Captain America 4 Helped Fulfill A Dream Kevin Feige Has Had Since Cowboys & Aliens

With the conclusion of the fourth Marvel Cinematic Universe phase in 2022, fans of the juggernaut franchise are already looking forward to Phase Five and beyond. The next batch of Marvel superhero shows and movies has a lot to offer, from big bombastic team-ups to long-overdue character introductions. Not to mention, it will bring long-established characters to the forefront once again — most notably Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who shed his Falcon persona on the Disney+ series "Falcon and the Winter Soldier" to succeed Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as Captain America.

Starring Mackie's Wilson, Marvel Studios is revving up for "Captain America: New World Order," which will serve as the fourth installment in the "Captain America" film franchise. Established MCU actors such as Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, and Tim Blake Nelson, who play Joaquin Torres, Isaiah Bradley, and Samuel Sterns, respectively, will return, but that's not all. For the first time ever, acting icon Harrison Ford will appear in an MCU production as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, replacing the late William Hurt, who died on March 13, 2022.

"Captain America: New World Order" is already shaping up to be a strong sequel, and Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige is eager to get started. After all, the film is allowing him to fulfill a dream he's had since the release of the 2011 Jon Favreau-directed "Cowboys & Aliens."

During a chat with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Feige shared that "Captain America: New World Order" is an incredibly special film to him because of Harrison Ford's casting. "This has been a dream for years, ever since Jon Favreau cast Harrison Ford in 'Cowboys & Aliens.' I was always very jealous of that, so to have him finally in the MCU is just incredible," Feige said, even shedding some light on what Ford will be up to as the scheming Ross. In the sequel, he'll be the president of the United States and will find himself face-to-face with Sam Wilson numerous times.

By the sound of it, Ford is quite excited to get started in the MCU as well. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he delved into his reason for giving Marvel Studios a shot. He explained, "I thought, 'Everybody else seems to be having a great time.' I watch all these terrific actors having a good time. I like doing something different to what I've ever done and pleasing people with it. So I'll try a piece of that." Surely Ford will knock the role of now-President Ross out of the park to become a highlight of the next "Captain America" movie.

"Captain America: New World Order" swoops into theaters on May 3, 2024.