Captain America: Brave New World is just a few short weeks away from arriving in theaters. However, talk of reshoots continues to dominate the narrative surrounding 2025's first MCU movie. So, what's really going on?
Every Marvel Studios movie undergoes additional photography; it's planned well in advance and has become a normal way for the studio to reshape its releases, whether it's in response to early test screenings or to set the stage for future stories.
Based on what's been revealed thus far, Captain America: Brave New World has undergone major changes. Some have taken that as a sign the movie must be "bad" or a "mess," but it honestly sounds like Marvel Studios being, well, Marvel Studios. Still, a lot has been added, changed, and removed, and it's that we're taking a closer look at today.
To learn more, simply click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below (be warned that SPOILERS follow).
7. The Serpent Society
Very early set photos showed Captain America - in his new suit - squaring off with the Serpent Society. WWE Superstar Seth Rollins was among the actors spotted and we later heard they'd all have either physical or cybernetic enhancements.
The prevailing theory was that The Leader must have outfitted the group with their weapons. Regardless, for whatever reason, Marvel Studios has scrapped the Serpent Society and this sequence. While there was something here which clearly didn't work, getting rid of them completely - as Rollins himself has confirmed - was undeniably drastic.
We think Rachel Leighton's Diamondback has managed to make it into the existing cut but the spotlight seems to have primarily shifted to another villain with ties to this group...
6. Sidewinder
Rumours about Giancarlo Esposito joining the MCU persisted for years. What we didn't expect was for him to play Sidewinder, the leader of the Serpent Society and a character who was added to Captain America: Brave New World during reshoots.
The MCU version of the character looks very grounded and appears to be an assassin tasked with killing Sam Wilson when he doesn't have his suit or shield to hand (an effective way to show that there's more to the hero than just the weapons he takes into battle with him).
Esposito has said a Disney+ TV series is up next, so there's room for Seth Voelker to grow beyond this introduction. Presumably, that means Sidewinder will eventually assemble a new version of the Serpent Society in a future project.
5. More Of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Suit
Based on what we saw in those Serpent Society set photos, the plan was for Sam Wilson to immediately ditch his suit from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (rumour has it fixing the cowl in post-production was a mighty expensive headache for Marvel Studios).
However, during reshoots, it was spotted for what now looks set to be Captain America: Brave New World's new opening sequence.
It's unclear how the change will be addressed or explained but this does feel like a better way to transition from the Disney+ series into this movie. Many fans have criticised the new costume for being too much like Steve Rogers, so that may have also factored into the original suit's return.
4. Major Changes Due To "Negative" Test Screenings?
It's worth addressing this because, on several occasions, we've heard claims Captain America: Brave New World's test screenings scored extremely poorly.
The movie was produced at a time when Marvel Studios had shifted to quantity over quality, meaning it's not outside the realm of possibility this was another poorly conceived project like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion.
However, the benefit of 2023's Hollywood strikes and a significant release date delay means Marvel Studios has had time to tinker with this one, hence the many reshoots we've detailed here. That should be seen as a positive rather than a negative, though only time will tell whether those fixes have been enough to "save" Captain America: Brave New World.
3. President Ross' Funeral
Marvel Studios couldn't have been happy when the paparazzi spotted them shooting a funeral scene. Initially, there was some speculation that it might be for Steve Rogers, though the narrative soon changed when Liv Tyler's Betty Ross was spotted.
Throw in the fact Mackie's Sam Wilson was spotted looking worse for wear and wearing a sling on his arm, and it was clearly meant to be President "Thunderbolt" Ross' funeral (meaning, yes, Red Hulk was seemingly going to die in an earlier cut of the movie).
Whether his heart gave out or the villain simply died in battle, this would not have been the best way to handle Red Hulk's introduction. Thankfully, we've heard the movie now ends - SPOILER warning - with Ross imprisoned, leading the door open to an eventual return.
2. Avengers: Doomsday Tease
Captain America: Brave New World was undergoing reshoots as recently as last November, with Mackie spotted doing his thing as Sam Wilson.
The handful of set photos we got didn't reveal much, though it has been widely speculated it might have been a scene setting up Avengers: Doomsday. Remember, Ross wants the new Captain America to assemble the Avengers and there has to be a tease for that, right?
We also have good reason to believe Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes has been added to the movie, likely to tee up his role in Thunderbolts* (remember, he's said to have a Congressman role in the MCU now). The first stinger reportedly sets up World War Hulk, though the second is bound to be Avengers-related.
1. How Much Has Really Been Changed?
By now, we've hopefully gone some way in answering the question above for you. The fact is, even after the movie is released, we'll only have a limited idea of how much Marvel Studios has decided to change over the past 18 months or so.
The end result is what matters but, for what it's worth, Mackie has said, "It wasn’t retooled at all, every Marvel movie I’ve done has done reshoots, so it’s not retooling or remaking. You basically get the movie and the story you want, you edit it together, then go back and shoot a few more scenes."
He's probably downplaying things a little as he must be aware of the negativity those release date delays have led to. We can only hope the changes have paid off and that Captain America: Brave New World does right by Sam Wilson and this long-running franchise.