The Captain America legacy has changed drastically since the franchise's last solo movie, Captain America: Civil War, released in 2016. And as sights move towards Captain America 4 in 2024, the newly-titled New World Order may look to feature plenty of ties back to its predecessor.
Eight years after its predecessor kicked off the MCU's Phase 3, Phase 5's penultimate movie will continue the story of Sam Wilson's Captain America while including a number of ties to the Infinity Saga. Tim Blake Nelson will make his second appearance as the Leader as he becomes this movie's main villain while Harrison Ford will take on the role of General Thunderbolt Ross, taking over the role from the late William Hurt.
But with such a long distance between Civil War and New World Order, on top of the transition from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson as Captain America, how deeply will those two movies connect with one another? Well, according to one of Marvel's top producers, those ties will run deeper than many expect.
Civil War Leading Right into New World Order?
Speaking with Collider, Marvel Studios Vice President Nate Moore confirmed the connections that 2024's Captain America: New World Order will share with 2016's Captain America: Civil War.
Moore promised a reunion between Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, who he confirmed would be played in this movie by Harrison Ford. The producer specifically noted how Ross "threw (Sam Wilson) in prison" before Civil War ended, causing plenty of "natural sparks" between the two characters:
"Well, look, Sam Wilson's Captain America, he is going to bring his own team to play. It's no secret that Samuel Sterns is making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is fantastic because Tim Blake Nelson's the best. Harrison Ford is taking on the role of General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, and to see Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, which if you remember actually threw him in prison at the end of Civil War because he violated the Sokovia Accords. There's going to be some natural sparks there, which I think are going to be really fun."
Moore also confirmed that the movie is in pre-production and will begin filming in Spring 2023.
Civil War Conflict Brewing in Captain America 4
While the Sokovia Accords were revealed to have been officially repealed during She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, they were a key factor when they first came along in Captain America: Civil War. And with multiple key characters coming back in Captain America 4 that dealt with those Accords, it's unavoidable that there are going to be some conflicts and ramifications.
Considering that Ross imprisoned Sam Wilson and the rest of Steve Rogers' team after the battle in Germany, it's no shock that there will be some unresolved tension between the two. While the story details are still being worked out, as is Ford's specific place in the film, this unwanted reunion will be tough for both of them to work through, all while Sam struggles to find his place in the world as Captain America.
Whether there will be more ties than that is a mystery, but that tension will be a key factor in the story as Captain America's legacy continues to build.
Captain America: New World Order will debut in theaters on May 3, 2024.
