Anthony Mackie Discusses ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ His Favorite MCU Character, and Playful Moments With Chris Evans

Anthony Mackie revealed that Sam Wilson will emphasize “brains over brawn” in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World and shared the story of how he learned he would be taking on the mantle of the new Captain America.

The Twisted Metal star is set to lead Captain America: Brave New World, the first film in the franchise with him as the titular hero. During Disney’s APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, Mackie recalled the moment he found out about his big role while watching a football game at Chris Evans’ house.

On that day, Evans handed him the final two pages of the Avengers: Endgame script, revealing that Sam Wilson would be taking up the shield. “When I read it, we hugged and started jumping around in a circle,” Mackie said.

When asked how Sam will approach his role as Captain America in the upcoming film, set to release on February 14, 2025, Mackie shared:

“Sam’s evolution is simple. He’s still a counselor, helping soldiers, but now he’s also a leader in his community and the country.”

He added that Sam’s version of Captain America is unique, particularly because he doesn’t have the Super Soldier Serum:

“Without the serum, you have to be smart and come up with new ways to win,” Mackie said. “Sam relies more on his brains than his strength, more on his wit than his fists. He’s more of a friend to people.”

Mackie confessed that he wasn’t a comic book fan before joining the Marvel universe:

“I’ve never read comics, but I’ve watched every cartoon—from Tom and Jerry to Teen Titans. If you haven’t seen Teen Titans, it’s my favorite. Look up the ‘Booty Scooty’ episode. It’s amazing.”

After being cast as Falcon, he bought 50-60 comic books to familiarize himself with the character’s backstory.

He also highlighted what sets Captain America films apart in the Marvel universe: their grounded, “realistic” tone in contrast to the other movies.

“If you look at these Marvel movies, they go with different genres. You have the fantasy world, you have the space world, you have the raccoon world. With the Captain America stories, it has always been the realistic, grounding world.”

“This movie stays in the line with the original Captain America, of that thrill, of that espionage, of that grounded nature with storytelling and really investing the actual audience into the story.”

Mackie offered his thoughts on his new suit for Captain America: Brave New World.

“It’s a high-tech suit. I went to Wakanda, met with everybody in Wakanda, we had dinner. It was a great time. They threw me a welcome party. It was dope. But when I was leaving, they gave me a suit, right? I put it on. I can kick harder, I can fly faster, and it gives me the ability to be more agile in my skills, so it’s taking all my skills to a completely different level.”

Mackie also revealed his favorite superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—and it’s neither Falcon nor Captain America.

“My favorite character of all time is the Incredible Hulk. I’ve always been a Hulk fan. When I was a kid, I used to watch the TV shows. I just always loved the Hulk.”

However, he does have one question about what occurs when the green-skinned hero transforms:

“‘I always wondered, ‘How come everything came off except the pants?’ Everything — his shirt, his shoes — came off, but his pants stayed. I always thought that was weird.”

Are you excited for Captain America: Brave New World? Do you think it can live up to the first three Captain America films? Share your thoughts in the comments below!