Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New World.Captain America: Brave New Worldhad a surprising post-credits scene, but I’m convinced that more futureMarvel Cinematic Universeevents could have been teased and set up in the film. TheMCU’s 2025 moviesstarted with a divisive film in the form of Anthony Mackie’s first movie as Captain America. While I don’t think it ranks above any of the otherCaptain America movies in the MCU, I enjoyedBrave New World. Sam Wilson firmly cemented himself as the new Captain America andis now looking to restart the Avengers.
The team’s future was teased byCaptain America: Brave New World’s post-credits scene. In it,Sam talks with Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, in the Raft. The imprisoned villain tells Sam that there are many universes out there and Earth’s heroes are not ready for what is coming when they start to collide. It is a not-so-subtle tease about the story of the two most anticipated MCU movies in the Multiverse Saga,Avengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars. While I somewhat liked the tease, there were other post-credits scenes that would have been more fitting.
5William Stryker Gets Adamantium
The MCU’s X-Men Reboot Is Near
Captain America: Brave New Worldis a very important movie to the MCU for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest of them is how the filmintroduces Adamantium to the franchise. The metal stronger than Wakanda’s Vibraniumplayed a key role in the project, coming from Tiamut, the dead Celestial in the Indian Ocean last seen in Marvel’sEternals. While I don’t have a problem with how the movie wrapped up that storyline,Brave New World’s post-credits scene could have teased Adamantium’s MCU future.
Captain America: Brave New World Makes Hugh Jackman’s MCU Wolverine Future Less Likely For A Simple Reason
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine could return to the MCU, but his future in the franchise has been challenged by Captain America: Brave New World.
It is no secret that theMCU’s X-Men movieis in development, with a writer already attached to it and casting rumors starting to emerge. Adamantium is closely connected to Wolverine’s lore and the Weapon X program in Marvel Comics, and the same could be true for the MCU’s X-Men reboot. That is why I wanted to see the start of that through William Stryker, the leader of the Weapon X program.Stryker could be one of those the US sends to Celestial Island to research Adamantium, bringing us one step closer to Marvel Studios' new Wolverine.
4Sentry Is Revealed Before Thunderbolts*
Setting Up Marvel Studios' Next Movie Of 2025
There will be three MCU movies in 2025. The next in line afterCaptain America: Brave New WorldisThunderbolts*. The film has the job of introducing a new MCU team of characters who have appeared in past Marvel movies and TV shows.Thunderbolts*’s latest trailer finally showed more of Sentry, Marvel’s Superman, and his role in the film. While the character is still shrouded in secrecy,Sentry’s dark persona, the Void, seems to be the main villain the Thunderbolts will fightin the movie.
I would have loved to see a direct connection betweenCaptain America: Brave New Worldand the movie that comes right after it, as previous MCU entries have done.Sentry is bound to be one of the franchise’s most powerful characters. A post-credits scene teasing his power, even if Sentry’s golden suit were to be kept a secret forThunderbolts*, like Marvel seems to want, would have been enough. I think an extended look at the Void toying with someone before brutally murdering them would have set up the huge threat the new MCU team faces inThunderbolts*, raising excitement.
3Bucky Barnes Is Elected Congressman
Continuing A Scene From The Captain America Movie
No Captain America movie would be complete without Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes.The character has appeared in all the movies of the MCU hero, so it is only right that Stan came back for at least a cameo alongside Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson inBrave New World. I thought the cameo was interesting for two reasons. First, it reinforces the friendship between the characters, with Bucky giving Sam some much-needed advice. Second, it offered some connective tissue between the Captain America movie andThunderbolts*, as Bucky had to go to campaign events in his bid to run for Congress.
Geraldine Viswanathan
Unconfirmed
I think Bucky Barnes could have easily returned for a follow-up moment in a post-credits scene that showed him being successful in his mission.Thunderboltstrailers have shown thatwhen we next see Sebastian Stan’s Marvel character, he will already be a congressman. As such,Thunderboltswill not show Bucky becoming one. A briefCaptain America: Brave New Worldpost-credits scene with Bucky learning about his victory and setting up his trajectory at the start ofThunderbolts*would have been nice to expand on the character’s story and let fans celebrate the moment alongside Bucky.
2Old Steve Rogers Returns
The MCU’s Original Captain America Comes Back Into The Fold
Chris Evans will reportedly appear inAvengers: Doomsday. While his role has yet to be revealed, and the actor denied being in the film — just like Andrew Garfield did about hisSpider-Man: No Way Homeappearance — reports claim that he could be returning as Steve Rogers. The last time the character was seen was in 2019’sAvengers: Endgame. Captain America decided to stay with Peggy Carter in the past. As an old man, Steve Rogers then returns to the present to give his shield to Sam Wilson and make him the new Captain America.
I really wanted to see Evans' Steve Rogers present in a Captain America movie again, andBrave New Worldmissed the chance to do that in a post-credits scene. For all we know, the old Steve Rogers could have stayed in the MCU’s main timeline after Peggy died in his. With Evans reportedly returning inAvengers: Doomsday, I think theaters would have erupted ifSam Wilson went to ask Steve for help as he sets out to assemble the MCU’s new Avengers team. This would connect Sam’s ending in the film to Evans' Avengers movie return.
1Bruce Banner Goes To The Raft To Confront The Leader
The Incredible Hulk Ties Paid Off In A Major Way
The Incredible Hulkwas extremely important to the events ofCaptain America: Brave New World. While multiple key players from the film returned in the 2025 MCU entry, Bruce Banner was missing. I think a post-credits scene could have changed that, allowing the Captain America movie to both keep its focus on Sam Wilson while also offering a nice surprise ending to the film’s ties toThe Incredible Hulk.Mark Ruffalo could have finally been connected to the MCU’s only Hulk movie in a way, as Edward Norton played Banner in the film.
Bruce helped She-Hulk after she was contaminated by his gamma-infused blood, so I could see him telling Sterns he would make it right.
After learning about what the Leader did and how Thaddeus Ross kept him locked away for years, Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner could pay a visit to them in the Raft. Since Betty Ross had been seen talking with her father, I think Bruce seeing Sterns would have made more sense. Bruce helped She-Hulk after she was contaminated by his gamma-infused blood, so I could see him telling Sterns he would make it right. However, now a full-on villain, the Leader could leave another ominous tease like the one inCaptain America: Brave New World’s actual post-credits scene, perhapsWorld War Hulk-related.
