Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World had a surprising post-credits scene, but I’m convinced that more future Marvel Cinematic Universe events could have been teased and set up in the film. The MCU’s 2025 movies started with a divisive film in the form of Anthony Mackie’s first movie as Captain America. While I don’t think it ranks above any of the other Captain America movies in the MCU, I enjoyed Brave New World. Sam Wilson firmly cemented himself as the new Captain America and is now looking to restart the Avengers.

The team’s future was teased by Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene. In it, Sam talks with Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, in the Raft. The imprisoned villain tells Sam that there are many universes out there and Earth’s heroes are not ready for what is coming when they start to collide. It is a not-so-subtle tease about the story of the two most anticipated MCU movies in the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. While I somewhat liked the tease, there were other post-credits scenes that would have been more fitting.

5. William Stryker Gets Adamantium

The MCU’s X-Men Reboot Is Near

Captain America: Brave New World is a very important movie to the MCU for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest of them is how the film introduces Adamantium to the franchise. The metal stronger than Wakanda’s Vibranium played a key role in the project, coming from Tiamut, the dead Celestial in the Indian Ocean last seen in Marvel’s Eternals. While I don’t have a problem with how the movie wrapped up that storyline, Brave New World‘s post-credits scene could have teased Adamantium’s MCU future.

It is no secret that the MCU’s X-Men movie is in development, with a writer already attached to it and casting rumors starting to emerge. Adamantium is closely connected to Wolverine’s lore and the Weapon X program in Marvel Comics, and the same could be true for the MCU’s X-Men reboot. That is why I wanted to see the start of that through William Stryker, the leader of the Weapon X program. Stryker could be one of those the US sends to Celestial Island to research Adamantium, bringing us one step closer to Marvel Studios’ new Wolverine.

4. Sentry Is Revealed Before Thunderbolts*

Setting Up Marvel Studios’ Next Movie Of 2025

There will be three MCU movies in 2025. The next in line after Captain America: Brave New World is Thunderbolts*. The film has the job of introducing a new MCU team of characters who have appeared in past Marvel movies and TV shows. Thunderbolts*‘s latest trailer finally showed more of Sentry, Marvel’s Superman, and his role in the film. While the character is still shrouded in secrecy, Sentry’s dark persona, the Void, seems to be the main villain the Thunderbolts will fight in the movie.

I would have loved to see a direct connection between Captain America: Brave New World and the movie that comes right after it, as previous MCU entries have done. Sentry is bound to be one of the franchise’s most powerful characters. A post-credits scene teasing his power, even if Sentry’s golden suit were to be kept a secret for Thunderbolts*, like Marvel seems to want, would have been enough. I think an extended look at the Void toying with someone before brutally murdering them would have set up the huge threat the new MCU team faces in Thunderbolts*, raising excitement.

3. Bucky Barnes Is Elected Congressman

Continuing A Scene From The Captain America Movie

No Captain America movie would be complete without Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. The character has appeared in all the movies of the MCU hero, so it is only right that Stan came back for at least a cameo alongside Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson in Brave New World. I thought the cameo was interesting for two reasons. First, it reinforces the friendship between the characters, with Bucky giving Sam some much-needed advice. Second, it offered some connective tissue between the Captain America movie and Thunderbolts*, as Bucky had to go to campaign events in his bid to run for Congress.

Confirmed Thunderbolts Cast Member
Character The Actor Plays

Sebastian Stan
James “Bucky” Barnes, A.K.A. The Winter Soldier

Florence Pugh
Yelena Belova, A.K.A. Black Widow

Wyatt Russell
John Walker, A.K.A. US Agent

David Harbour
Alexei Shostakov, A.K.A. Red Guardian

Hannah John-Kamen
Ava Starr, A.K.A. Ghost

Olga Kurylenko
Antonia Dreykov, A.K.A. Taskmaster

Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontaine

Lewis Pullman
Bob (Sentry/The Void)

Geraldine Viswanathan
Unconfirmed

I think Bucky Barnes could have easily returned for a follow-up moment in a post-credits scene that showed him being successful in his mission. Thunderbolts* trailers have shown that when we next see Sebastian Stan’s Marvel character, he will already be a congressman. As such, Thunderbolts* will not show Bucky becoming one. A brief Captain America: Brave New World post-credits scene with Bucky learning about his victory and setting up his trajectory at the start of Thunderbolts* would have been nice to expand on the character’s story and let fans celebrate the moment alongside Bucky.

2. Old Steve Rogers Returns

The MCU’s Original Captain America Comes Back Into The Fold

Chris Evans will reportedly appear in Avengers: Doomsday. While his role has yet to be revealed, and the actor denied being in the film — just like Andrew Garfield did about his Spider-Man: No Way Home appearance — reports claim that he could be returning as Steve Rogers. The last time the character was seen was in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Captain America decided to stay with Peggy Carter in the past. As an old man, Steve Rogers then returns to the present to give his shield to Sam Wilson and make him the new Captain America.

I really wanted to see Evans’ Steve Rogers present in a Captain America movie again, and Brave New World missed the chance to do that in a post-credits scene. For all we know, the old Steve Rogers could have stayed in the MCU’s main timeline after Peggy died in his. With Evans reportedly returning in Avengers: Doomsday, I think theaters would have erupted if Sam Wilson went to ask Steve for help as he sets out to assemble the MCU’s new Avengers team. This would connect Sam’s ending in the film to Evans’ Avengers movie return.

1. Bruce Banner Goes To The Raft To Confront The Leader

The Incredible Hulk Ties Paid Off In A Major Way

The Incredible Hulk was extremely important to the events of Captain America: Brave New World. While multiple key players from the film returned in the 2025 MCU entry, Bruce Banner was missing. I think a post-credits scene could have changed that, allowing the Captain America movie to both keep its focus on Sam Wilson while also offering a nice surprise ending to the film’s ties to The Incredible Hulk. Mark Ruffalo could have finally been connected to the MCU’s only Hulk movie in a way, as Edward Norton played Banner in the film.

Bruce helped She-Hulk after she was contaminated by his gamma-infused blood, so I could see him telling Sterns he would make it right.

After learning about what the Leader did and how Thaddeus Ross kept him locked away for years, Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner could pay a visit to them in the Raft. Since Betty Ross had been seen talking with her father, I think Bruce seeing Sterns would have made more sense. Bruce helped She-Hulk after she was contaminated by his gamma-infused blood, so I could see him telling Sterns he would make it right. However, now a full-on villain, the Leader could leave another ominous tease like the one in Captain America: Brave New World‘s actual post-credits scene, perhaps World War Hulk-related.