Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie admits he struggled to stay afloat when tasked with playing the eponymous supersoldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Speaking to Inverse about the pressure of playing Captain America in the MCU, Mackie revealed how thrown off he was by the responsibility at first, taking over the all-American superhero role from Chris Evans for Brave New World. Though it's been an adjustment for him, working with familiar faces and developing the right mindset helped him ease into the part. "There’s a huge amount of pressure," Mackie said. "You throw my dumb ass in the water, and you’re like, ‘Swim.’ I’m like, ‘Sh*t.’ But at the same time, it’s all in the state of mind. I’ve been given a great cast. I’ve been given a great group of people who I’ve worked with before."
Brave New World will be the first Captain America film centered on Mackie's Sam Wilson as the vaunted hero. Wilson succeeded Steve Rogers (Evans) after Rogers donned the iconic red, white and blue suit and shield during The First Avenger, The Winter Soldier and Civil War, with Mackie's character appearing in the latter two Captain America movies as his trusted sidekick. In Avengers: Endgame, an older Rogers passed along his shield to Wilson, bestowing on him the responsibility of being Captain America.
Initially, Mackie wanted to play the Black Panther in the MCU, a role which went to the late Chadwick Boseman. However, he warmed up to the role he was given instead, of Wilson/Falcon. "What other major comic book figure has enough of a presence to have his own movie? So when they hit me up and they were like, ‘Yo, so it’s Sam Wilson,’ I’m like, ‘Really?'" he said. Wilson first showed his chops as the MCU's Captain America in the 2021 Disney+ miniseries, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Though his character will have a lot of responsibility on his hands, Mackie previously hinted his version of Captain America won't lead the returning Avengers.
From New World Order to Brave New World
Brave New World was initially dubbed New World Order before officially changing its title earlier this month. Though Mackie claims he had "no idea" the change was coming, reports have suggested the film's plot is a key reason for the new name. The upcoming sequel also features Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, an ex-Air Force lieutenant who succeeds Wilson as the Falcon after being a longtime fan of his. Other actors in the film include Don Cheadle, Carl Lumbly, Liv Tyler, Harrison Ford and WWE superstar Seth Rollins.
Filming for Brave New World began this past March and is expected to conclude on June 30. Initially slated for release next May, the movie was delayed by over two months as a part of Marvel's shifting movie schedule, reportedly due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters across North America on Jul. 26, 2024.
Source: Inverse