“Not so much of a muscle-bound guy”: Anthony Mackie Reveals How His Captain America Stands Out From Chris Evans’ Iconic Version But It Won’t Be Enough to Impress Fans
- Anthony Mackie's Falcon is going to return as Captain America in the upcoming movie.
- Mackie has claimed that his Cap will be different from Evans' Steve Rogers, for better or worse.
- Mackie has also stated that his Captain America is every one's superhero.
Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson took over the mantle of Captain America from Steve Rogers after the latter retired at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Wilson landed on the screens as the beloved superhero for the first time in the show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The show saw Sam grapple with his legacy and struggle with his new responsibilities as Cap, but by the end, he accepted his new role. This was symbolized by his costume, which combined Steve’s shield and Falcon’s wings, representing Sam’s acceptance of his past and present lives.
Although both Sam and Steve are Captain America, they are different in how they perform their duties and the public’s general perception of them. Mackie has often insisted that his Cap is different from Chris Evans’, and he has recently reiterated it, but it might not be something fans agree upon.
Anthony Mackie Has Revealed How His Captain America is Different from Chris Evans’
Anthony Mackie was introduced as Sam Wilson/The Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He portrayed the character in several movies before he was handed over the duties of Captain America in Avengers: Endgame, which saw some of the most beloved superheroes either retire, or sacrifice themselves to bring back the lost population of the universe.
Ever since Mackie began playing Cap, he has insisted that his version of the character is different from that of Evans. Back in February 2023, he told Yahoo:
With my Cap, he’s not a superhero. He doesn’t have a super serum, so his superpower is his humanity.
He also said that for his Cap, there is not a bold line separating the good from the bad like there was for Evans’. During the press event for Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Mackie reiterated the difference between the two Caps, saying (via The Official Marvel Podcast):
Sam is surrounded by a host of intricate characters that help him move through the plot of the story. He’s not so much a muscle-bound guy, he’s more of a cerebral, thoughtful character.
This obviously does not mean that Steve Rogers was all muscles and no brain, but his muscles were probably one of his key characteristics. That said, fans may not like how Mackie has put it at the end of the day. Fans have always loved Steve Rogers for who he was, even if it was a little more muscles and a little less brain.
Anthony Mackie Refers to His Captain America as “every man’s hero”
The Million Dollar Baby actor seems to be very passionate about his role as Captain America, just like the fans who have been eagerly waiting for a fourth movie starring the superhero in the lead role.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ after the SDCC panel, he told the outlet how they have focused on making Cap someone that everyone relates to.
Captain America is every man’s hero, you know? So every man has to look at Captain America and see himself in Cap. So it’s very important that when people look at me as Captain America, they see themselves and me the way I saw myself in Superman or Batman when I was a kid.
This is indeed a great perspective when it comes to superheroes since a lot of the time, these characters are made to have unattainable powers or characteristics that make them look rather unrealistic.
Captain America: Brave New World is set to hit the theatres on February 14, 2025.
