The March 2023 set photos appeared to show Sam Wilson at a funeral, but they did not identify who had died or confirm that the scene would appear in the finished film. Now that Captain America: Brave New World has been released, the apparent funeral is not evidence of a major character death in the movie.
What the leaked set photos showed
On March 29, 2023, BGR reported images from the Atlanta production of Captain America: New World Order, the film’s working title at the time. The photos reportedly showed Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson wearing a suit and a sling on his left arm, alongside Liv Tyler, Xosha Roquemore, and Shira Haas at a cemetery. BGR interpreted the gathering as a funeral.
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That interpretation was based on leaked production imagery, not an official Marvel plot announcement. The report did not identify the deceased person. It explicitly said the identity was unknown, and its suggestions about who might have died—or whether Sam’s injury was connected—were speculation. BGR’s original report did not establish the scene’s significance or whether it was part of the film’s ending.
What happens in the released film
Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World below.
#1 Best Overall
- As he takes on the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must unravel a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Marvel’s official listing gives the film its final title, Captain America: Brave New World, and its release date as February 14, 2025. That replaces the 2023 working title and provisional release date. Marvel’s film page identifies Sam Wilson as Captain America.
A post-release ending recap by GamesRadar+ says the finished film has no major character deaths, though minor characters die, including Commander Dennis Dunphy and mind-controlled Secret Service members. In the ending described by the recap, Sam visits President Thaddeus Ross in prison with his arm in a sling. GamesRadar+’s ending recap therefore offers a useful check against treating the earlier sling photo as proof that Sam attends a major character’s funeral.
Rank #2
- As he takes on the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must unravel a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Warning: Some flashing-lights scenes in this film may affect photosensitive viewers.
Did the cemetery scene make the final cut?
The available reporting does not establish why the production filmed the cemetery sequence, whether it was changed or removed, or which version of the scene—if any—appears in the final edit. The photos are best understood as a snapshot of what the production seemed to be filming and what viewers inferred at the time, not confirmation of a death in the released story.
For context, Anthony Mackie described Sam’s strength as rooted in “his humanity, his mind, and his compassion,” while director Julius Onah said Sam’s heart also makes him formidable. D23 published both remarks ahead of the film’s release; neither addresses or confirms the leaked funeral scene. Read the D23 interview.
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Rank #3
- Steve Rogers wields the shield in Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. Then it?s Sam Wilson who unleashes his wings and takes up the mantle in Captain America: Brave New World. Join them as they fight evil global forces with this action-packed 4-movie set.
Where to find the film
Disney’s official movie page lists digital availability and a Blu-ray release for Captain America: Brave New World. See Disney’s film page for its release-media information.
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