If you’ve been watching Falcon & the Winter Soldier on Disney+, you know that things are shaking up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sharon Carter is [SPOILER]. Wakanda is [SPOILER]-ing. Bucky is in [SPOILER]. And maybe most historically, Sam Wilson is the new [SPOILER].
Wilson has been played by Anthony Mackie ever since his induction into the MCU as Steve Rogers’ high-flying protege the Falcon. It’s a good fit. Mackie is one of the most likeable guys around. He’s deeply invested in racial equality and pitching a new vision for masculinity in the U.S. He’s also a father of four children, and has a very heartwarming story regarding his son’s revelation about his dad’s new line of superhero work. This video below is very sweet but be warned, it spoils a major reveal from the Falcon & the Winter Soldier finale — albeit one that’s going to be common knowledge in a very short amount of time.
From here on out, this article will deal in spoilers.
So proud of Anthony Mackie #CaptainAmerica pic.twitter.com/38zRMrb6XV
— Nerdist (@nerdist) April 26, 2021
“It’s funny as a parent,” Mackie says. “You do so much and all you want is the approval of your kids. Nobody else matters. I don’t care what anybody else on the internet says. My son said it was cool. So it’s cool.”
People on the internet can be irritating about the new Captain America for a variety of reasons but one of them that isn’t fair is accusing them of playing fast and loose with the source material. Steve Rogers did indeed bequeath the shield to Sam Wilson in the Captain America comics back in 2014 and Wilson kept the mantle for a few years before the deck got reshuffled back to normal, as things usually do in comic books.
However, the MCU is happily doubling down on Mackie’s new role. Marvel Studios has confirmed that Captain America 4 is in the works, and Mackie will be starring. In fact, the studio’s official Twitter handle made Mackie’s new role official earlier this week. The official Captain America Twitter account has also gotten a little upgrade. Not bad.
