In 2021's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, before Sam Wilson became Captain America, he was the Falcon, flying missions for the United States Air Force with his specialized flight suit. By his side on one such mission, seen in the opening sequence of the show, was one Lieutenant Joaquín Torres, played by actor Danny Ramirez. Torres is an intelligence officer with the U.S. Air Force and serves as Sam's boots on the ground in the early episodes, gathering information on the Flag Smashers.
After Sam's mechanical wings become heavily damaged in a fight with John Walker, Sam lets Torres keep them. Now, devoted comic fans might be aware that Joaquín Torres becomes the Falcon in the comics after Wilson stepped into the mantle of Captain America. And since Torres now has the Falcon flight rig in the MCU, it doesn't take too much of a leap to guess that he might also follow the same path in live-action.
But what does his portrayer, Danny Ramirez, have to say about all this?
Danny Ramirez Plays Coy on Becoming Falcon
During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host pressed Danny Ramirez on his Marvel future potentially replacing Anthony Mackie as the MCU's Falcon. Ramirez offered a cryptic response to dodge the question and shift the focus back to Top Gun: Maverick, in which he plays Lt. Mickey Garcia:
"Well, I've taken to the skies, I love the skies now more than ever...I think, if I were to do that, I'd have to do it practically, I can't go back now."
Will Joaquin Torres Actually Replace Sam Wilson's Falcon?
So, not the most in-depth reply on Danny Ramirez's part, unfortunately, but that's par for the course for the actor. It does seem that, based on his experiences shooting Top Gun: Maverick, the actor is more accustomed to aerial stunts and high-flying escapades, which would certainly translate well into the role of the MCU's potential next Falcon.
It remains to be seen what the future MCU has in store for Torres, but there are still a few things to speculate on.
Would Torres work closely alongside new Captain America, Sam Wilson on his various adventures? Sam was practically inseparable from Steve Rogers while the former Cap was still on the playing field. The two formed a fast friendship in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and their bond grew over several films to the point where Steve entrusted Sam with his signature shield at the end of 2019's Avengers: Endgame. So, while Sam and Joaquín seem to be pals in the MCU, it'll be interesting to see if they end up working closely alongside one another as superheroes.
And where could Torres crop up next? Well, the obvious answer would be Captain America 4. The movie, which has yet to be officially announced but is confirmed to be in development, will star Anthony Mackie as Cap. No other cast has been confirmed, but one could probably expect to see most of the cast members from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier appear, including Danny Ramirez.
