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Ever since Captain America punched Hitler in the face on the cover of Captain America No. 1, Marvel‘s had a thing for superheroes and war. WWII in particular has received a great deal of attention in the comics, but not so much in Marvel games. That’s changing in 2025 with Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, and with the release of the new story trailer, we’ve finally got more than a title to think about. Any excuse to see superheroes beat up Nazis is a good one, but what should we expect Skydance New Media to deliver? We still lack concrete gameplay details, but judging by the cast and this early glimpse, fans of The First Avenger may be in for something special.
The Cast and Concept Behind Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
As a narrative-driven action game, Marvel 1943 is set to deliver some spicy emotional conflicts to back-up its physical fights. The story trailer pays particular attention to two of the game’s four playable heroes: Captain America (Drew Moerlein) and Black Panther (Khary Payton). They’re joined by Wakandan spy Nanali (Megalyn Echikunwoke), U.S. soldier Gabriel Jones (Marque Richardson), French resistance member Julie (Lyne Renée), and Howard Stark (Joel Johnstone). The trailer takes place in Occupied Paris, so it’s fair to assume there’s a bit of spycraft at work.
Rise of Hydra uses Unreal Engine 5, and though the trailer doesn’t include any combat gameplay, it’s undeniably slick. Nazis aren’t the only thing in Paris that has Steve Rogers worried. There are claw marks on his shield. He even makes a cheeky reference to a “six-foot catman” who can cut through Vibranium alloy. It’s not clear what Black Panther wants. It probably has something to do with the Eye of Force we hear referenced, as well as the Hydra insignia everywhere. In addition to stealth takedowns and acrobatic brawling, Black Panther also cruises across Parisian rooftops in, well, catlike fashion. With any luck that’s a hint at the kind of gameplay traversal we can expect.
Superheroes and Villains in WWII
The Rise of Hydra story trailer ends with Captain America and Black Panther coming to blows. The premise likely isn’t “hero vs. hero” the way it was in Civil War. Still, tensions between the good guys are high. So where will the story take us? The Avengers go back even further than the X-Men, so there’s plenty of material for the game’s writers to take inspiration from. Although Captain America is arguably the definitive WWII superhero in Marvel’s roster, the war holds a unique place in the history of many heroes and villains. Magneto’s complex and emotionally devastating relationship with Auschwitz-Birkenau may be the best example.
Marvel published Captain America No. 1 on March 01, 1941, months before America even entered the war. That gives The First Avenger a unique place in comic history. If the game amounts to little more than a Marvel-themed Wolfenstein, more focused on breaking Nazi noses than launching a political critique, I can live with that. Breaking Nazi noses is always good. That said, I hope Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra digs deeper than the average WWII game. Themes of discrimination, community, and perseverance drive much of the Marvel canon. Considering how relevant those themes are today, it’d be a shame to see them ignored. Let’s hope that when Marvel 1943 releases next year it gives us more than one reason to celebrate.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra has not yet had any platform announcements.
