Actor Anthony Mackie recently confirmed Sam Wilson will become Captain America in a recent interview promoting the recently released Altered Carbon Season 2, where Mackie plays Takeshi Kovacs.
Mackie spoke with Shadow and Act Deputy Editor Trey Mangum, who asked him, “What can we expect from the Disney Plus series and as an actor how do you feel about your character taking on this mantle as a black man?
I talked to Anthony Mackie and the rest of the #AlteredCarbon cast about the show’s great second season, but I had to get some scoop on ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ and his thoughts about Captain America being a Black man pic.twitter.com/Te9Xs2OcRG
— Trey Mangum (@treymangum) February 27, 2020
Mackie responded, “Well, that’s a heavy, loaded question.”
He continued, “The Disney Plus thing is interesting because you really get to experience these experiences now. You get to live with them. So you’re getting six to eight hours of each characters as opposed to a two hour movie where each character had a moment.”
Mackie continues, “So, you really get to know Sam Wilson. You really get to know Bucky Barnes, as individuals and human beings and their thoughts and feelings. So, I’m excited for people to see that part of Sam because in Avengers and in Captain America, he really was just like there for a brief time whenever Steve needed him. But now you get to see the ins and outs of his home life.”
Mackie continues to detail how the shows are different from the movies, “So these shows are very different than the movies. These shows are art pieces. They are individual… They’re not origin stories. They’re more a day in the life story.”
He then discusses the idea of him being a black man and becoming Captain America, “And, with the idea of being a black man and becoming Captain America, it’s been a daunting task because I think, at this day and age in America, I think we are open-minded to the idea of having my face represent us, as a country. And my race represent us as a country because we’re truly a melting pot. So there is no distinctive look or feel or design of an American. We’re all Americans.”
Mackie concludes, “So, to be Captain America, I want my Captain America to represent everybody. Not just a specific group of people.”
Back in August, Mackie stated he would not be playing Captain America. He bluntly told IGN at D23, “I’m not Captain America.” He elaborated, “That’s the tease. I’m not Captain America. Just because he told me to hold his shield. He didn’t say you’re Captain America now.”
Mackie added, “I’m going to go back to see my girl. Call me if something happens. I don’t want to carry this dumb shield.”
He reiterated to Variety that he would continue to be The Falcon in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Mackie stated, “I am the Falcon. I will always be the Falcon. The moniker will stay the same.”
What do you make of Mackie’s confirmation that Sam Wilson will become Captain America? What do you make of his comments about becoming Captain America?