Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has made it clear that legacy characters like Iron Man and Wolverine will eventually be rebooted in the MCU, meaning a newCaptain Americais all but inevitable. Chris Evans delivered a defining Steve Rogers portrayal that became the MCU’s backbone alongside Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. However, Evans' Captain America doesn’t have to be the last big-screen Steve Rogers.
Several ofCaptain America’s most influential storylineshave been adapted to the MCU.Captain America: The Winter SoldierandCaptain America: Civil Warstill stand as two of the MCU’s best entries. However,several major Captain America arcs from Marvel Comics remain unexplored in live-action.
10Captain America: War & Remembrance
Captain America: War & Remembrance(1982); Written by Roger Stern; Art by John Byrne and Glynis Wein
Captain America: War & Remembranceis a quintessential Captain America story that revisits major events from Steve Rogers' past. It recountsSteve’s time in World War IIand his battles with classic villains like Baron Blood.War & Remembranceis both an introspective journey and a celebration of Captain America’s legacy.
War & Remembrancewould be the perfect first entry for a rebooted Steve Rogers. The new Captain America’s early career could include new off-screen villains and past missions that Chris Evans' Steve never encountered. Even if the MCU doesn’t adapt this story in full-length format,War & Remembrance’s heartfelt tone could be adapted in a montage similar toThe Fantastic Four: First Steps' opening sequence.
9Captain America: Man Out Of Time
Captain America: Man Out of Time(2011); Written by Mark Waid; Art by Jorge Molina, Karl Kesel, and Frank D’Armata
Captain America: Man Out of Timerevisits Steve Rogers' early days after waking up in the modern world. Mark Waid’s acclaimed story delves deeply into the psychological turmoil Steve faces as he tries to find his place in a society that no longer resembles the one he knew.Unlike typical action-heavy arcs,Man Out of Timeemphasizes Captain America’s internal conflict.
A rebooted Cap deserves time to explore the subtleties of Steve’s cultural struggles
Man Out of Timeseems like the perfect story to begin the next Captain America’s journey. Chris Evans' Steve Rogers arc touched on his struggle to adapt to modern times, but he quickly moved on to leading the Avengers. A rebooted Cap deserves time to explore the subtleties of Steve’s cultural struggles.
8Captain America and Bucky: The Life Story of Bucky Barnes
Captain America and Bucky: The Life Story of Bucky Barnes(2011); Written by Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko; Art by Chris Samnee and Bettie Breitweiser
Captain America and Bucky: The Life Story of Bucky Barnesreexamines Bucky’s origins from childhood. It includes key details like his secret training as a spy and his brother-like relationship with Steve Rogers during WWII.Instead of the old-fashioned “kid sidekick” trope, this version of Bucky is a hardened, capable operative trusted with missions Cap couldn’t handle publicly.
While the MCU has done a stellar job portrayingBucky Barnes' fall and redemption, it has barely explored his formative years before becoming the Winter Soldier. After a potential reboot, the MCU has the chance to revisit WWII with a younger Bucky as Cap’s loyal partner. Flashbacks or even a full prequel story rooted in this arc would add depth to Bucky’s MCU story.
7Captain America: Man Without a Country
Captain America: Man Without a Country(1995); Written by Mark Waid; Art by Ron Garney and Joe Rosas
Captain America: Man Without a Countrysees Steve Rogers stripped of his citizenship and exiled from the U.S. after being framed for treason. Betrayed, Captain America falls into an identity crisis as he fights to clear his name.Man Without a Countryforces Steve Rogers to question the government and the values he once served without hesitation.
Captain America: The Winter SoldierandCaptain America: Civil Warprove Cap works best in high-stakes political thrillers.
Since the MCU has already adaptedThe Winter Soldiermasterfully, a rebooted timeline would likely avoid retreading old ground.Man Without a Countryprovides another politically relevant storyline that focuses on disillusionment with government and the blurred line between patriotism and blind obedience. A younger Steve Rogers, newly integrated into the modern world, could grapple with conspiracy and a dilemma of identity.
6Fallen Son (The Death Of Captain America)
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America(2007–2008); Written by Ed Brubaker; Art by Steve Epting, Mike Perkins, and Frank D’Armata
Fallen Sonfollows the fallout of Steve Rogers’ assassination after the events ofCivil War. This storyline explores the political and emotional chaos left in his absence, as Bucky Barnes, Sharon Carter, and others grapple with grief and the question of who should take up the mantle. It’s a suspenseful, character-driven arc that also deals with conspiracy.
