Sam Wilson actor Anthony Mackie has opened up about the superhero’s evolution from Falcon to Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
On Wednesday, November 20, Wilson attended the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore to promote Captain America: Brave New World, the first installment in the franchise to feature the actor in a leading role. At the showcase, Wilson disclosed that he first learned that Sam Wilson was set to replace Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers as the MCU’s Captain America while watching a football game at Evans’ house.
Evans had passed him the last two pages of the Avengers: Endgame screenplay, which featured the scene of Old Steve handing over Cap’s shield to Sam. “When I read it, we just hugged each other and jumped around in a circle,” recalled Mackie.
When did Sam Wilson become Captain America in the MCU?
Despite Steve passing down Cap’s shield (and mantle) to Sam in Avengers: Endgame, the former Falcon did not officially become the Star-Spangled Man until the series finale of the Disney+ limited series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Earlier in the series, Sam had donated Cap’s shield for a museum display only for the U.S. government to turn around and appoint John Walker as the next Captain America. It wasn’t until Walker was stripped of the title that Wilson decided to reclaim the mantle of Captain America for himself.
When asked about how Sam Wilson planned to handle the mantle of Captain America in the upcoming sequel, Brave New World, Mackie shared, “Sam’s evolution is simple. He’s still a counselor. He’s still serving soldiers, but at the same time, now he’s a leader of his community in the country.”
Mackie also pointed out that, unlike Steve and John, Sam Wilson is not a Super Soldier, meaning that his Captain America will have a whole different fighting style. “It’s very different with the serum — you can fight anybody,” explained the actor. “When you don’t have the serum, you have to be smart and engineer different ways of defeating [enemies]. With Sam, him being a counselor, he uses more of his brains than brawn. He uses more of his wit than his fist. He’s more of a friend to everyone.”
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Joining Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World is Danny Ramirez, who reprises his role as Joaquin Torres from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. With Sam now Cap, Torres has taken on the mantle of Falcon. In the sequel, the duo will go up against several villains, including the Serpent Society — led by Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder — The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), and Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk (Harrison Ford).
Captain America: Brave New World is scheduled to hit theaters on February 14, 2025, as part of Phase 5 of the MCU.
(Source: Deadline)
