Captain America: The MCU’s iconic, star-spangled protector of Earth. A title first bestowed upon Steve Rogers during World War II, Cap carried the mantle into the modern age and became a symbol for good.
Of course, at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve retired the shield and handed the responsiblity of being Captain America to his extremely loyal friend Sam Wilson.
Audiences saw Sam fully transition into the role of Cap in 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but who is the superior hero to bear the moniker, Steve or Sam? Actor Anthony Mackie recently offered his thoughts.
Mackie Calls His New Captain America "Different"
In an interview with Men’s Journal, Captain America: New World Order lead Anthony Mackie was asked whether his take on the character will be "better" than Chris Evans’ time as the patriotic hero. The actor was sure to note that Sam Wilson as Cap will be “different,” remarking that with Sam, “there’s no secret serum:”
“Mine will be different. What you have to realize about Sam—he’s a superhero who is not really a superhero. There’s no secret serum. There’s no this or that. I just have wings on my suit that I got from the military. So everything that I do, I do as a common man. When you see me, you might think, ‘Oh, I can be a superhero, too.’ Whereas if you look at Hulk or any of those guys, you can’t compete.”
Mackie also revealed that he has a special fondness for the Hulk. When faced with an inquiry into his favorite Marvel character, he said he’s “always wanted to be The Incredible Hulk.”
The Captain America star was also sure to praise his stuntman, who tackles everything that Mackie can’t handle.
“I also have a great stuntman for that—he’s like a 17th-degree jiu-jitsu samurai. He teaches me all that stuff and if there’s anything I can’t do, he’ll do it. When it comes to all the flipping and spinning stuff, I’m too old. He can get out there and do it.”
No Playing Favorites for Captain America
It’s nice to see that Mackie stayed humble and shied away from pitting his Cap against Evans’ Steve Rogers. That, of course, would go against the very nature of the character.
Mackie’s been in the Marvel game for some time now. When New World Order is released, he’ll have served in the role of Sam Wilson for a decade, having debuted as the character in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier before becoming an MCU staple.
Steve clearly picked the right man to replace him. Sam is level-headed and forthright, with an unbreakable sense of right and wrong, much like Rogers.
It‘ll be interesting to see Sam eventually lead the Avengers, which he’ll presumably do in the next two Avengers movies in 2025.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: New World Order doesn’t fly into theaters until May 3, 2024, but fans can check out Sam Wilson’s “different” Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+.
