Behind three new Marvel movies, Red Brand will return with a vengeance in 2025.
2024 was a breakout year for Marvel, thanks to four movies released in theaters by Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures. Sony’s efforts have ranged from arguably decent (Venom 3) to full-fledged flops (Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter), but the MCU’s Deadpool and Wolverine were among the industry’s biggest hits .
2025 will look different as we expect this year to be the potential best of Marvel Studios’ TV and movie schedules. Half a dozen shows will be released on Disney+, and the MCU will get three new movies.
Marvel movies coming to theaters in 2025
Captain America: Brave New World – February 14th
Captain America: Brave New World will be the fourth solo film for the star-spangled Avenger and the first since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. It will also be a first for Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson after taking up the Captain America mantle in Avengers: Endgame and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Sam Wilson has plenty of support in Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres (Falcon) and Shira Haas’ Loose But Seraph (Sabra). They’ll be needed to take on two major villains: Tim Blake Nelson’s The Leader and Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk (two of Captain America 4’s three Hulk-adjacent characters) .
Trailers and marketing materials teased that Sam Wilson will be brought back to the front lines as a hero, as President Ross wants to bring the Avengers back under government control. It also includes the MCU acquiring Adamantium.
Although plot details remain largely secret, it has been confirmed that the sequel will return to past MCU projects, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Avengers: Endgame, and Captain America: Civil War.
Captain America: Brave New World, the first MCU movie of the year, hits theaters on Friday, February 14th (Learn more about Captain America 4’s popcorn bucket line here).
Thunderbolts* – May 2nd
The MCU’s first summer blockbuster debut is Thunderbolts, the final film in Marvel Studios’ Phase 5 slate. Behind Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, a new team of dark characters come together to take each other’s places for an epic new mission.
The cast features plenty of heavy hitters, including John Walker, Bucky Barnes, Ghost, Taskmaster, and a team of Red Guardians alongside Yelena. Also, Top Gun: Maverick star Louis Pullman is Maverick star Louis Pullman as the Sentry, one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful characters.
Thunderbolts’ Deadpool-style synopsis* teased a story centered around “the MCU’s most unexpected band of Misfits.” Add in the mystery behind the asterisk in the title, and fans have quite the summer hit.
Fans have seen more footage of Thunderbolts* than any other MCU movie at this point in the promotional tour, but plot details are being kept under wraps as this team comes to close out Phase 5.
Thunderbolts* is set to explode into theaters on May 2nd.
Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25th
Perhaps the most anticipated movie of the year (at least, the one Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is most excited about) is Fantastic Four: First Steps. First announced in December 2020, this will be Marvel’s long-awaited attempt at a movie featuring its first family.
For Valentine’s Day 2024, Marvel has confirmed who will play the iconic quartet: Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), and Ebon – Moss Baclach (Ben Grimm). Stars like John Malkovich and Julia Garner will be in attendance, along with Ralph Ineson’s portrayal of Galactus.
Set in a different universe than the main MCU timeline, the Fantastic Four emphasizes a retro-futuristic, 1960s-inspired take on the team and its world as they progress to hero status. They must take on World Destroyer, Galactus, and Silver Surfer as they put the team’s universe at risk.
What’s even more exciting is that this movie will directly lead into the next two Avengers movies. The Fantastic Four are expected to play a key role. This movie could even potentially replace him as the multi-saga’s ultimate Big Bad, with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom potentially taking his place before him.
Fantastic Four: The First Step flies to theaters on July 25th.
