Avengers: Doomsday's latest promo unexpectedly gave Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson a new nickname, infuriating MCU fans. Avengers: Endgame's ending completely changed Sam Wilson's trajectory after he accepted responsibility for becoming Captain America following Chris Evans' Steve Rogers. A good chunk of the Multiverse Saga mainly focused on Wilson's ascension to Captain America, kickstarting his journey in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and carrying over into Captain America: Brave New World. Some of the issues Sam had to endure by taking the mantle are racism and the sheer weight of the Captain America legacy. Following his abandonment of the Falcon mantle, Joaquin Torres has since taken over as the new winged hero, with him also returning in Avengers: Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday's latest collaboration with Burger King India has rubbed a lot of MCU fans the wrong way. The fast-food chain launched a limited-edition Doomsday collection menu, which includes items such as a Doctor Doom-themed whopper and a Cyclops paneer burger. Among them is the "Falcon Fearless Chicken Wings," paired with an image of Anthony Mackie's Captain America.
This is likely an oversight from Marvel and Burger King's promotional team rather than any indication that Sam will revert to Falcon in the movie.
Previous marketing materials for Avengers: Doomsday have made it clear that Anthony Mackie's Sam is the MCU's Captain America in the crossover event, even though Chris Evans' Steve Rogers is already confirmed to be a significant addition. Joaquin Torres remains the current Falcon as well, and the official trailer already showed him all suited up as the MCU hero alongside the rest of the Avengers.
This latest blunder fits a pattern of sloppy marketing in international promos, and there is still time for Marvel Studios to fix this mistake. Still, the damage has been done. Several MCU fans were understandably upset, as expected. Many saw the "Falcon Fearless Chicken Wings" label as a needless regression that undercut Sam Wilson's established status as Captain America in the present-day MCU.
The backlash was predictable given how carefully the MCU has treated Sam's transition from Falcon to Captain America across The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Brave New World. The timing also came after the latest Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which already sparked discussion about multiple people who have held the Captain America title.
While Scott Lang's joke about calling Steve Rogers "Cap" is meant to be innocent, the promo had already put the "which Cap?" conversation back in the spotlight. Against that backdrop, a major Doomsday food tie-in reverting to Falcon for Sam felt like another unnecessary step backward.
Avengers: Doomsday Will Give Sam Wilson the Perfect Opportunity to Shine
Amid this mishap, Avengers: Doomsday arrives at the ideal moment for Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, as he enters the 2026 MCU crossover event as the fully established and active Captain America. The movie's promotional push already positions Sam as the hero who assembled the Avengers and leads the team into the Multiversal conflict.
The scale of Doomsday's story plays to Sam Wilson's strength. Avengers: Doomsday brings together heroes from three distinct universes against an existential threat tied to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and colliding realities.
This high-stakes, multi-team coordination is a golden opportunity for Sam to thrive and showcase his leadership skills. Sam, who is grounded in empathy, military experience, tactical leadership, and the refusal to take the easy super-soldier serum shortcut, has an edge and a distinct identity on a massive ensemble.
In a film this large, the clarity of who is Captain America and the leader matters. After Endgame, Avengers: Doomsday is the first true ensemble event of the Multiverse Saga's own culmination, and it gives Sam the chance to do what Steve once did: rally a fractured group of powerful people together under impossible pressure and immense stakes while making the Captain America mantle his own.
