Credit: Inside the MagicWith over seven months until release, Marvel’s new Captain America may already be in trouble.
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While reports may claim “superhero fatigue” is now in full effect, both Marvel and Disney have an exciting slate of films on the horizon, starting with this year’s Deadpool & Wolverine.
Acting as the third entry in Marvel’s irreverent Deadpool franchise, Deadpool & Wolverine will serve as the culmination of multiple arcs and storylines, as well as usher in a new age for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as a whole.
In the upcoming film, Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool teams up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine as the two attempt to fix an issue within the Multiverse. Not a lot is known about the plot of the upcoming film, though plenty of past Marvel characters are expected to make cameo appearances.
The R-rated action comedy is expected to break the box office when it releases this July, with Deadpool & Wolverine already generating an impressive amount of pre-sale tickets.
However, another upcoming Marvel movie may not enjoy the same fate, with Captain America: Brave New World seemingly being set up for failure from the start.
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Few Marvel projects have faced as many issues as Captain America: Brave New World. The next entry in Marvel’s long-running Captain America series will see Sam Wilson, formerly The Falcon, make his cinematic debut as the MCU’s new Captain America.
Many other Marvel icons are expected to return, with Harrison Ford also attached to the film. However, Marvel’s next Captain America film has struck a plethora of production issues that have inflated its budget considerably.
Originally titled Captain America: New World Order, this forthcoming installment was intended to hit theaters on May 3, 2024. This date was later changed to July 6, 2024, with the film eventually being pushed back to February 4, 2025.
The main reason for this release date shuffle is reshoots, with Captain America: Brave New World enduring an intense post-production process. It’s unclear how substantial these reshoots are, but given its lengthy delay, it’s likely a lot has been changed in the next Captain America film.
These reshoots have affected many aspects of the movie, most notably its budget. According to Twitter/X user ScreenTime, the film’s budget has ballooned to somewhere between $350 and $375 million.
‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’ reportedly has a budget of $350M-$375M
‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’ reportedly has a budget of $350M-$375M
(via: @worldofreel) pic.twitter.com/txgT940dCT
— ScreenTime (@screentime) June 27, 2024
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This budget all but sets Brave New World up for failure at the box office, with Marvel struggling to conjure up success with other recent releases. Marvel had an unusually rough year in 2023, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania scooping up less than half a billion on a reported budget of over $300 million.
The Marvels fared worse, generating a little over $200 million on a reported budget of $270 million.
Initial marketing and reception surrounding Captain America: Brave New World have not been very positive. While there’s certainly time to turn things around, with a big part of the film’s success depending on reviews and word of mouth, Brave New World is certainly not set up for the same level of success previous Marvel films have enjoyed, such as 2019’s Avengers: Infinity War or 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
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However, Disney and Marvel’s 2025 slate is still incredibly exciting, with several other highly anticipated films releasing next year. In 2025, fans will finally be introduced to Marvel’s first family in The Fantastic Four. Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four is expected to propel the MCU to new heights while introducing four fresh new faces.
Pedro Pascal will play Mister Fantastic, with Vanessa Kirby and Stranger Things’ Joseph Quin playing brother and sister, Sue and Johnny Storm, respectively. Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Thing, with Ozark’s Julia Garner rumored to play a variant of the Silver Surfer.
Ralph Ineson was recently confirmed to play Galactus in the film, who is expected to become the next “big bad” within the MCU.
Also releasing in 2025 is Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, a film in which several Marvel stars, both past and present, team up. Not a lot is known about the plot of Thunderbolts* (yes, the asterisk is part of the title), but Marvel promises this upcoming adventure will be one of the wildest yet, featuring an all-star cast.
Florence Pugh and David Harbour will reprise their roles from 2021’s Black Widow, and several other Marvel regulars, like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who portrays Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, will return.