An MCU adaptation ofFallen Soncould eventually mark the definitive end for a new Steve Rogers, or it could be a temporary but brutal turning point in his story.The MCU’s next Steve could face an assassination attempt that shakes the public’s faith in their institutions. Besides, this storyline could finally give Crossbones and Sharon Carter a more prominent role in the MCU.
5Captain America: Red Menace
Captain America: Red Menace(2006); Written by Ed Brubaker; Art by Steve Epting, Mike Perkins, Michael Lark, and Frank D’Armata
InCaptain America: Red Menace, Steve Rogers investigates a new wave of threats tied to the Red Skull while grappling with the mystery of Bucky Barnes’ apparent resurrection. Espionage and psychological are front and center as Cap is hunted by old enemies.Like the best Captain America stories,Red Menaceis a tense and gritty thriller.
A rebooted MCU could useRed Menaceto giveCaptain America’s villainsa bigger role in the franchise.Red Menacecould reintroduce central villains like the Red Skull and Crossbones as recurring, manipulative threats rather than one-off antagonists. It could also add Red Skull’s daughter, Sin, to the MCU and fully turn AIM into a villainous organization.
4Captain America: Castaway In Dimension Z
Captain America: Castaway in Dimension Z(2013); Written by Rick Remender; Art by John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, and Dean White
Captain America: Castaway in Dimension Zthrows Steve Rogers into a bizarre, alien dimension ruled by Arnim Zola. Stranded for over a decade with no way home, Steve adopts and raises Zola’s genetically engineered son while fighting to survive in a dystopian world.Cap’s resilience shines in isolation, far removed from his traditional war stories and political thrillers.
A live-actionCastaway in Dimension Zwould challenge the next Steve Rogers with a dramatically different story to everything that came before it.
A rebooted MCU could useCastaway in Dimension Zto give Steve Rogers a radically different solo outing.While Chris Evans’ Cap appeared in otherworldly settings as part of the Avengers, his solo films stayed grounded. A live-actionCastaway in Dimension Zwould challenge the next Steve Rogers with a dramatically different story to everything that came before it.
3The Captain (Captain America No More)
The Captain / Captain America No More(1987–1988); Written by Mark Gruenwald; Art by Tom Morgan, Kieron Dwyer, Al Milgrom, and Gregory Wright
The Captaintells the story of Steve Rogers being forced to relinquish the Captain America mantle by the U.S. government.In Steve’s absence, John Walker becomes the new Cap, but his brutal methods clash with Steve’s ideals. Meanwhile, Steve adopts a new black costume and identity as “The Captain,” continuing his fight for justice on his own terms.
Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers never crossed paths with Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, but a rebooted Steve could change that. Although Walker has already become a hero and an Avenger, an MCU reboot could depict him as a rival, not as a full-fledged villain.Steve Rogers and John Walker’s conflictcould center around their clashing ideology and the future of the Captain America mantle.
2Captain America: The Bloodstone Hunt
Captain America: The Bloodstone Hunt(1989); Written by Mark Gruenwald; Art by Kieron Dwyer and Al Milgrom
InCaptain America: The Bloodstone Hunt, Steve Rogers and Diamondback embark on a globe-trotting quest to retrieve the fragments of the Bloodstone before they fall into the hands of Baron Zemo and Batroc’s mercenaries.The Bloodstone Huntis one of the most “pulp” stories in Captain America lore.It’s a full-blown treasure-hunting, Indiana Jones adventure set in the MCU.
The MCU left the door open for Bloodstone-related stories inWerewolf by Night, which introduced Elsa Bloodstone.
An MCU version ofThe Bloodstone Huntcould see Steve Rogers face Baron Zemo in a proper solo story after their limited shared screentime inCaptain America: Civil War. It could also introduce Rosa Salazar’s Diamondback after her scenes were cut fromCaptain America: Brave New World. Most importantly, aBloodstone Huntwould offer a fresh tonal direction for Cap’s movies.
1Captain America: Madbomb
Captain America: Madbomb(1975–1976); Written by Jack Kirby; Art by Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia
The high-octane, old-school conspiracy thrillerMadbombfeaturesCaptain America and the Falconconfronting the titular weapon.The Madbomb, a mind-altering device that incites uncontrollable rage in civilians, escalates from a secret conspiracy to a national threat.Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson team up to stop Baron Zemo from destabilizing the U.S. government from within.
Marvel Studios’Captain America: The Winter Soldiertouched on similar themes of domestic infiltration and mass manipulation. However, a rebooted MCU could dive deeper by adaptingMadbombdirectly with a more chaotic national crisis. AMadbombadaptation would be the ideal setting to reintroduce Steve Rogers’ dynamic with Sam Wilson, either with Anthony Mackie’s portrayal or a new actor in the role.
