Marvel Studios is less than one month away from its glorious return with WandaVision kicking off Phase 4 on January 15. With four theatrical releases and six new Disney+ shows in total, 2021 will start a new era of the MCU after no new content arrived in 2020.
Directly following WandaVision will be the release of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier on March 19, continuing the story of Sam Wilson’s partnership with Bucky Barnes. Set in a post-Avengers: Endgame world, the duo will be set in a whirlwind adventure all over the world, taking on the return of Helmut Zemo as they build on the legacy of Steve Rogers.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had more of a difficult production run than most of its MCU counterparts, as it was forced to halt production right in the middle of the schedule when the pandemic induced shutdowns and quarantines all over the world.
Leadership from the show’s leading man was also a huge benefit to this series, as was recently detailed by Marvel’s top executive.
NEWS
In an interview with Emmy Magazine, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige made a point to specifically commend Sam Wilson actor Anthony Mackie for his "strong leadership" during the extended production of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Mackie filmed scenes on the show's Prague shoot this Fall, months after the main production concluded in Atlanta
Feige also went into depth on how much the story of this series connects with the real world:
“It’s a relatively grounded series, and though it takes place in the Marvel world, it’s more of a reflection of the real world. Considering it was written last year, it has only become more relevant and more poignant for our time.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
Anthony Mackie has had quite the successful run as Falcon since he first teamed up with Steve Rogers in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Solider. Appearing as Sam Wilson in six MCU movies in the Infinity Saga before inheriting the Captain America shield, Mackie now takes on a co-starring role in this new series on Disney+ as he works to fill the huge shoes that were left empty at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
Feige calling Mackie out by name during the production of this Disney+ series is a testament to how invested Mackie is in the MCU as he takes on a leading role in every sense. No details were revealed on what Mackie did specifically to display his leadership during the prolonged production, but he certainly made an impact on Feige as he faced challenges head on that neither he nor the studio had experienced before.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will begin streaming on Disney+ on March 19, 2021.
