The new Captain America has not yet been determined in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This, according to actor Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, in the MCU. Mackie will be reprising the role in the upcoming Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While many fans assumed that Sam would be taking up Steve Rogers’ mantle as the new Captain America, that is not the case. At least not yet.
Anthony Mackie is currently promoting his latest movie Outside the Wire, which hits Netflix this Friday. During a recent interview on The Jess Cagle Show, Mackie addressed his character’s status as Captain America, explaining that taking up the shield, whoever ends up doing so, is going to be a central element of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Here’s what he had to say about it.
“No, we don’t know that yet. The show, the idea of the show is basically, you know, at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Cap decided he was going into retirement and he asked me if I would take up the shield, but at no point in time, did I agree to or say that I would be Captain America. So the show walks the line of who is going to take up the shield and who’s going to be Captain America if Steve isn’t coming back.”
Avengers: Endgame concludes with Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers going back through time to put the Infinity Stones back where they came from. We learn that Steve decided to stay in the past to live out his life with Peggy Carter. As an old man, he returns to visit Sam and Bucky. Steve gifts Sam his trusty shield. Many took this to mean that Falcon was going to become the new Captain America, especially since that is something that happened in the pages of Marvel Comics. That’s not to say it won’t happen, but we’re not there quite yet.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame and centers on Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, once again played by Sebastian Stan. They team up for what Marvel describes as “a global adventure that tests their abilities, and their patience.” Beyond that, they have been quite unclear about the story at hand. But, as Anthony Mackie tells up, taking up the mantle of Captain America is going to be a big part of the show.
The series is directed by Kari Skogland, with Malcolm Spellman as the head writer. Some familiar faces will be returning, with Daniel Bruhl reprising his role as Zemo, who we last saw in Civil War, as well as Emily VanCamp, who returns as Sharon Carter. Wyatt Russell will be joining the MCU as John Walker, AKA U.S. Agent. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuts in March on Disney+. You can check out the full interview clip from the SiriusXM YouTube channel.
