The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns this week with “Captain America: Brave New World,” a superhero espionage thriller that serves as both a direct sequel to 2021’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and the fourth installment in the “Captain America” franchise — and it’s sort of a sequel to 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk,” too. It also marks the first time Anthony Mackie has gotten to lead his own MCU film as Sam Wilson. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the character has an easy road ahead of him.
“Brave New World” pits Mackie’s Air Force veteran against multiple threats, including a nefarious secret organization known as the Serpent Society (led by Giancarlo Esposito’s villainous Sidewinder) and the MCU’s newly elected President of the United States, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). The film, in other words, features both new and old MCU characters who range from well-known to obscure. Its direct franchise predecessor just so happens to be a Disney+ series that came out four years ago as well.
To put it simply: There is a lot you will need to know and remember before you go see the film this weekend, so here are the Marvel titles you should watch before “Captain America: Brave New World,” ranked from most to least necessary.
“The Incredible Hulk” (2008)
“The Incredible Hulk” may be 17 years old and its connections to the MCU may have been minimal, to say the least, up to this point, but it’s undoubtedly the most important movie to watch before “Captain America: Brave New World.” The film, for starters, features the most substantial turn that the late William Hurt ever gave as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. The character never had a prominent role in the MCU while Hurt was alive. That’s going to change in “Brave New World,” in which he’ll be played by Harrison Ford, and “The Incredible Hulk” offers viewers the most insight into Ross’ past, family and his opinion of superheroes.
“The Incredible Hulk” also introduces Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns, a cellular biologist whose physical transformation into the comic book villain known as The Leader is hinted at in the final act of the film. The character is often forgotten about by even die-hard MCU fans, but he’s about to make his return to the franchise in “Captain America: Brave New World.”
“The Incredible Hulk” is streaming now on Disney+.
“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” (2021)
Sam Wilson may have been given the Captain America shield before the events of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” but it’s only at the end of the six-episode Disney+ series that he officially assumes the mantle. No other MCU entry gives viewers a better idea of what kind of Captain America Sam is going to be, as well as what separates him from Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).
The series also introduces a few key “Captain America: Brave New World” figures, including Sam’s new MCU sidekick Joaquín Torres (Danny Ramirez), as well as Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), an African-American super soldier whose mistreatment and torture at the hands of the U.S. government has left him understandably disillusioned. It looks like Isaiah will play a pivotal role in the conspiracy-laden plot of “Brave New World,” so revisiting his scenes in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” doesn’t just seem important, but mandatory.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is streaming now on Disney+.
“Eternals” (2021)
Marvel confirmed last year that the plot of “Captain America: Brave New World” partly revolves around the discovery of Adamantium, a new-to-the-MCU element found on the corpse of Tiamut, the celestial whose Earth-destroying birth was stopped short in “Eternals.” Some of the trailers for “Brave New World” have even featured footage of Sam Wilson flying toward and around Tiamut’s protruding hand. With that in mind, if you want to know why there’s a giant godlike being’s body just sticking partially out of the ocean in “Brave New World,” it’s “Eternals” you should turn to.
“Eternals” is streaming now on Disney+.
“Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
“Avengers: Endgame” isn’t as deeply linked to the plot of “Captain America: Brave New World” as the first three entries on this list. As a matter of fact, Anthony Mackie barely appears in the first 2 ½ hours of the film. That said, the climactic MCU installment ends with Steve Rogers passing the Captain America mantle onto Mackie’s Sam Wilson. So, if you want to know why Evans isn’t the MCU’s Captain America anymore or simply want to revisit the moment when Mackie’s era as the character began, look to “Endgame.”
“Avengers: Endgame” is streaming now on Disney+.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014)
It doesn’t look like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” will share many narrative connections with “Captain America: Brave New World.” The film does feature Anthony Mackie’s MCU debut as Sam Wilson, though, which makes it a worthy of a revisit, but only if you feel the need to reintroduce yourself to Steve Rogers’ Captain America successor or — if you’re an MCU newbie — get to know him a little better for the first time.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is streaming now on Disney+.
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
Again, you don’t need to watch “Captain America: Civil War” before you see “Captain America: Brave New World.” Sam Wilson doesn’t even have that noteworthy of a role in the film. He does, however, side with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in the movie’s central Sokovia Accords debate — a decision that puts him on the bad side of Thaddeus Ross. So, if you want some insight into the slight but nonetheless contentious history Sam and Ross share in the MCU before you watch them square off in “Brave New World,” you might want to consider watching “Civil War.”
“Captain America: Civil War” is streaming now on Disney+.
