Spurned fanfic shippers, political protests, and a Black superhero long sidelined by fans and Marvel alike: What the release of “Captain America: Brave New World” says about the MCU in 2025.

Brave New Soldier follows in the footsteps of three installments for Chris Evans' Steve Rogers and four Avengers films when Rogers recruited Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and more to combat threats to the world and universe.

For a quick primer on essential MCU characters and storylines, here are five movies and shows to catch up with before watching “Brave New World.”