Anthony Mackie debuted in the MCU in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) as Steve Rogers/Captain America’s sidekick Falcon. From there he would reprise his role as Falcon in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
In March 2021, Anthony Mackie finally got to lead his own project as Sam Wilson in the Marvel original series The Falcon and the Winter Soldieron Disney+. Marvel fans got six episodes following Sam Wilson returning from the Blip, fighting the Flag Smashers led by Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), and taking the mantle of Captain America back from John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russel) – all with the help of Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).
But still, many people on the internet seem to be struggling with the idea that MCU’s Captain America is Sam Wilson. This came to a head when The Hollywood Reporter shared this tweet:
“Anthony Mackie is reprising his long-time Marvel character of Sam Wilson, but will not, however, portray Wilson’s long-time alter ego and #CaptainAmerica sidekick, Falcon”
Fans of Sam Wilson have reached their breaking point. It has been over a year since Marvel Studios officially made him Captain America. Honestly, for some, he has been Captain America since Steve Rogers handed him the Shield at the end of Endgame, it just took Sam the six episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to accept this fact.
And Marvel Comics fans have known that becoming Captain America was Sam Wilson’s trajectory in the MCU since he premiered in The Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson has been Captain America in Marvel Comics since All-New Captain America #1 (2014) by Rick Remender.
It’s been a frustrating struggle for fans who want to see more of Sam Wilson as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The introduction of Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell) in What If…? and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been seen as overshadowing Sam Wilson.The Hollywood Reporter’s bizarre refusal to call Sam Wilson Captain America is the final straw for many fans like Twitter user vergers, who said:
The Hollywood Reporter is by far from the only place that tries to talk in circles to avoid calling Sam Wilson Captain America. A certain subset of fans simply cannot handle the idea that the Marvel Universe’s symbol of America is now an African American man.
However, the Hollywood Reporter also double-downed on this mistake with another tweet the same day suggesting that Chris Evans might return as Captain America again Captain America 4.
“It is unclear if Chris Evans would reprise his role as the first #CaptainAmerica (though if the question of who is entitled to carry the shield continues, all bets are off). Having stacked casts in solo outings is a key Marvel ingredient at this point.”
It is unclear if Chris Evans would reprise his role as the first #CaptainAmerica (though if the question of who is entitled to carry the shield continues, all bets are off). Having stacked casts in solo outings is a key Marvel ingredient at this point https://t.co/DmPYFmBmgmpic.twitter.com/AMakpXGA9g
Not much is known about Captain America 4. It is rumored that it could have a theatrical release in 2023 or mid-2024. He could be battling the Thunderbolts, which seemed to be introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Emily Van Camps’ Sharon Carter/Power Broker is rumored to return, and Bucky Barnes could finally become the White Wolf.
But let us know in the comments if you have seen others refusing to call Sam Wilson Captain America.
You can stream Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the seven series in Marvel’s Phase Four so far — Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s WandaVision, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, Marvel’s What If…?, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight, and Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel — on Disney+ anytime
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Credit: Marvel Studios