Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World looks like it will be one of the biggest movies in early 2025.
The film stars Anthony Mackie as the new Captain America and will hit theaters on February 14, perfectly timed for Presidents Day and Valentine’s Day weekend.
Early box office predictions say it could earn over $95 million in its first four days.
If it reaches that number, it would be one of the top-performing movies for this holiday weekend, trailing behind Marvel’s earlier hits like Black Panther, which made $242 million, and Deadpool, which earned $152 million during the same time of year.
This latest chapter in the Captain America series is a big moment for Marvel.
Anthony Mackie steps fully into the role of Sam Wilson, taking over as Captain America from Chris Evans.
The movie’s story promises to bring back a grounded, character-focused style that made Marvel’s earlier films so beloved.
Key Takeaways
- Captain America: Brave New World is projected to earn $95M+ over its four-day debut, making it a strong contender for Presidents Day weekend records.
- Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson takes up the mantle of Captain America, steering the franchise into a grounded, political thriller tone.
- The film’s director, Julius Onah, and cast, including Harrison Ford, promise an "old-school Marvel" experience that fans have long awaited.
A Fresh Start for Captain America
Refreshingly, this movie feels different from some of the recent Marvel films.
Instead of focusing on big sci-fi concepts like time travel or alternate universes, Captain America: Brave New World is going back to basics, and that’s a big reason why it’s expected to do so well.
It’s a grounded, action-packed political thriller in the style of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is widely regarded as one of Marvel’s best films.
Director Julius Onah said the film was inspired by classic political thrillers like The Day of the Jackal and All the President’s Men.
At an event earlier this year, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige told fans, “There are no aliens, no time travel. This is a grounded, action film.”
As we can see, it’s a bold promise, but it’s one that’s gotten fans excited about what’s to come.
Anthony Mackie has also shared his enthusiasm for the project.
In a behind-the-scenes featurette, he said, “Audiences are going to love how this brings back old-school Marvel. It’s a return to what made these movies special in the first place.”
For fans who have missed the more grounded storytelling of Marvel’s earlier phases, this movie could be exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
The Plot and Cast
The story of Captain America: Brave New World centers on Sam Wilson, who has now fully taken on the role of Captain America.
He’s brought into a global crisis after meeting with the newly elected U.S. President, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Harrison Ford.
Ross wants Captain America to work with the government, but things turn dark when Ross is revealed to be hiding a dangerous secret—he can transform into the Red Hulk.
Sam must decide where his loyalties lie as he uncovers a global conspiracy with major consequences.
So, you can be sure to experience action, tension, and hard decisions for the new Captain America.
And it can’t go unnoticed that the cast is a huge draw for the movie.
Alongside Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, the film includes Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres (the new Falcon), Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns (also known as the Leader).
Giancarlo Esposito joins the cast as a new villain, Seth Voelker, also called Sidewinder.
Big Box Office Expectations
Marvel has high hopes for Captain America: Brave New World and the numbers already look promising.
With a $180 million production budget, this movie is smaller in scale compared to some other Marvel blockbusters, but its expected $95 million opening is a strong start.
It’s interesting to see how this film measures up to previous Captain America movies.
The first movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, made $65 million during its opening weekend in 2011.
In 2014, The Winter Soldier matched Brave New World’s current projection, earning $95 million.
Later, the Civil War blew past those numbers, raking in an incredible $179 million in 2016.
If Brave New World hits its $95 million goal, it will match The Winter Soldier and prove fans are still invested in the character, even with Anthony Mackie taking over as the new Captain America.
Marvel has faced some challenges lately, with a few of their films underperforming compared to expectations.
But Brave New World could mark a turning point for the studio.
The recent success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever in 2024 with $1.3 billion worldwide, shows that fans are still eager for Marvel movies—especially ones with great characters and strong stories at their core.
Overcoming Challenges
The road to release hasn’t been easy for Captain America: Brave New World.
The movie wrapped filming in early 2023, but additional photography was needed in 2024 to perfect the story.
These reshoots lasted 22 days and caused some delays, but the film is now ready for its February 14 release date.
Marvel and Disney have three weeks left to make their final marketing push, and they’ll be aiming to build as much excitement as possible.
If early word-of-mouth reviews are positive, the film could even exceed its $95 million opening projection.
