Marvel’s fourth standalone Captain America movie has officially changed its name prior to release, switching the title from ‘New World Order’ to ‘Captain America: Brave New World.’ But what was the reason behind this name change and will it affect the production or narrative of the film?
The ending of Avengers: Endgame had a major ripple effect on the MCU, as it signaled the beginning of a new era for Marvel’s Captain America franchise. The retirement of Steve Rogers opened the door for Anthony Mackie to transition from his role as Falcon to become America’s leading superhero.
Over the course of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, we saw Mackie’s character Sam Wilson struggle with picking up the heavy responsibility that came along with the iconic Vibranium Shield. But now, with much on the line in the next Captain America title, we will likely see the best version of Sam Wilson yet.
Why was Captain America 4 name changed?
During Disney’s D23 Expo event, this movie was initially announced as Captain America: New World Order. Many expected it to feed off the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier and every other MCU project that had its connections on Earth such as Black Widow and Hawkeye.
There was some surprising news, however, on June 6, as Anthony Mackie and Marvel revealed on social media that the Captain America movie would be called Brave New World instead of New World Order. Marvel has yet to share any reason for this change and it is unlikely that they will before its release, as it could spoil events in the movie.
There have already been a few theories behind why it might have been switched, with the most simple answer being that it better fits the narrative of the new Captain America installment. There are also suggestions that the phrase “New World Order” has been linked to online conspiracies and political groups in real life, so Marvel may also be trying to distance itself from any potential external controversy.
Will Brave New World be any different?
With the new title comes the question of what else could be changed in the movie. The previous name gave some the expectation that we could see a continuation of the events in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The rise of terrorist groups like the Flag Smashers, who were attempting to fight against the ideals of the Global Repatriation Council, put political unrest at the center of the story, forcing Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes to travel the world to make things right. A focus on Captain America trying to fully restore political balance post Thanos’ snap would make a lot of sense for the upcoming release.
While the title Brave New World certainly doesn’t rule that out, it could also be expanding its focus to include more potential characters and storylines. After introducing the likes of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the CIA director who had recruited the U.S. Agent, and Yelena Belova to a mysterious task force for unknown reasons, could they also have any involvement in the upcoming Captain America movie? Could Hydra make a return? or will we see a completely new threat?
Much of the details are still yet to be revealed, but Marvel will likely share more information alongside the first trailer of Captain America: Brave New World. As of now, the film is currently slated for May 3, 2024, so we still have a bit of a wait ahead of us