'Who's Playing Who?': I Thought I Knew The Villain Of Captain America 4, But This Brave New World Clip Has Me Questioning Everything
Sam Wilson has his work cut out for him this time.

In the world of political intrigue and clandestine service, nothing is more dangerous than not knowing who the enemy is. As we get closer to Captain America: Brave New World’s debut as a 2025 movie, that’s something that’s stuck out in my mind after watching some new footage.
Admittedly, not knowing who to trust is natural in a post-Winter Soldier world. And yet even with that in mind, Anthony Mackie’s big screen debut in this upcoming Marvel movie seems to be promising some earthshaking developments.
Captain America: Brave New World's New Look Doubles Down On A White House Mole
If I hadn’t already purchased tickets for the opening night of Brave New World, the new tease Marvel Studios dropped on social media would have sent me straight to the virtual box office. While a lot of moments we’ve seen in previous teases are included, the product you see below has kicked my mind into overdrive:
Who's playing who?Get tickets now and experience Marvel Studios' #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld only in theaters February 14. https://t.co/ZtUPgC9kRt pic.twitter.com/gHcSzAvKXXJanuary 29, 2025
Is anyone else having flashbacks to Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s gigantic plot twist involving HYDRA’s sleeper cell? Let’s not forget, this is a world where watching the Marvel movies in order has taught us that the folks in charge aren’t always what they seem.
As Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has notified his boss, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), that his “inner circle has been compromised,” it appears we’re on a new mole hunt - and this one goes straight to the Oval Office. With that in mind, let’s talk about how Captain America: Brave New World’s latest tease may have shown us two new suspects to keep an eye on.
Captain America 4’s Latest Video May Have Highlighted Two New Threats
Going into Captain America 4, the seemingly obvious baddies looked to be Giancarlo Esposito’s Seth “Sidewinder” Voelker and Tim Blake Nelson’s returning Samuel Stearns, aka “The Leader.” Now the obvious mutation in the room is that Stearns might have some beef with Ross, thanks to his role in The Incredible Hulk’s events potentially leaving the transformed man of science as a foe waiting to be realized.
That being said, it’s Tim Blake Nelson’s voice that delivers the cryptic question, “Who’s playing who?” Also, if Giancarlo Esposito's Brave New World costume comments are anything to go by, he's probably not the lead antagonist at play.
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
After rewatching this Brave New World ad with that in mind, I think that we should be paying more attention to Captain America 4 cast members Shira Haas and Xosha Roquemore. Throughout this quick hit of cryptic adrenaline, we see brief appearances of Haas' retired Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph and Roquemore's Secret Service agent Leila Taylor.
If that was all I had, I wouldn't try to go too deep into the weeds with my suspicions. That led to some quick research leading to a recent trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, which I'm going to include below. Try and keep an eye on where our two new suspects pop up:
As both Ruth Bat-Seraph and Leila Taylor have “inner circle” access to President Ross, and it wouldn't be all that surprising for them to potentially use this status to act for either their own interests, or a shadowy third party. And as seen above, both characters are present at some pretty key moments in the story.
Actor Shira Haas is present not only at Ross' attempted assassination, but also when Sam Wilson delivers his "inner circle" line. That doesn't clear co-star though Xosha Roquemore, as she's right next to the President during his big White House hulk out.
In the light of this new MCU conspiracy theory, Brave New World's supposedly short runtime looks a lot better. To tackle this thread of intrigue, while packing tons of action into Sam Wilson's cinematic arrival as Captain America, is a tightrope act that could get complicated.
Looking at what's in front of us right now, I can say that this is as lovely as Captain America 4's brave new popcorn bucket. And it won't be too long before we can all make a date with the new Star Spangled Man, thanks to Captain America: Brave New World's Valentine's Day debut. Just make sure you can trust whomever you take as your +1, as one can never be too careful.
Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.