‘Captain America: Brave New World’ director Julius Onah reveals Anthony Mackie’s and Sam Wilson’s SUPERPOWER |

Julius Onah, the latest filmmaker to take over the reins of one of Marvel’s most iconic franchises – Captain America – is set to give this superhero his wings as it takes flight in ‘Brave New World’. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Onah shared insights into the challenges of crafting a film of this scale, and the pressure of delivering the next billion-dollar MCU blockbuster.

Much like the Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan starrer ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, ‘Brave New World’ starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, doubles up as a political thriller. Revealing his approach to the film, Onah shared, “I wanted to tell a story with a strong emotional centre that leaned into Anthony Mackie’s and Sam Wilson’s real emotional truth. There’s a kindness and empathy at the core of both, and I think that’s the superpower of this character.”
Unlike the events in the web series ‘Falcon and The Winter Soldier’, the film takes on the tone of a political thriller. Onah explains, “Using the genre of a paranoid political thriller became an excellent way to create a conflict for Sam, where now he’s in this story that is full of mistrust, mistrust of individuals, mistrust of institutions. The tension that comes with that is immediately at odds with what it means to be somebody who wants to see the good in other people.”
The movie sees Sam Wilson going toe-to-toe with Harrison Ford’s President Thaddeus Ross. Those keeping up with the decade-long cinematic saga will know that Ross, previously played by the late William Hurt, previously imprisoned Wilson and played a key role in enforcing the Sokovia Accords that fractured the Avengers.
“It becomes this great emotional journey that is also part of this very fun, thrilling ride of a movie that we go on with Sam, President Ross and all the other characters in the film,” Onah says and adds, “This movie is very much a thriller about how Sam sees Ross, about his blind spots, and how he must overcome them and lean into his superpower to save the day.”

With Marvel’s recent box office challenges, ‘Brave New World’ carries high expectations. When asked whether he feels pressured to deliver Marvel’s next billion-dollar hit, Onah maintained that his focus is solely on storytelling. He said, “The pressure is just to make the best movie you can. These films resonate because people love the characters. If the characters feel real and the audience has an emotional connection, that’s what truly matters.”
‘Captain America: Brave New World‘ releases in cinemas in India on February 14.