemeal, Silvio Manfredi/Silvermane, Philip Sterns/Madman, and Carl Creel/Absorbing Man.

The team of supervillains only appeared in five issues of the Incredible Hulk before Red Skull abandoned the team and that specific plan for taking over the world. It could be a hint that someone new could be taking over the mantle of Red Skull; Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving/Ross Marquand) is off guarding the Soul Stone.

Nigerian American filmmaker Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) will direct the fourth installment of the Captain America film franchise for Marvel Studios.

Do you have a  problem with the title of Captain America 4?

You can stream Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the seven series in Marvel’s Phase Four so far — Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s WandaVision, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, Marvel’s What If…?, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight, and Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel  — on Disney+ anytime

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