Anthony Mackie is no stranger to being an Avenger, but his rank within Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is poised for an upgrade by way of the events of Captain America: Brave New World. Mackie’s Sam Wilson suits up as the star-spangled man for the first time in a feature film. Despite being handed the torch by Steve Rogers in the final moments of Avengers: Endgame, Wilson set himself on a six-episode hero’s journey before officially ᴀssuming the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier finale.

“Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people out there who are going to hate me for it,” Wilson tells a selection of senators in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6. The former Falcon is aware and actively feeling the pressure and purpose that come with simply wielding the vibranium shield, all of which are inevitably set to dial up to an 11 when he’s tasked with being front and center among the Avengers, a team he has only played a supporting role on in the past.

ScreenRant spoke with Mackie about the “very fine line” Wilson rides between serving as Captain America and leading the Avengers, how his upcoming Brave New World battles could prepare him to take on an evil Steve Rogers variant in Avengers: Doomsday, and where Wilson stands with Tony Stark ahead of Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU as Doctor Doom.

Sam Wilson’s “Very Fine Line” Between Being Captain America & An Avenger

“I Think He Would Be Amazing With A Group…”

Captain America: Brave New World is the latest series of trials and tribulations that Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is set to face as the star-spangled man. As he continues to learn his idenтιтy as Captain America, the expected task of leading the Avengers remains on the horizon. Few actors have a better understanding of what it is like to balance those responsibilities than Mackie, who recently sparked discussion when he advised aspiring thespians to ask themselves whether they want to be an actor or a celebrity.

“I think there’s a very fine line between being Captain America and being an Avenger,” Mackie told ScreenRant when the ‘actor vs. celebrity’ quote was applied to Sam Wilson, but the two options being subsтιтuted for Captain America vs. Avenger. “I think he would succeed as an Avenger because he’s a leader of men.”

Even though he’s just taking center stage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe now, Wilson has embodied that “leader of men” atтιтude since his introduction in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

“He has the military background. He was a counselor, so he has the mental apтιтude to be able to talk to people and talk them off the ledge,” Mackie continued. “I think he would be amazing with a group, but I think as an individual, just simply as Captain America, he still has the forтιтude and the wherewithal to be a pretty successful standalone superhero.”

Succeeding as an individual is crucial to the Captain America idenтιтy. While Wilson has emphasized that he’s not trying to be Steve Rogers 2.0, some of the MCU’s founder’s traits are inseparable from whoever dons the red, white, and blue.

Being Captain America means taking a stand for what’s right, even if it means taking that stand alone. Rogers embodied this when he stood opposite Shield in The Winter Soldier and the world governments in Captain America: Civil War. Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley showed the same strength in his off-screen rescue of a band of Super Soldiers who were held as prisoners of war, whom the top brᴀss wanted to bomb to hide the evidence of experimentation.

Is Sam Wilson Prepared To Fight An Evil Steve Rogers Variant?

“Once They Come Together, There’s A Certain Understanding…”

Regardless of who’s donning the Stars and Stripes, Captain America’s greatest strength is also often his greatest weakness. Rogers’s insistence on not trading lives effectively led to Thanos’s victory in Avengers: Infinity War. Bradley’s decision to save his men resulted in him being imprisoned for 30 years.

With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon and Chris Evans reportedly set to return in a mystery capacity, rumors have swirled that the MCU original could be following in fellow founding father Robert Downey Jr.’s footsteps by making a comeback as a villainous variant. If Mackie’s Sam Wilson stands against an evil version of his biggest mentor, is he prepared to not pull his punches?

“I think it goes back to the fight sequence between Iron Man and Captain America in Civil War. I think there’s a certain understanding between the two Caps that once they come together, just like with Bucky, I mean there’s a certain understanding between the two characters that it’ll be like De Niro and Pacino and Heat,” Mackie explained. “That’s what I would be most excited about, is the idea of being able to act it out instead of duke it out.”

The variant variable continues with Iron Man as well. With the familiar face of RDJ now being the visage of Victor Von Doom, Wilson could find himself battling another former friend.

“Sam Wilson is still cool with Tony Stark,” Mackie explained when asked where Wilson stands with the now-deceased Avenger. “Sam still actually works with Stark Industries because a lot of his beginning tech came from Stark Industries. It’s just that the new suit comes from Wakanda. It’s like he gets the suit from Stark, then takes it to Wakanda and gets the upgrades added to it.”

While his biggest battles lie ahead, Mackie is prepared to take those tussles in stride and continue repping the red, white, and blue for another decade.

“After the 14th, I got a 10-year run,” the 46-year-old actor said. “I’m not trying to be a 60-year-old Captain America. That’ll hurt.”

Check back soon for our other Captain America: Brave New World interviews with…

• Danny Ramirez
• Director Julius Onah
• Producer Nate Moore

Source: ScreenRant Plus