A common theory aboutCaptain America: Brave New Worldsurrounds the death of a specific character, which now seems more likely after the director’s comments about the story. Theupcoming MCU moviewill be released in February 2025 and feature Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson. Now that Sam has donned the mantle of Captain America as ofThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s ending,Captain America 4will see him reckon with a changing world from new villains to the absence of the Avengers.
Overall, thestory ofCaptain America 4is highly anticipated for those excited to see Sam finally come into his own as the titular hero. Beyond that, there are many threats that have been established for the film, including Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk and Tim Blake Nelson’s The Leader. These members ofCaptain America 4’s castwill undoubtedly put many of the film’s heroes in danger, with a common theory crafted pre-release centering on a specific death. With the film’s director recently commenting onCaptain America 4’s story, this theory seems more likely to come true than ever.
Captain America 4’s Falcon Death Theory Has Already Been Around For Some Time
Joaquin Torres' Future Looks Uncertain
The character around which thisCaptain America: Brave New Worldtheory surrounds is Joaquin Torres. Torres, played by Danny Ramirez, was first introduced inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, taking on the mantle of the former superhero after Sam Wilson became Captain America. InCaptain America 4, Torres will be the primary hero who investigates the conspiracy at the heart of the film alongside Captain America, leading many to speculate that he will not make it out of the film alive.
Who Is Marvel’s New Falcon? Joaquín Torres Debuted In The MCU 3 Years Ago
Joaquin Torres has been revealed to be the MCU’s new Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World, taking up the mantle three years after his debut.
The reason for this stems from the tendency of the MCU to kill off side characters and villains. This has long been a trope of the franchise, withCaptain America 4’s marketing adding fuel to the theory-based fire. Thus far, Torres has rarely appeared in the film’s marketing. The main appearance of the character comes in the action scene centered aroundEternals' crystalized Celestial, with little else being seen of him beyond this. Although this could be Marvel Studios putting more focus on characters like Red Hulk, many have taken this as all but confirmation of the new Falcon’s death.
Captain America: Brave New World’s Director Describing The Bond Between Captain America & Falcon Makes The Death Theory Seem More Likely
To make matters worse, the director ofCaptain America: Brave New Worldhas recently commented on the relationship between Sam’s Captain America and Joaquin’s Falcon. Julius Onah sat down withEmpire Magazine(viaMCU - The Direct) to explore the dynamic between the new iterations of Cap and Falcon, with many taking his comments as further evidence that the latter will be killed in the film. When asked about their relationship, Onah mentioned that Sam has a"big brother dynamic"with Joaquin.
What could be more of an emotional center of the film than Torres, described as being like Sam’s younger brother, being killed off?
Furthermore, Onah stated that their relationship will be"one of the key emotional centers of the film.“As alluded to, these comments have theory crafters convinced that Torres is doomed inCaptain America: Brave New World. After all, what could be more of an emotional center of the film than Torres, described as being like Sam’s younger brother, being killed off? This would give Sam a much more personal reason for taking down the film’s villains, making the theory of Joaquin’s death all the more likely.
Why Captain America 4 Killing Off Falcon Could Be Good For The Movie
Brave New World Could Be Ironically Improved By This Theory Coming True
While it would be cool to see a new Falcon become Sam’s sidekick in the MCU going forward,Captain America 4killing the character off could be for the best. For one, as explored, it would allow the film to be more emotionally impactful should Sam and Joaquin’s relationship be an emotional core of the story as Onah described. Secondly, the film already has an incredibly stacked cast of characters. Be it Sam, Joaquin, Thunderbolt Ross, The Leader, Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder, Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, or Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross,Captain America 4is already looking like a busy movie.
Additional cast members for Captain America 4 include Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Takehiro Hira, Seth Rollins, and Rosa Salazar.
In removing Joaquin Torres from the story, not only willCaptain America 4be more emotional should his relationship with Sam be depicted well, but it would give the film more of a focus.Through Falcon’s death, the singular drive of the film could be, aptly, avenging him, positively reducing the cast size as a result. Finally, many have wondered how Sam Wilson’s Cap will be folded back into the story of the MCU’sAvengersmovies. If Falcon dies inCaptain America 4, Sam would likely be more willing to seek out existing MCU heroes in the future, as he is now without a sidekick.
Captain America: Brave New World
Cast
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titledNew World Order)marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers' successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.After meeting President Thaddeus Ross, Sam is caught in a global crisis. He must expose the mastermind behind a sinister plot before the world descends into turmoil. Captain America: Brave New World marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
