Brave New World to be a palate cleanser — one that remembers and builds on the events of Marvel’s other recent features. The film does a serviceable job of establishing a new status quo, but it struggles to articulate how this Captain America is different from his predecessor.

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025. Disney and Marvel Studios distribute. There is only one Brave New World post-credit scene.

The reality of “Brave New World” is that it’s a setup film, which is a thankless task. It’s meant to build to the reassembly of the Avengers and the subsequent release of “Avengers: Doomsday” in 2026. In the interim, Marvel Studios will release films and series setting up their return.