Steve Rogers’ fate in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been unclear for years, but Captain America: Brave New World could have finally teased what has happened to Chris Evans’ Marvel hero. Evans’ Captain America is one of the most important and beloved MCU characters, with the actor being present in at least one MCU movie from 2011 to 2019. That final year saw the release of Avengers: Endgame, which brought Captain America’s MCU journey seemingly to an end. Evans’ Steve became an old man and passed on his shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson.

Mackie will now step up and lead Captain America: Brave New World‘s cast as the MCU’s new version of Captain America. After getting the iconic shield from Steve Rogers, Sam became the new Captain America at the end of Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series, as well as all MCU projects in the Multiverse Saga, did not reveal what happened to Evans’ old Captain America. However, with the release of Captain America: Brave New World‘s first trailer, it seems like Marvel might have finally teased that Steve Rogers is really dead in the MCU, as many thought.

Captain America: Brave New World’s Trailer Shows An Ominous Funeral

Steve Rogers’ Death Would Be A Major Event

One of the most intriguing moments in the Captain America: Brave New World trailer was the quick cut to a funeral scene. It was not just any funeral, as it looked like that of someone with a military background, given the military salute and the attendees. Marvel might have just snuck in a tease that Captain America: Brave New World will not only reveal Steve Rogers’ fate but will also showcase the death of the MCU’s original Captain America. Given his old age in Avengers: Endgame, Steve could just die of natural causes with no villains involved.

However, there could also be more to it. Captain America: Brave New World might not include Steve Rogers at all, and Marvel, knowing fans would think of Steve upon seeing the funeral scene, used it in the trailer to throw people off. The movie’s funeral could end up being for Harrison Ford’s Thunderbolt Ross. Captain America: Brave New World‘s trailer confirmed Red Hulk is in the film. In Marvel Comics, Ross faked his death after becoming Red Hulk. As Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross was spotted in the funeral on set photos, that theory gains strength.

Is Steve Rogers Dead By The Time Of Brave New World?

The MCU’s New Captain America Has Commented On It

Avengers: Endgame did not show Steve Rogers’ death, with the old Captain America talking to Sam Wilson alive and well, with the movie ending on the young Steve slowly dancing with Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter after going back to the past to live out his life with her. Since then, no MCU project has featured Evans’ Steve Rogers or killed the MCU’s original Captain America offscreen. New MCU Captain America actor Anthony Mackie talked about Steve Rogers’ MCU status last year on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The actor was asked whether Steve Rogers was dead in the MCU. Mackie denied that notion, saying, “I mean, he ain’t dead… Why you trying to kill Steve? That’s age discrimination.” Based on the actor’s comments and the fact that Steve would deserve a major death moment in the MCU, the hero is likely still alive by the time Captain America: Brave New World rolls around. Whether Evans appears for a cameo as old Steve Rogers in Captain America: Brave New World or not, having a big funeral scene for the hero would be fitting if Rogers were to die.

The World Thinks Steve Rogers Is Dead

A Spider-Man Movie Teased What People Believe Was Steve Rogers’ Fate

The first MCU movie after Avengers: Endgame was 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, which served as an epilogue for the Infinity Saga. While the biggest Avengers character in connection to the movie was Iron Man, given his mentor relationship with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Chris Evans’ Captain America was also present for an interesting scene. At the start of the film, a news report from the Midtown High News featured a tribute to the Avengers who died fighting Thanos, which included Steve Rogers.

While Mackie teased that Rogers is still alive going into Captain America: Brave New World, the Spider-Man: Far From Home scene means that the world believes Steve Rogers to have died alongside Iron Man, Black Widow, and Vision in the fight against Thanos. Based on that, the idea that someone else is the cause of the funeral seen in Captain America: Brave New World makes sense, though it could be a special ceremony after Steve really dies that is kept a secret between high-level government/military members and Steve’s loved ones.