In 2025, maybe it’s not surprising to hear that pop culture fans read queer subtext in a TV show or movie. But 10 years ago, it was audacious, particularly when that gayness was applied to one of the biggest (and straightest) franchises in the history of cinema: the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s not the spiky political thrillers “The Fugitive” or “Air Force One” or “The Manchurian Candidate,” it’s “Captain America: Brave New World.” Then again, the film recruited Harrison Ford into a cinematic universe that single-handedly welded the modern movie wink — why not give us what we expect?

Anthony Mackie is starring in a new film that brings patriotism into the spotlight. “Captain America: Brave New World” was written and filmed long prior to the 2024 election, but that hasn’t stopped people from suggesting the movie is about the current political climate in the United States.