Captain America: Brave New World may be the first MCU Captain America film without Chris Evans in the lead role, but it feels rather familiar for the man taking his place. Anthony Mackie has spoken about how filming his new venture has brought home just how much his character has been through since he was introduced almost a decade ago.
Mackie finally took on the title of Captain America in the Marvel/Disney Series Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which focused quite heavily on who would take over the role now that Steve Rogers had gone off to enjoy his life. Steve left the shield with his trusted friend and ally, Sam Wilson, but Sam understood not only the responsibility that would come with it, but the optics too. By the end of the series though, he fully steps into the role, making it his own as he combines the Captain America suit and shield with his own falcon wings.
Filming for Captain America: Brave New World wrapped over a month ago, and for Mackie, despite stepping into his new, prestigious role, he felt a sense of nostalgia. This was thanks to one of the locations, one that Mackie felt brought his character “full circle.” The actor talked to The Wrap about the experience (prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike):
“It kind of brought my Marvel experience full circle because we shot in D.C. at the same hotel that we shot Winter Soldier at. One of my first Marvel scenes was me sitting at a table talking to the senator and me and Chris and Scarlett kidnapping him and we go back and we stay at the same hotel and we shot at that same area. So in that regard, it was really emotional to think how far my character has come and where he is now after the 10 years that I’ve been in the MCU.”
Many MCU actors have been in the superhero universe for well over a decade now, such as Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sebastian Stan. However, many of the old guard have moved on; with Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson saying farewell to their characters and the universe after serving it diligently. In Mackie’s case, it’s more as if he is getting a promotion, spearheading his own film in the much more recognized role of Captain America.
The actor has discussed how (thanks to how often he has worked with the same people for some time now), the whole experience feels almost like a summer camp. It’s a summer camp we wouldn’t mind joining if it means we get to be superheroes for a while!
You can catch Mackie as Captain America in Captain America: Brave New World, flying into theaters on July 26, 2024.