Marvel Officially Confirms The Avengers' Status After Endgame - And It Isn't Good

Ever since "Avengers: Endgame" rocked the world in 2019, the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's output has been a bit of a mixed bag, and there are a lot of questions regarding what the future holds for the franchise. First and foremost, many fans have wondered exactly what's going on with the Avengers as a team at this point. It seems likely that more clarity will arrive on that front once "Captain America: Brave New World" arrives in theaters on February 14, 2024.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, footage from "Captain America 4" that was screened during CinemaCon included a scene in which President Ross (Harrison Ford) informs Cap (Anthony Mackie) that he wants him to rebuild the Avengers. That seems to indicate that post-"Endgame," there's been no official Avengers squad, which would make sense as everyone's been busy doing their own thing. It also explains why there was no "Avengers" movie to cap off Phase 4. Simply put, the team no longer exists at this point in the MCU's timeline — which is bad news for the people who live in that universe.

Of course, the team will have to revive itself one way or another as we barrel toward the targeted release date for "Avengers: Secret Wars." With Sam Wilson tasked with assembling a new team, "Captain America 4" could prove to be one of the most pivotal MCU films going forward.

In the wake of "Avengers: Endgame," the MCU entered its Multiverse era with many projects, from "Spider-Man: No Way Home" to "The Marvels," playing around with the idea of alternate realities. However, it sounds like "Captain America: Brave New World" will be more down-to-earth. As Anthony Mackie told Entertainment Weekly, "It made more sense for it to be more of a grounded espionage action movie as opposed to aliens and airplanes coming through portals and s***."

From that description, it sounds like "Brave New World" will be similar in tone to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," one of the most well-received MCU movies to date. Mackie welcomes that comparison, saying, "This movie is a clear reset ... I think with these movies, you're getting a clear, new branding of what Marvel is headed towards the same way they did with 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier.'" Many characters have been introduced across Phases 4 and 5, including Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac), and more, so it'd be nice for an upcoming film to tell us which ones could factor into the franchise's future. The idea that "Captain America 4" could end in a similar fashion to "Avengers: Age of Ultron," where the previous Cap (Chris Evans) oversaw the new Avengers line-up, setting the stage for "Civil War" and beyond, is an enticing one.

"Captain America: Brave New World" could prove to be one of the most pivotal Marvel projects in recent memory. With so many rumors going around regarding "Avengers: Secret Wars," "Captain America 4" may help shed light on where exactly the MCU franchise is headed.