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Credit: Marvel StudiosThe Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been full of surprises, and the highly anticipated Captain America: Brave New World is no exception. With reshoots galore and speculation swirling around Sebastian Stan’s future as Captain America, it’s safe to say that fans are in for quite the ride.
Directed by Julius Onah, the film has reportedly undergone extensive reshoots—something that isn’t unusual for Marvel, but actor Tim Blake Nelson (who plays Samuel Sterns/Leader) hinted that the movie was practically filmed twice.
Reshoots are par for the course with a project of this scale, but rumors of poor test screenings have raised concerns about the final product. Despite these hurdles, the movie is shaping up to be an interesting addition to the MCU. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson will take on his first solo outing as Captain America after inheriting the shield from Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame (2019) and cementing his role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Early footage teased a story packed with geopolitical intrigue and power struggles—plus the highly anticipated debut of Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross and the Red Hulk.
One big question on fans’ minds: Where is Bucky Barnes? Despite being a major figure in Captain America’s journey–having been side by side with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) since Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)–Sebastian Stan’s character has been noticeably absent from trailers and promo materials. Mackie even joked that he wouldn’t have his “friends” on set this time around, referencing both Bucky and Baron Zemo (played by Daniel Brühl).
However, all hope is not lost. Reports suggest that Stan might make a brief appearance in Brave New World, potentially setting up his involvement in Thunderbolts* (2025), Marvel’s team-up film coming in May that will end Phase Five for good. Even if his screen time is short, it seems Bucky Barnes isn’t going anywhere.
Interestingly, the film itself isn’t going to be around for long, either. According to theater listings, Captain America: Brave New World clocks in at 1 hour and 58 minutes, making it one of the shortest films in the MCU. It ties in with Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) at joint sixth on the list of shortest Marvel movies.
It’s also the shortest Captain America installment, with previous entries–Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and Captain America: Civil War (2016)–all surpassing the two-hour mark.
Now, new information has come to light regarding the upcoming Marvel movie. According to projections, Captain America: Brave New World is on track to deliver $95 million over its four-day opening weekend over Presidents Day and Valentine’s Day weekend.
“Tickets went on sale Monday, and we hear they’re currently pacing 15% behind Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which opened to $118M.4M,” Deadline reported. “They’re also above Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($94.6M 4-day) in addition to Black Adam ($67M) and The Flash ($55M).”
As the outlet notes, Disney and Marvel Studios hold the top spot for the biggest four-day opening box office over Presidents Day weekend with 2018’s Black Panther.
It has also been confirmed that Captain America: Brave New World is, unsurprisingly, rated PG-13 as most of the MCU movies are, with the exception of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), which is the first R-rated movie in the franchise. During its box office run, it went on to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, surpassing Joker (2019) and Oppenheimer (2023).
While fans don’t know the future of Captain America in the MCU, although reports suggest that Anthony Mackie will be suiting up alongside Chris Evans in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Sebastian Stan will lead the charge in Thunderbolts*, joining Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova/Black Widow and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in a team of anti-heroes navigating a world that doesn’t fully trust them.
As Marvel enters its next era, the future of Captain America—and Bucky Barnes’s role in it—remains an exciting mystery. Whether he’s the Winter Soldier, a Thunderbolt, or potentially the next Captain America, Sebastian Stan is set to remain a crucial part of the MCU’s evolving narrative.
Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters worldwide on February 14, 2025. The film also stars Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker/Sidewinder, Shira Haas as Ruta Bat-Seraph, and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley.
What do you think of the film’s new stats? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!