Captain America: Serpent Order (2021)[]
📖 Overview[]
Captain America: Serpent Order is a 2021 American superhero espionage thriller film based on the Marvel Comics characters Captain America and the Serpent Society.
The film follows Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, and a young Elijah Bradley as they uncover a conspiracy involving the resurrection of an ancient death cult known as the Serpent Order, led by the enigmatic and ruthless Viper.
24th film in MEU (Marvel extended universe)
Film Details[]
| Directed by | Ryan Coogler |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Kevin Feige, Nate Moore |
| Written by | Malcolm Spellman, Nate Moore |
| Music by | Ludwig Göransson |
| Cinematography | Autumn Durald Arkapaw |
| Edited by | Debbie Berman |
| Production Company | Marvel Studios |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| Release Date | July 9, 2021 |
| Running Time | 152 minutes |
| Budget | $180 million |
| Box Office | $872.7 million |
Prologue (1945 – Hidden Origins)[]
- We open in 1945, where a covert Allied strike force led by a young Steve Rogers takes down a Nazi occult division known as The Serpent Order, led by mystic-obsessive scientists and fanatics.
- They retrieve a prototype toxin capable of inducing mass paranoia and hallucinations, but Hydra assets escape with notes.
A final shot of a young woman, Ophelia Sarkissian (Viper), hidden among the debris.
Act I: Resurgence of Shadows[]
Modern Day: Six months after Secret Invasion.
- Global instability: Governments are weakened, borders tense, protests widespread, and splinter groups exploiting the chaos.
- Steve Rogers operates under the Global Security Accord. He and Sam Wilson have been intercepting rogue Hydra cells, and have noticed a pattern of high-profile assassinations, disappearances, and occult symbolism.
- Elijah Bradley, a bold teen wearing a crude “Patriot” suit, intervenes during a raid in Baltimore against an underground weapons dealer. He almost botches it, but Steve and Sam save him.
- Bucky Barnes returns from Wakanda with intel about a revived Serpent Order planning a bio-engineered fear gas attack through a global broadcast.
- UN Summit in Geneva preps for peace accords. Behind the scenes, Viper uses toxins to infect influential delegates’ food and water supplies.
Key Non-Fight Sequences:
- Isaiah Bradley’s home scene: Steve visits Isaiah, who warns him not to drag Elijah into their wars. Haunting monologue about the cost of the serum.
- Bucky mentors Elijah in disciplined combat and espionage at a safehouse. Tense, reluctant bonding.
- Sam questions Steve about whether the world still needs Captain America. Steve confesses growing doubt.
Act II: The Coiled Conspiracy[]
Infiltration into Madripoor:
- Cap, Falcon, and Bucky go undercover in the Serpent Quarter, a cult-dominated sector in Madripoor.
- Tense, John Wick-style sequences in snake-themed nightclubs and back alleys.
- They uncover a temple under a defunct distillery. Fight Scene #1: Ambush in the temple’s catacombs by serpent-masked zealots wielding old-world and modern weapons. Tight, brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Revelation: Viper (Madame Hydra) is alive and leading the Order. She's weaponized Hydra ideology into an apocalyptic death cult aiming to break world governments through mass fear. She’s using Hydra’s prototype fear toxin enhanced by alien tech from Secret Invasion fallout.
Flashbacks:
- Isaiah Bradley’s tragic experimentations and abandonment by his government.
- Viper’s indoctrination during WWII — a Hydra child soldier turned cult leader.
Tensions Rise:
- The UN Summit begins in Geneva.
- Viper poisons the water supply. Scene: The poisoned delegates hallucinate their worst fears — world leaders turn on each other in a horrifying breakdown. Chaos erupts.
Fight Scene #2: Sam and Bucky evacuate the summit amidst hallucinating guards and civilians, while Steve chases an operative to an airstrip but loses him.
Moral Turning Point:
- Steve contemplates quitting, feeling the ideals he fights for have rotted.
- Sam challenges him: “Maybe what matters isn’t the symbol, but who carries it.”
