According to the production designer on Captain America: New World Order, the new sequel will break a trend that fans have seen in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame.
In the 10 movies Marvel Studios has produced in Phases 4 & 5 since Avengers: Endgame, one complaint that many fans have had with the franchise is its lack of grounded plot points.
Movies like Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania have been criticized for how their stories focus on less-realistic concepts like Gods or the Multiverse, leading to some concerns about how easily accessible some of the Multiverse Saga movies are for general audiences.
Captain America 4 Changes Post-Endgame Tone
Captain America: New World Order production designer Ramsey Avery explained to Collider how Sam Wilson's new movie will be "very grounded," in contrast to many of the MCU's theatrical releases since 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
While he remains excited that "Marvel is trying some new stuff now" with its Multiverse-centric storytelling, Captain America 4 will use "very forward-thinking" in the way it makes sure the story has "that sense of really happening in the world:"
"The intent of this is to be very grounded, to make sure it has that sense of really happening in the world. So it’s a different sense in a lot of ways than particularly some of the more recent pieces have been. And it’s a very deliberate choice, and it’s a fascinating choice and an exciting choice. And it comes with a whole host of different kinds of questions involved in that."
He also highlighted Captain America 4 director Julius Onah, with whom he's wanted to work on something for over a decade. Specifically, he praised Onah for not having a "normal way of looking at Marvel," which makes the sequel that much more interesting.
Marvel's recent Phases have taken the more grounded route on occasion with Disney+ shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye, and it will continue that trend in the near future with Secret Invasion, but the movie division has severely been lacking in that department.
These fan complaints about the Multiverse Saga may soon be addressed in upcoming theatrical releases like the new Captain America. Even grander adventures like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Spider-Man 4 look like they'll be sticking close to the ground in terms of their narratives.
Will A Grounded Nature Help Captain America 4?
The MCU has seen plenty of success with more grounded outings, even with movies in the Captain America franchise itself like Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
And with that exact grounded nature being seen in Anthony Mackie's solo series, especially considering some of the heavy themes he dealt with on Disney+, Captain America 4 should have every chance at that same success.
Of course, Sam's wings/shield are still a pivotal part of his character, and there will be a touch of the fantastical thanks to Tim Blake Nelson's terrifying return as the Leader as he becomes this movie's main villain.
And with rumors also pointing to the Serpent Society being introduced in this sequel as well, having Captain America 4 be a grounded effort will only help bring fans into a story much more down-to-Earth than recent MCU adventures.
Captain America: New World Order's production is currently being halted by the ongoing writer's strike, but the film is expected to debut in theaters on May 3, 2024.
