Summary

Sam Wilson's role as the new Captain America hasn't received the attention it deserved post-Endgame.
Wilson's first standalone film as Captain America underperformed due to lackluster marketing.
Marvel has shifted focus to Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four, overshadowing Wilson's leadership in Avengers: Doomsday.

Sam Wilson has always been a popular character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, he was never seen on the same level as many other top-level characters, like Iron Man or Steve Rogers' Captain America. However, heading into Avengers: Doomsday, Wilson is now positioned as the team's leader, which might harm the movie in the long run.

Putting Wilson in this position was always going to be a gamble, as Chris Evans did such a tremendous job as the leader of the Avengers. However, Avengers: Doomsday needs the group to appear as impressive as ever, and the way that Wilson's character has been handled since Avengers: Endgame isn't setting him up to achieve that.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

Sam Wilson Becoming Captain America Should Have Been A Pivotal Moment

Captain America: Brave New World Let Wilson's Development Down

Avengers Endgame Sam Wilson Becoming Captain America Scene

The moment in Avengers: Endgame where Rogers hands over the shield to Wilson is a brilliant scene, and is something that people will never forget. That's how Marvel Studios positioned it to be, and it came off well. While some fans still feel that Bucky Barnes should have received that honor, Wilson was Rogers' protégé and was the right character for the role. Anthony Mackie's charisma also made him the ideal candidate.

His becoming the new Captain America should have been a pivotal moment in the franchise, considering that the character had been positioned as one of the biggest in the MCU. However, it hasn't felt like Marvel Studios wants to give him that level of attention since that point. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn't emphasize the Captain America moment enough, as shown by omitting the character's name from the title. But that was also followed by an underwhelming movie.

All three of Evans' Captain America standalone movies were massive blockbusters, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier still seen as one of the greatest films in the franchise. Wilson's first standalone movie in that role felt like the complete opposite, with the film being rather dull and uninspiring. While there would always be a shift in tone, Wilson's personality meant it should have been more thrilling and exciting, rather than feeling like a political slugfest. Captain America: Brave New World grossed $415 million worldwide, but it was hurt by Marvel's advertising and marketing. They pushed Red Hulk to the point where audiences expected a lot of scenes with the character, but instead, they got the complete opposite, with Marvel undermining Wilson on his big debut.

Thunderbolts* Has Commanded Fans' Attention Ahead Of Avengers: Doomsday

The Fantastic Four Are Next In Line To Steal The Attention

Heading out of Captain America: Brave New World, Wilson was tasked with assembling a new version of the Avengers, a group he would lead. That could then have been a big talking point heading into Avengers: Doomsday, but Marvel has managed to undermine that storyline, too. The decision to make the team in Thunderbolts* known as The New Avengers has put all the attention and focus on them. Viewers will be heading into Avengers: Doomsday, seeing them in that role, and presuming they're going to be the lead group moving forward, not whoever Wilson is going to put together.

The New Avengers have taken the limelight. They have been positioned to succeed with an interesting and exciting film, which Wilson didn't get. That problem will only increase after the release of Fantastic Four: The First Steps, as they're then going to be the team on everyone's mind, especially if there's any story development for Avengers: Doomsday within that movie. It has put Wilson in a strange spot, as most fans are overlooking him and not thinking about him at all.

Sam Wilson Heads Into Doomsday Looking Like A Weak Leader

Marvel Hasn't Positioned Captain America For Success

Marvel has reached the point where they're heading into Avengers: Doomsday, and most people aren't particularly interested in or invested in Wilson as a character or the leader of this powerful group. It has been reported that he will be putting his version of The Avengers together off-screen, which means that Marvel is missing another massive opportunity to develop Wilson's character. It's hard to imagine him giving orders to some of the other major Marvel characters in the same way that Rogers or Iron Man would have done. Marvel hasn't made him look like a commanding leader who can take control of a situation.

Marvel has simply failed to position the new version of Captain America for success. The time between Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Doomsday should have been used to make him feel like one of the most interesting characters in the franchise, who audiences were desperate to see more of. Instead, he's arguably become less interesting than when he was the Falcon, and fans certainly don't see him as the right man to lead the Avengers. That will become even more problematic when he's put up alongside powerful and popular characters such as Thor, who would also be ideal and more believable in that role. While Avengers: Doomsday might change fans' perception of Wilson, at the moment, he has been undermined too many times.

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