Following the release ofCaptain America: Brave New World, the film’s director, Julius Onah, is responding to its less-than-stellar reception. The latest MCU outing currently sits at a 49% critic score onRotten Tomatoes, with a much better audience score of 80%. As such, it is fair to say the movie is divisive. Even so, Onah maintained his enthusiasm forCaptain America: Brave New Worldduring an appearance on thePhase Heropodcast.
When asked about the response to the film, Onah said, “I’m just excited to be sharing the movie with audiences. You make this for audiences to go have a great time and have a really, really good experience, and we also had a great time making this movie and worked really hard to create something that spoke to themes and ideas that were personal to us.” Instead of dwelling on how his work is perceived, the director explained that the process is simple:“At the end of the day, you make the best movie you can, you put it out there, and you let audiences react to it.”
The filmmaker further elaborated: “I’m a big believer that, when the audience finds the movie and gets the movie, it becomes theirs.” Onah “love[s] being a part of"those conversations “as a fan, too,” so he “welcome[s] [critiques] as a storyteller.”
What The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Comments On Reviews Mean
In spite of being a divisive entry into the MCU,Captain America: Brave New Worldis pulling respectable numbers at the box office. As of May 28, 2025, the film is sitting at around $120 million domestically and $218 million globally (viaBox Office Mojo). While those totals don’t rival the likes ofAvengers: Endgame, they do mean thatCaptain America: Brave New Worldhas already outgrossedThe Marvels' entire global haul.
I’m Convinced Captain America: Brave New World’s Negative Reviews Are Wrong, Even Though I Think It’s The Worst Captain America Movie
Brave New World might not be the best Captain America movie, but with its reveals and more factors, all the negative reviews seem too much.
If box office numbers are anything to go by,Captain America: Brave New Worldcould still be a modest success, not unlike the under-performing fan-favoriteCaptain America: The First Avenger, which made about $370 million in its original run (viaBox Office Mojo). Onah’s perspective demonstrates an openness to criticism. This attitude is likely rooted in confidence in how the film conveyed its themes, something that the filmmaker noted many times throughout interviews leading up to its release.
Our Take On The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Comments On Reviews
Image via Marvel Studios
Given his positivity about the film, Onah seems to have a healthy relationship with criticism. It’s true thatCaptain America: Brave New Worlddid not receive glowing reviews, but some audience members enjoyed the film. Not every movie, even from a franchise like the MCU, will be a universal crowd-pleaser, yet most still find their own fanbase. If Onah is proud of the themes conveyed inCaptain America: Brave New World,then perhaps the overall response doesn’t matter, as long as the right audience clicks with the movie.
