Warning: Mild spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World are in play.
It’s amazing what can count as a miracle on the 2025 movie schedule. The fact that we even have a version of Captain America: Brave New World to watch feels like a feat, considering the complicated history of rumors surrounding director Julius Onah’s Marvel movie. After revisiting the picture for its home release, a continually elusive moment that wasn’t included has me thinking about previous theories, as well as inspired some new angles on a scene we still haven’t seen.
Captain America 4’s Continued Omission Of That ‘Funeral Scene’ Is Kinda Weird
As we previously saw in Brave New World’s November 2024 trailer, a moment where Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) attends a formal funeral is present. There’s a 21-gun salute, a solemn-looking Cap, and cherry blossoms present for symbolism. It feels like a somber moment of emotion that the MCU has included from time to time. However, this scene was not in the movie.
So, like any other media enthusiast, I was hoping that the Deleted Scenes for Captain America 4’s home release would include this scene, and perhaps some commentary on why it was cut. Alas, I was left empty-handed on both of those fronts. However, thanks to a theory from one of my colleagues, I think we can piece together some compelling cases for why that is.
I Back The Theory That This Was President Ross’ State Funeral
As CinemaBlend’s own Adam Holmes suggested in his Captain America: Brave New World funeral theory, I concur with the notion that this sendoff was meant for President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). Supposedly leaked set photos revealing Liv Tyler‘s presence on set, and good old-fashioned trailer analysis point towards the President succumbing to his heart condition.
If you’re waiting for Sam Wilson to hit your Disney+ subscription to catch up, this is an additional warning for spoilers. That’s because I have some further thoughts on why we still can’t see this scene.
Marvel May Have Iced This Brave New World Scene For Two Big Reasons
I think there are two reasons that Harrison Ford’s Captain America: Brave New World character survived, leaving us without the completed scene in the Special Features package. First off, with Ross’s resignation from the presidency in Brave New World’s ending, there’s a possibility that his imprisonment on The Raft will allow him to return for another picture or two.
While Kevin Feige’s comments on Marvel contracts have indicated that things have changed since the days of long-term agreements, having the Indiana Jones icon in your Rolodex of potentially recurring players is too good to pass up. However, I also think that Sam Wilson’s long-term character development potentially benefits from this choice.
If this is indeed Thaddeus Ross’ funeral, one has to assume that the result came from the current Captain America having to take him down during their DC showdown. Seeing as Sam’s background as a counselor and a soldier was cited as an important note to reinforce in the special feature “Assuming the Mantle,” that stereotypical MCU conclusion doesn’t make sense.
What’s more interesting is that if that assumption is in play, you’d need to include a different cut of that Red Hulk fight scene along with this funeral moment, for it all to make sense. At that point, you may as well include an entirely different “New World Order Cut” that restores these scenes, as well as all the other material cut during the reshoots/edits that took place.
While I still really want that wish to be granted, I can see why that may have been avoided. After all, if I Am Legend 2 can canonize a deleted ending, anything’s possible.
Until that hypothetical scenario becomes a reality, or Marvel confirms that this funeral moment was a case similar to Avengers: Infinity War’s deliberately misleading trailer including a scene of The Hulk, we won’t know for sure what the truth is. Considering the paranoid political thriller nature of Captain America: Brave New World, that’s actually kind of fitting.
If you want to form your own theories or try to debunk anything discussed above, you can currently watch Anthony Mackie’s cinematic debut as the new Cap through purchase or rental on Digital HD.