In Avengers: Endgame's closing moments, the elderly Steve Rogers (who had spent decades in the past after getting his happy ending with Peggy Carter) gave his shield, and the Captain America mantle, to Sam Wilson.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier showed the hero struggling with that burden, though he'd later realise he was the right person to pick up where Steve left off. We only got a glimpse of what that will look like during the finale, but Captain America: New World Order is going to fully put the spotlight on the MCU's newest Star Spangled Avenger.
Sam is expected to clash with The Leader and President Thaddeus Ross (played by Harrison Ford), but Anthony Mackie doesn't see his Cap eventually assembling and taking charge of The Avengers.
"Sam is the only character without superpowers," Mackie tells Empire (via CBR). "He's just a regular dude hanging out with a bunch of weirdos. Being from New Orleans, I've been in a few fights. And heart and charisma never helped me in a fight. That usually just got me beat up."
"So that might cause an issue when you go fight somebody like Thanos," he concluded.
Mackie's right that Sam has no powers, and we can't help but wonder whether Captain America: New World Order will change that.
Even if it doesn't, the former Falcon is arguably still a more than capable leader, though we can't help but think Kang would make short work of the hero. Throw in rumours that Spider-Man will be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty's lead, and it could be the web-slinger who assembles a team to battle the time-traveller's Variants.
As for the MCU's new Captain America, we're pretty sure he'll be key to the Multiverse Saga as it's impossible to imagine him not factoring into both The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars in some capacity.
Captain America: New World Order is set to be released in theaters on May 3, 2024.