Anthony Mackie Claims New Captain America Film Foundation For Future MCU, But Fans Don’t Seem To Care

Many announcements were made during the Marvel panel at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), including those about the next Marvel film, Captain America: Brave New World. However, fans aren’t talking about it that much.

The panel revealed more about the film, saw Harrison Ford transform into Red Hulk, and revealed that Giancarlo Esposito will be playing Sidewinder.

After the announcements, Anthony Mackie told Entertainment Weekly that the Captain America film would be a new “foundation” for the MCU.

“It’s a new beginning, and it’s a foundation on which Marvel will build the universe on now. Not only this character but all the characters that surround him are new building blocks for us to utilize to move on through the universe and into to the future.”

However, fans aren’t talking about it all that much. The focus seems to be on the other big announcement from the Marvel panel: Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU.

Google Trends show the “Fantastic Four” overtaking “Captain America: Brave New World” and Robert Downey Jr. overtaking them both.

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Even with the spikes during the event, “Captain America: Brave New World” was almost flat-lined. While “Fantastic Four” (which hasn’t even been filmed yet) was also low, it was still higher than “Brave New World.”

Downey gets mentioned, and his name is blasted above both films for interest. This drives up “Fantastic Four” engagement even more.

That is the big news to most people.

But why is that?

There are a few reasons that I think MCU fans aren’t showing as much excitement.

1. This film has faced big reshoots. Giancarlo Esposito was added later because the film was reported to have tested poorly with audiences. Fans may think it will be terrible based on that.
2. Anthony Mackie is the new Captain America, but he hasn’t been given the super soldier serum. Many feel that he isn’t Captain America without it.
3. The movie has been delayed and had its time slot switched with “Deadpool & Wolverine” either due to the reshoots or because Disney needed a box office hit. Either way, it doesn’t bode well for the film. Even if it is amazing, fans may skip it and watch it later because they feel it isn’t worth their time.
4. The delays have caused a lot of the hype to die down. Fans have already seemed to move on to being excited about “The Fantastic Four” instead.
5. Now that the Russo brothers and Downey are back, most of the media and fan chatter is about that instead of Captain America.

Even the media seems to have pivoted away from “Captain America: Brave New World.”

In a search for news articles in the last 30 days using the film titles, “Fantastic Four” significantly dominates the news over “Captain America: Brave New World,” even with the big announcements.

If the MCU is counting on Captain America: Brave New World to be an important cornerstone or “building block,” they may have some issues, especially since Disney and Marvel seem to be doing everything they can to change direction and pivot back to profitability after the last few Marvel disasters.

Of the last ten Marvel-produced movies, half have made under $500 million globally, and only one hit more than $1 billion. Many lost money.

Disney is trying to do whatever it can to win audiences back to the MCU, which is probably why they are bringing back Downey and paying him “significantly more” than the $80 million the Russo brothers got to return.

If Marvel wants to make the new Captain America film stick, they are going to need to do more than simply say that the characters are important moving forward. They will need to do massive marketing to show people that the film isn’t the disaster many now fear. Fans have already moved onto the “Fantastic Four,” and it comes out a few months after “Captain America: Brave New World.”

What do you think? Comment and let us know!