The MCU’s upcoming Captain America: Brave New World movie will be Marvel Studios’ first true test when it comes to legacy heroes. Starring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the next Captain America, the former Falcon chose to accept and wield the iconic shield following the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Now, the fourth Captain America film will serve as a critical proving ground when it comes to superhero replacements and continuing legacies in the MCU.

If Captain America: Brave New World performs well and audiences offer a lot of positive reception toward Sam Wilson continuing Steve Rogers’ legacy as the next Captain America, Marvel will likely be more inclined to adopt more legacy heroes in future MCU projects.

If it goes poorly, Marvel Studios may be encouraged to replace more classic heroes outright. Rather than continuing legacies and giving past mantles to new heroes, Marvel could be motivated to introduce brand-new characters/hero mantles instead of having heroes step into pre-established roles.