Act III: Fall of the Serpent[]
Patriot’s Stand:
- Elijah disobeys orders, tracks a Serpent convoy transporting the toxin canisters into D.C.
- Bucky and Sam scramble to back him up.
Fight Scene #3: Rooftop chase and battle between Steve and Viper’s top enforcer, a serpent-masked assassin named Anaconda. Brutal, old-school brawl.
D.C. under siege:
- Serpent Order sleeper agents incite riots, armed mobs, and drone attacks.
- Falcon fights a mid-air battle with toxin-dispersing drones over the National Mall.
- Patriot saves civilians from a toxin-laden vehicle bomb, defusing it by improvising a fire-dampening tactic learned from Bucky.
Act IV: Final Broadcast[]
Climactic Setup:
- Viper takes over the Capitol dome broadcast center, intending to spread the gas through the airwaves using advanced alien-fusion tech.
- Steve, Sam, Bucky, and Elijah assault the dome.
Fight Scene #4 (Final Showdown):
- Cap vs. Viper on the dome rooftop amidst a thunderstorm.
- Viper mocks Steve’s faith in humanity, taunts him with illusions from the gas.
- Cap resists, anchored by memories of the fallen, and delivers a rallying monologue about hope, legacy, and unity.
- Intense, vicious fight ending with Steve overpowering her.
Meanwhile:
- Sam takes down the last toxin dispersal unit.
- Bucky faces multiple Serpent agents in the dome’s mechanical substructure.
- Elijah, despite injuries, assists Sam, solidifying his heroism.
Crisis Averted.
Epilogue: The New Guard[]
Resolution:
- Viper incarcerated in a black site prison. She etches a serpent symbol into the cell wall.
- Elijah officially dubbed Patriot, receives a new suit incorporating Captain America’s colors with Isaiah’s insignia.
- Steve decides to remain Captain America, but acknowledges the new generation’s place.
Final Scene:
- Steve, Sam, Bucky, and Elijah watch a restored Lincoln Memorial amidst sunrise.
- “Symbols don’t change the world. People do.”
Characters[]
| Character | Portrayed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Rogers / Captain America | Chris Evans | Now a global peacekeeper haunted by a changing world. |
| Sam Wilson / Falcon | Anthony Mackie | Steve’s closest ally, fighting to redefine heroism. |
| Bucky Barnes / White Wolf | Sebastian Stan | Reformed assassin mentoring Elijah and aiding the mission. |
| Elijah Bradley / Patriot | Isaac Ryan Brown | Grandson of Isaiah Bradley, trying to honor his legacy. |
| Viper (Madame Hydra) | Eva Green | Leader of the Serpent Order; former Hydra child soldier. |
| Isaiah Bradley | Carl Lumbly | WWII super soldier survivor, warns against repeating history. |
| Anaconda | Lewis Tan | Viper’s chief enforcer, serpent-themed assassin. |
Soundtrack[]
Composer: Ludwig Göransson
Track Highlights:
- "The Legacy of the Shield"
- "Fear Reborn"
- "Patriot Rises"
- "Viper’s Creed"
- "Capitol Siege"
- "Dawn on the Lincoln Steps"
📢 Marketing[]
- Teaser Trailer released December 2020, featuring Steve’s monologue about broken symbols.
- Official Trailer #2 dropped April 2021, showing the D.C. riot and Steve vs. Viper.
- Special Captain America: Legacy Collection merchandise launched with Patriot’s new suit featured.
🍳 Production[]
Development:
- Announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 as part of Phase 4.
- Ryan Coogler joined as director to bring a darker, geopolitical tone.
- Malcolm Spellman, head writer of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, co-wrote the screenplay.
Casting:
- Eva Green was cast as Viper after an extensive search for a sophisticated, dangerous villain.
- casting as Isaac Ryan Brown was kept secret until the final trailer drop.
Filming:
- Principal photography took place in Atlanta, Georgia, Washington D.C., Prague, and Singapore (doubling for Madripoor).