Embed from Getty Images
Marvel’s next big movie, Captain America: A Brave New World comes out on February 13. It’s the first movie with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Falcon picking up the reins as Cap. It’s been almost six years since Avengers: Endgame, but at the end of that movie, Chris Evans’ Captain America decided to hang up his shield and go back to the 1940s to marry and spend his life with Peggy Carter. At the end of the movie, an old Steve Rogers (looking a lot like Joe Biden) passes the Captain America shield and title to Sam.
Mackie just did an interview with Fandango to promote Brave New World. In the interview, he tells a funny, charming story about how he learned that Sam would be the new Cap. As it turns out, he found out from Evans himself after confessing that he hadn’t read the script yet.
“It was a bunch of us at his house—he had this crazy house—sitting there watching a game, shooting the s–t,” Anthony told Fandango in an interview published Jan. 17. “He goes, ‘Have you read the new script?’ I said, ‘Nah.'”
At first, the 8 Mile actor—who plays Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, in the comic book movies—thought his friend was implying there was bad news in the screenplay for 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, where Chris’ Steve Rogers passes on his iconic Captain America shield to his character.
“Being Black,” Anthony continued, “I’m like ‘I’mma die, damn. They’re getting rid of me, man. I don’t even cause no trouble. I stand in the back, like I don’t bother nobody.'”
But when Chris took him downstairs into his “man cave of all man caves,” the 46-year-old soon realized it was quite the opposite.
“He gets the new script,” Anthony recalled. “He goes to like the last 10 pages, and he goes, ‘Read it!’ So I’m thinking they killed me off… I get to the part and it’s like, you know, I’m reading the scene between us, and it goes, ‘He hands him the shield.’ I’m like, ‘So why did you give me the shield?’ He’s like, ‘Because you’re f–king Captain America.'”
Anthony was far from upset that Chris leaked the news, insisting that he “couldn’t imagine finding out any other way.”
“We hug, we jump up and down,” the Elevation actor added of the sweet moment. “It was hilarious.”
And now with the upcoming Captain America movie—also starring Harrison Ford, Seth Rollins, Danny Ramirez and Rosa Salazar—set to premiere on Feb. 13, Anthony is looking forward to showing the rest of the world why he deserves to step into the legendary superhero suit.
However, one person he won’t have to convince? Chris.
As Anthony put it, “His excitement for me becoming Captain America let me know that he knew I could handle it.”
Oh man, this is a great story. I bet Evans was super excited to be the one to tell Mackie once he found out that he didn’t already know. I can’t believe that he didn’t read the script, even though his reasoning is valid. Sam was one of the characters that got snapped at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, so I’d have read it right away to learn how my character ends up coming back! It’s also super sweet that Chris was so happy for Anthony to be the new Cap. I love that.
As for A Brave New World, I admit that its release date snuck up on me. I’ve been back down the Star Wars rabbithole because of Skeleton Crew, so the Marvel stuff fell off my radar a little bit. I totally forgot that Harrison Ford is in it! I don’t remember a whole lot about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, but now I think I’m going to do a quick rewatch to refresh myself ahead of the movie.
photos credit: Lumeimages/ImageBROKER/Avalon, IMAGO/Dave Starbuck/Avalon, Izumi Hasegawa/Avalon
I am excited to see Anthony take up the shield and step into this role on the big screen. I WILL be watching the opening weekend.
Me too! I also really enjoyed the Falcon & Winter Soldier.
Me three!
Also going for Harrison, in addition to Anthony Mackie.
Hearing this, I’m going to watch opening weekend.
Falcon and Winter Soldier was the only Marvel series I watched. PLEASE do not skip the episode where the Dora Milaje come for Zeemo and get into a fight with Dollar Tree Cap ( Wyatt Russell), we were on our feet screaming, it was an epic beat down.
Dollar Tree Cap! That made my day! LOL!
I wish there was interest in a Falcon & Winter Soldier movie. I like their banter between each other. I also hope one of these Marvel movies tie up some loose strings from the Disney+ shows. My family will be sitting in the seats opening weekend to support. I’m hoping that it will have a good opening weekend because critics haven’t been happy according to the supposed industry insiders. There are people who don’t want him to be Captain America.
Love Anthony Mackie. A real one. And hot AF. What a tall glass of water. Swoon.
Thank you for this delightful story. On a day (week/month/year/next four years) full of terrible garbage and seething hatred, this lovely story was much needed respite.