New footage from Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World featured an Easter Egg bringing back memories of the MCU's Black Panther.
Captain America 4 is set to be the first of nearly a dozen new theatrical releases from Disney in 2025, giving Anthony Mackie his first MCU solo movie as Captain America. On top of his evolution from Falcon to Captain America, the film will pit him against some of his most dangerous foes yet in the Leader and the Red Hulk.
To combat those enemies, Sam Wilson will utilize the new set of wings he obtained from Wakanda at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier along with the iconic Captain America shield. On top of that, as teased by new footage, it appears fans are finally about to see the full extent of what those wings can do.
Black Panther Easter Egg in Captain America 4
A new TV spot for Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World included an Easter Egg tying back to the Black Panther.
The shot shows Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson being thrown against cars by Harrison Ford's Thunderbolt Ross after Ross transforms into the Red Hulk. Interestingly, there is a purple hue surrounding Sam's wings as he smashes into the cars.
That purple energy seems to grow in intensity with each hit Sam's new wings take, indicating new abilities in his latest appearance in the MCU.
This seems to be the same hue that came out of King T'Challa's supersuit starting in 2018's Black Panther, which was developed by Letitia Wright's Shuri. That suit has the ability to absorb hits from enemies and weapons and channel them into kinetic energy that can be blasted back at foes.
That ability was put on display on numerous occasions throughout both Black Panther movies, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
For perspective, below is a picture of Captain America's suit from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier compared to the new suit and wings he will don in Captain America 4. While the wings look largely identical, they are expected to be new in the sequel, as they did not have kinetic energy absorption abilities before.
The trailer can be seen below, as shared by X (formerly Twitter) user @cosmic_marvel:
What To Expect from Sam Wilson in Captain America 4
Considering Sam's new wings come straight from Wakanda, it would not be shocking to see them boast some of the same capabilities as the Black Panther suits. On top of that, with how insanely powerful Captain America 4's villains are, Sam is going to need every extra bit of help he can get.
On top of pure unadulterated strength and rage, Harrison Ford's Red Hulk (see more on his comic-accurate abilities in the MCU here) will come back with a vengeance as the President of the United States. His impact is sure to put Sam in more danger than he's seen as a solo hero in his time in the MCU.
In addition to the Red Hulk, Captain America will also have to handle the return of Tim Blake Nelson's Leader, who has not been seen in the MCU since 2008's The Incredible Hulk. With near superhuman intelligence and an undeniable quest for vengeance, his comeback will not be an easy challenge for Sam to handle.
Putting obstacles of this magnitude into Sam Wilson's first solo movie (and the first Captain America solo film since 2016) is sure to make for an epic adventure.
Fans remain hopeful that the 2025 sequel will put its best effort forward after reports of reshoots and rewrites plagued the movie during its production schedule. Thankfully, plenty of thrilling story details and ties back to the MCU's history should help Captain America 4 kick off Marvel's 2025 slate with a bang.
Captain America: Brave New World will fly into theaters on February 14.