With Chris Evans officially out as Captain America (no, he means it!) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier confirming that Anthony Mackie had just what it took to hold the shield, most of us are ready to see just where Sam Wilson goes as the MCU nears the end of Phase Five. But like Sam Wilson, some people had difficulty in seeing how Mackie could take over the role. There was also the matter of race: how would Black Cap’ be received on such a massive scale? For co-star Harrison Ford, he doesn’t even see Captain America as Black: he sees him as Anthony Mackie.
Harrison Ford was asked by Extra TV about the concept of a Black Captain America, to which Ford replied, “I don’t think there’s a Black Captain America, I just think there’s a Captain America…He could be red or green, but he’s not: he’s Anthony Mackie. And he fills the shoes, whatever they were. I was there when it happened and for me, he’s Captain America.” That’s the perfect statement and one that also shows a level of respect between the two actors that you don’t always see with different generations.
Of course, Anthony Mackie isn’t the only one doing some replacing in Captain America: Brave New World, as Harrison Ford is taking over the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, first played by William Hurt in the early days of the MCU. He would return with Captain America: Civil War and play him a few more times before his 2022 death. On the casting, Ford said, “There’s no ‘cat in the bag’ with following the footsteps of an actor like William Hurt. But I had complete security in knowing that I was on a firm foundation. And I was very pleased with the opportunity.”
Anthony Mackie recently came under fire for comments he made about the character, suggesting that the “America” aspect is arbitrary. He has since clarified his statement, which, along with Ford’s endorsement, is looking like just the right final push before Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14th.
Will you be checking out Captain America: Brave New World on opening weekend? What do you expect from Mackie this time around?
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