The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ended with a full-blown transformation for Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson into the MCU's new Captain America. The newly crowned Star-Spangled Avenger is expected to be a key player in Phase 4 and beyond, and this was further cemented when reports about Captain America 4 emerged online.
The exact plot details of the movie are still being kept under wraps, but it's reasonable to assume that it will pick up from lingering storylines in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Although Mackie played coy about his involvement in the upcoming Captain America installment, the MCU veteran remained hopeful that his next MCU outing will still feature Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes. Meanwhile, Malcolm Spellman, the film's lead scribe, also teased that the idea of "whether or not a Black man should be Captain America" is going to be "part of [Sam’s] ongoing struggle" as he carries the mantle in future installments, such as Captain America 4.
While fans are waiting for an official announcement straight from Marvel Studios, a major production update for the movie has been unveiled.
Cloverfield Paradox Director Tapped to Helm Captain America 4
The Hollywood Reporter shared that Nigerian-American filmmaker Julius Onah has been tapped to direct Marvel Studios' Captain America 4. Onah is best known for helming 2018's The Cloverfield Paradox.
The upcoming MCU sequel will be the first big-screen outing for Anthony Mackie as the Star-Spangled Avenger, with a script written by The Falcon and the Winter Soldier head writer Malcolm Spellman.
When Will Captain America 4 Premiere?
This latest behind-the-scenes development about Captain America 4 could indicate that the project is gearing up for pre-production soon, which could then lead to filming.
The upcoming Star-Spangled installment currently has no release date yet, mainly because it still hasn't been officially announced by Marvel Studios. However, based on this new update, there's a strong chance that the project could eye an early to mid-2023 production start date.
Hiring Nigerian filmmaker Julius Onah is also fitting since it gives him the freedom to utilize "[Sam's] ongoing struggle" as a Black man becoming Captain America in its own unique way.
Onah has long been an advocate of pushing for more representation, as evidenced by his previous work in directing and co-producing Luce. The aforementioned film dealt with the legacy of racism and the darkest reaches of the white imagination, which was similarly touched on in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Given that Marvel Studios is set to have a major presence at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, it's possible that Captain America 4 is one of the notable announcements from the studio's highly-anticipated Hall H panel.
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