All eyes are on Captain America: Brave New World to turn the tides for Marvel. The movie will mark the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the beginning of the second half of Phase Five of the Multiverse Saga.
Because Phase Four failed to impress and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania felt like the first real whack at the nail in Marvel’s coffin, it’s up to Phase Five to get things back on course. Thankfully, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 got that process started but because that film is isolated from the overall MCU story arc, it is less of an indication of happy times and more of a happy outlier.
With Liv Tyler making her long-awaited return, Harrison Ford debuting as Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and the new title change foreshadowing big changes to come, the anticipation for Anthony Mackie’s first solo outing as the Sentinel of Justice is bigger than ever.
Here are eight extremely plausible and outrageously exciting ways Marvel could inject some life into the MCU and resuscitate the franchise before it peters out before our very eyes.
Tie up that Eternals loose end
Marvel is not immune to plot holes, but the Celestial-sized plot hole from Eternals has been arguably the biggest eyesore of them all (literally). Early Brave New World rumors suggested an island was being built on the film set, hopefully indicating that Marvel was finally doing something about the Celestial Tiamut, whose body is literally sticking out of the earth right now. Those rumors also suggested the island would become Genosha, one of the many homes of the X-Men, and that it would become the harvesting ground of Adamantium. Speaking of which…
Introduce Adamantium once and for all
We know mutants are coming. They’re actually already here (ahem, Kamala Khan), but it’s all very subdued at the moment. Brave New World is the perfect opportunity for the MCU to come right out and say it — “it” being Adamantium and by extension the X-Men. Can you imagine the raucous applause from moviegoers when the word Adamantium is finally uttered in the MCU? It’d mark a huge turning point for the MCU, and as a lifelong fan of the X-Men, I’m literally jittery at the possibility.
Bring on the New Avengers
With Avengers: Kang Dynasty taking place a mere four movies after Brave New World, it’s about time Marvel introduce the New Avengers. The running rumor is that Brave New World will be the place where that finally happens. Since Sam Wilson is rumored to be the one who forms the New Avengers and since the film’s director Julius Onah confirmed that Sam Wilson will be “stepping up to be the leader,” it only makes sense for the long-awaited union to finally happen in Brave New World. Of course, if you’re a misogynistic manbaby, don’t get your hopes up because this lineup of Avengers is rumored to be three times as inclusive as the last one.
Tease the Weapons X program
Since both Wolverine and Deadpool are a part of the Weapon X program and will be sharing the screen in Phase Six’s Deadpool 3, it’s time for Marvel to start sprinkling in some details about the underground genetic research facility. Brave New World doesn’t need to cram in a whole storyline about it if there isn’t room, but mentioning it opens the door, and it’s about darn time we opened that door. Especially since Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is now the head of the CIA and thus has access to highly classified government operations such as this.
Give us our first look at The Sentry (preferably in a post-credit scene)
Val Fontaine’s mission to get her hands on Vibranium in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever didn’t quite go as planned. Since she is not the kind of person who is used to getting no for an answer, she’s going to want to complete that mission, which is why it is believed she is assembling the group of anti-heroes to embark on a Vibranium war storyline in Thunderbolts. How does that factor into Brave New World? Well, the whole Celestial Tiamut/Adamantium/Weapons Plus program paves the way for the U.S. government to start talking about their own superheroed weapon, i.e. The Sentry, which insiders claim has already been cast by Steven Yeun. Should the movie wish to really pique our interests and get us excited for the future of the MCU, the studio would be wise to mention Project Sentry or the Golden Sentry Serum at least once, and preferably do it in a post-credit scene.
Give us our first Wolverine tease (also preferably in a post-credits scene)
Bringing back Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is massive, but since we already know it’s coming, the big debut loses just a little bit of grandeur. What better way to not only get us excited for Deadpool 3 but also the future of the X-Men than to tease Wolverine’s character in Brave New World? It’s not as hard as it sounds. I have it already mapped out in my head. When Val Fontaine is teasing the Golden Sentry Serum and talking about the Weapons Plus program in my hypothetical post-credit scene, she can also mention the Weapons X program and by proxy Wolverine. There, you’re welcome, Marvel.
Complete Thaddeus Ross’ Red Hulk storyline
Whether it happens in Brave New World or in Thunderbolts, it feels like only a matter of time before Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross completes his storyline from the Marvel comics and becomes the Red Hulk. Kevin Feige already confirmed that Ross will become president of the United States and with Val as his right-hand woman, he can safely embark on his gamma radiation experiments without fear of repercussions. The Red Hulk was even teased in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law when Bruce Banner cautioned Jennifer Walters against their blood being exposed to the wrong people.
Just introduce the Young Avengers already!
Isaiah Bradley from Falcon and the Winter Soldier is making his return in Brave New World, and since his grandson Elijah was also shown in the Disney Plus series, it’s highly likely he, too, could be mentioned or even given a speaking role in Brave New World (hey, possibly even with Kate Bishop). In doing so, Marvel would theoretically be laying the groundwork even more than it already has for the Young Avengers. What are you waiting for Marvel!?
Now, I know all of these potential plot points sound like a lot to squeeze into one movie, but it’s actually not when you consider how easy it is to sprinkle in a tease or two. The Weapons Plus program, the Golden Sentry Serum, the Young Avengers, and Adamantium are all things that can be mentioned and then paid off in further films such as Thunderbolts, Deadpool 3, and so on. Bigger plot points like the New Avengers will need to be strategic, but there’s no time like the present to start ripping off the band-aids. The audience is getting impatient, and by the audience I mean me.