Sam Wilson soars in first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World

At long last, we have our first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World.

The upcoming movie is not only the first Captain America solo film since 2016's Captain America: Civil War, but also the first without Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, who passed the shield on to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

Wilson didn't fully embrace his role as Captain America until the finale of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series on Disney+, but that was just a taste of what's to come. In Captain America: Brave New World, Wilson finds himself working with (or for?) newly-elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross.

Marvel fans probably remember Ross as Secretary of State, and the man responsible for arresting Sam and some of the Avengers following the events of Captain America: Civil War. Previously played by the late William Hurt, legendary actor Harrison Ford is now stepping into the role and making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut.

Now as President, Ross is hoping to make Captain America an official military position, a move that Wilson remains skeptical of.

"And what if we disagree on how to manage a situation," Wilson asks. "Then what happens?"

In what looks more like an political espionage action thriller rather than a traditional Marvel superhero flick, Wilson finds himself in the middle of an international incident, "with friend and retired super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) as the prime suspect.

That's not to say there aren't superhero moments, though. One of my favorite moments in the trailer comes towards the end when Wilson is reminded he's not Steve Rogers.

"You're right, I'm not," Wilson replies, and then the trailer cuts to a scene in which he launches through the sky with his Falcon jet-powered glider wings. We also get our first glimpse of a deadly showdown with the menacing Red Hulk.

The trailer actually looks like a fun and entertaining action flick, but I'm concerned about the film's financial feasability. The production issues surrounding Captain America: Brave New World have been well-documented, with the Marvel blockbuster undergoing extensive reshoots that have ballooned the budget to a reported $350-$375 million. Captain America: Brave New World could be an amazing movie, but it's already fighting an uphill battle to break even at the box office.

Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World soars into theaters on February 14, 2025.