Phase 4 of the MCU has already seen the remarkable arrival of a new Captain America in the person of Sam Wilson. The latter thus has the difficult task of succeeding Steve Rogers who embodied an ideal hero for many years. The same goes for Chris Evans whose absence, although expected, is still regretted by some ardent fans of the MCU. The actor is indeed today as popular as his character, and is even, so to speak, inseparable from it. Could this passion for the first Captain America impact the success of his successor?
Anthony Mackie, a face far from unknown in the MCU
Prior to wearing the Captain America costume, Anthony Mackie first appeared as Falcon. The hero was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a film in which he already showed himself as a loyal and courageous teammate. The actor is therefore far from his trial run in the MCU, and his face is not unknown to fans. For years, Sam Wilson was part of the Team of Heroes and played a key role in Team Cap, so having Steve give him his shield seemed like a logical decision since he was the top contender. . Thus, even before becoming the new Captain America, Sam Wilson and by extension Anthony Mackie, had already seduced the spectators, and already enjoy their own popularity. This new stage in the development of the character should therefore only be beneficial for Anthony Mackie, whose role will gain in importance in the phases to come.
A new Captain America in tune with the times
Sam Wilson’s introduction as Captain America didn’t come right from the launch of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, quite the contrary. The series took its time, exploring the character’s psychology, his thinking, and the journey that ultimately led him to officially become the new Captain. For these purposes, Falcon and the Winter Soldier was not content to give back the shield to Sam, but rather took the party to raise current issues and directly related to the character, like the racism which he will inevitably face as a black man. Sam Wilson is not a copy of Steve Rogers, but an incarnation of his time, a Captain America who speaks to a different audience. Anthony Mackie thus interprets a different version of the hero, a sign of renewal in the Marvel universe. So there is little doubt that he will be just as popular as Chris Evans. Proof, fans were very upset that Marvel Studios preferred to feature Captain Carter on the official Captain America account, at the launch of the series What If…?.
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