Marvel’s Captain America: New World Order announcement suggests that the MCU’s Red Skull could return yet again. Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con 2022 panel provided Sam Wilson’s forthcoming Captain America movie with a title and a release date. It’s now known that Anthony Mackie’s first big-screen outing as the Sentinel of Liberty will be a Phase 5 adventure.
Details on the fourth Captain America movie are thin, though MCU Phase 4 has created a framework for what comes next. After getting the shield and Steve’s blessing to take his place, Sam passed up his chance to become Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, thus allowing the government to give the title to Wyatt Russell’s John Walker instead. But in the end, Sam overcame his reservations and accepted the Captain America position. Captain America: New World Order will likely pick up where the Disney+ series left off with his story and may or may not revisits its U.S. Agent setup or Sharon Carter’s villain story, which could be relegated to other projects, such as Phase 5’s Thunderbolts movie.
As for what Captain America 4’s story will entail, the newly announced title hints at a possible Red Skull connection. In the comic books, New World Order is the name of an organization run by the Red Skull in an Incredible Hulk storyline that played out in the 1990s. Like many of the villain’s plans, New World Order’s endgame was world domination. It took the Hulk, Black Knight’s Avengers team, and Doc Samson to foil the Red Skull’s scheme. The MCU interpretation of this story may not include any of these heroes, but the new Captain America movie sharing the same name as Steve Rogers’ biggest enemy does raise the possibility that he’ll be involved.
Could Red Skull Actually Return In Captain America 4?
Even though Avengers: Infinity War confirmed that Red Skull is still alive, Marvel has made Red Skull appearing in the Multiverse Saga feel like a long shot. After being sent to Vormir, the villain seemingly lost his identity and all the evil ambitions he had as the MCU’s HYDRA leader. He’s not the person he was in Captain America: The First Avenger, so something drastic would have to happen with his character for him to return as New World Order’s villain. Getting him off Vormir and having him rediscover himself is not an impossible scenario, though. Since Red Skull isn’t dead, Ross Marquand could theoretically be brought back to play the character if Marvel decides that he’s the best choice for Captain America 4’s first villain.
While Sam Wilson and the MCU's Red Skull don’t have an existing rivalry for Captain America: New World Order, his history with Steve would make him a perfect fit for the story. No villain may better represent Sam’s struggles with living up to Steve’s legacy. Like the comic character, Red Skull could see Sam as a hero unworthy of his respect or the Captain America title. Beating Captain America’s greatest villain could serve as the ultimate test for Steve’s MCU replacement.
