Marvel's New Trailer Is Its Best In Years - But It's Not For An MCU Movie
The Marvel brand has a remarkable track record with trailers, especially since the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008. Look no further than the inaugural teaser for the highly-anticipated "Deadpool & Wolverine," which beat out other heavy-hitter MCU trailers to become the most-watched of all time. It has also made waves on the video game front, with the trailers for the likes of "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" performing well in their own right. However, it's no stretch to claim that Marvel's latest gaming trailer is in a league of its own.
Titled "Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra," the game's teaser predominantly focuses on two characters: a new adaptation of Steve Rogers aka Captain America, and the Black Panther. This version of the King of Wakanda is the famed T'Challa's grandfather, Azzuri. As the title implies, the story is set in the 1940s as the Nazis, specifically Hydra, gain a foothold in Europe during World War II. Cap and Panther desire to stop them, though their unfamiliarity seems to put them at odds. We even see the two come to blows and the latter's claw marks in Cap's signature vibranium shield, making it abundantly clear that they're far from friends at this point.
Overall, the "Rise of Hydra" trailer is tense, action-packed, and full of truly stunning visuals. Even though it doesn't provide any gameplay footage, the cinematics, technology, and talent involved all but guarantee it'll be a strong entry in the Marvel gaming library.
Rise of Hydra has all the potential in the world
"Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra" comes courtesy of Skydance New Media — a division of Skydance Media launched in 2019 that is also currently working on a "Star Wars" video game title — and Amy Hennig. She has been involved in the video game landscape for decades, contributing to everything from the "Uncharted" saga to "Battlefield Hardline" in a variety of roles. Composer Stephen Barton, known for his work on the "Titanfall" and "Star Wars Jedi" games, has been tapped to provide the score. Additionally, it's worth noting that "Rise of Hydra" will run on the Unreal 5 graphics engine, so expect the game itself to look similarly as stellar as the cinematic trailer.
As for the cast of the game, it's fair to say that "Rise of Hydra" isn't lacking in the talent department by any stretch. First and foremost is Drew Moerlein as Captain America, whose previous acting credits include "V/H/S," "Red Dead Redemption II," and "NCIS: New Orleans," to name a few. Alongside him is "Walking Dead" and "Teen Titans Go!" favorite Khary Payton as King Azzuri. Alongside them are Megalyn Echikunwoke as the Wakandan spy Nanali, Marque Richardson as Howling Commandos member Gabriel Jones, Lyne Renée as French resistance fighter Julie, and Joel Johnstone as inventor Howard Stark — the father of Marvel Comics staple and the man behind numerous MCU mistakes, Tony "Iron Man" Stark.
From top to bottom, "Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra" has all the potential in the world. Its 2025 release can't come soon enough.