Sam Wilson took over the mantle of Captain America following Avengers: Endgame. Steve Rogers entrusted his shield to Wilson after deciding not to return to the current timeline when he time-traveled to return the Infinity Stones to their respective timelines.
Wilson will officially make his feature film debut as the successor of Steve Rogers in Captain America: New World Order. The film is currently in development and filming will start early next year.
In the fourth installment of the Captain America series, Harrison Ford will be cast as General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross replacing William Hurt who passed away this year.
Nate Moore, the producer of the Captain America movies, shared some key details about the upcoming film.
Here's what Moore had to say to Collider's Steve Weintraub:
Well, look, Sam Wilson's Captain America, he is going to bring his own team to play. It's no secret that Samuel Sterns is making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is fantastic because Tim Blake Nelson's the best." Harrison Ford is taking on the role of General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, and to see Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, which if you remember actually threw him in prison at the end of Civil War because he violated the Sokovia Accords. There's going to be some natural sparks there, which I think are going to be really fun.
Ross and the Avengers have a long history in the MCU. It can be recalled that the General forced Samuel Sterns to use blood extracted from Bruce Banner / The Hulk on Emil Blonsky turning him into The Abomination.
Ross also proposed the Sokovia Accord which started the rift between Captain America and Tony Stark, leading to the Civil War. Wilson, then known as Falcon, sent Thunderbolt Ross to prison after the events of the Civil War.
Ross has always had an antagonistic relationship with the Avengers in the MCU. His actions may be protective of the United States but it has often led to a greater conflict with the superheroes. There will surely be some friction between Ross and Wilson.
The two may need to work on their differences as they try to stop Samuel Sterns, otherwise known as The Leader. It has been confirmed that The Leader will be the antagonist of the movie.
Dr. Samuel Sterns first appeared in The Incredible Hulk as Mr. Blue. He helped Bruce Banner develop an antidote for the Hulk while also making synthetic copies of Banner’s blood.
Sterns is attacked by the Abomination and receives some of Banner’s blood through a cut on his forehead. The doctor is last seen with a lump on his forehead, indicating that he has started to mutate.
We do not know yet how big of a part Thunderbolt Ross will play in the movie. It may be just an introduction for his character as he is also set to appear in Phase 5's Thunderbolts film.
Captain America: New World Order will be showing in theaters on May 3, 2024.
