Disney California Adventure has quietly removed Sam Wilson’s Captain America from Avengers Campus character appearances. The change comes ahead of major MCU developments scheduled for 2027. Disney fans were not prepared for this alteration to the theme park.
The Character’s Final Appearance
Saturday, January 24, 2026 marked the last reported day Sam Wilson’s Captain America appeared at Avengers Campus. The character had been available as a walk-around meet and greet option where guests could take photos and interact with the hero.
Sam Wilson’s Captain America also previously appeared in the Avengers Assemble stunt show, though that show ended performances last spring as part of broader entertainment cuts to the land and park.
Why the Timing Matters to Disney Fans
The removal happens ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for a May 2027 release. The film will feature Chris Evans returning as the original Captain America, Steve Rogers. Anthony Mackie is also set to reprise his role as Sam Wilson / Captain America, though plot details remain undisclosed.
Disney appears to be positioning character appearances to align with upcoming MCU developments rather than maintaining the current roster based on recent films.
Sam Wilson’s MCU Role
Sam Wilson assumed the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ series after Steve Rogers passed the shield to him at the end of Avengers: Endgame. He carried the identity through Captain America: Brave New World, released in February 2025.
His Avengers Campus presence reflected that MCU status, allowing guests to meet the character actively serving as Captain America in recent projects rather than the retired Steve Rogers version.
Impact on Avengers Campus and Disney Fans
The removal creates a gap in Avengers Campus’s character lineup. Whether Disney replaces Sam Wilson with Steve Rogers, Captain America, leaves the character absent, or makes other adjustments hasn’t been announced.
Other Avengers, including Spider-Man and Black Panther, continue appearing in the land. Character rosters have fluctuated since opening in response to MCU developments, performer availability, and operational priorities.
Ongoing Land Expansion
While Sam Wilson exits, Avengers Campus continues major expansion with two new attractions under construction. Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will nearly double the land’s size when completed.
A new restroom building is also under construction, and walls surround the former Tower of Terror FastPass distribution station for expansion-related work.
The expansion investment contrasts with character entertainment reductions, reflecting different operational priorities. Physical attractions require years of planning and construction, while character appearances can be adjusted quickly.
The MCU Continuity Challenge
Avengers Campus faces ongoing challenges keeping character appearances aligned with MCU evolution. Characters alive and active when the land opened have since died, retired, or changed identities in MCU canon.
Disney must choose between maintaining static character rosters or continuously updating to reflect current MCU status. Each approach creates trade-offs between operational simplicity and franchise consistency.
Removing Sam Wilson ahead of Doomsday suggests Disney prefers aligning with upcoming developments rather than maintaining characters based on recent prominence.
Disney Fans Experience
Guests wanting to meet Sam Wilson’s Captain America at Avengers Campus no longer have that option. Families expecting to interact with the Brave New World character will find him unavailable.
The lack of announced replacement or return timeline creates uncertainty about whether this represents permanent removal or temporary absence pending Doomsday’s release.
What Comes Next
Whether Sam Wilson’s Captain America returns after Doomsday, whether Steve Rogers’ Captain America replaces him, or whether Captain America remains absent from the land depends on decisions Disney hasn’t disclosed.
The character’s removal demonstrates how theme park lands based on active franchises must adapt to narrative developments, creating a fluidity unlike that of lands based on completed stories.
For now, Avengers Campus operates without Sam Wilson’s Captain America following his final appearance January 24, 2026.
