The future is looking bright for Anthony Mackie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier should set the stage for the actor to become the new Captain America. That's likely to ensure that Sam Wilson is a pivotal part of this shared world for years to come, and Marvel Studios has, in fact, clued the actor into everything that's heading our way during Phase 4.
Understandably, Mackie wasn't willing to give anything away during his chat with Happy Sad Confused, but did shed some light on how he was told about Kevin Feige's grand plan.
"You know how all the 14-year-old girls have that little noise machine that they sleep, like the little wind thing, [Marvel Studios] bring you in a room and turn on four of those, close the curtains, and they literally just run down on a blackboard the gauntlet of what’s gonna happen," he revealed.
In the same interview, Mackie was asked how he initially learned about The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and it turns out he first met with Marvel Studios right after work on Avengers: Endgame concluded (which is the same as Paul Bettany based on what he's said about WandaVision).
However, the actor wasn't sold on the idea at first.
"After the big premiere party, splish splash, I have a meeting with everybody and they’re like ‘We’re going streaming, and you’re gonna be in a streaming show,’ and I was like...really?"
"Because you think there’s no way Marvel would be able to keep the level of sophistication, quality. There’s no way you would be able to do the exact same thing on a television," Mackie continues. "So basically, I though this show was gonna be like the old school Batman, I though it was gonna be some shitty, or some of the other shows where it’s like soap operas. The quality of our show with the acting, with the scripts, with the development of the characters and everything was so high-level, so high-brow. I didn’t think there was any way Marvel would be able to carry that onto television."
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is clearly a big budget production, and Mackie was ultimately won over. It's interesting that he had these early reservations, but it just goes to show that, like us, trusting Marvel Studios is ultimately the smartest possible decision because they clearly know what they're doing!
Click on the "Next" button below to check out 10 possible
ways Chris Evans could return as Steve Rogers in Phase 4!
10. Sam Wilson's Mentor
Steve Rogers survived the events of Avengers: Endgame, and there's really no reason to assume he can't stick around the MCU as an old man. How interested Chris Evans would be in taking on a role like that is another matter, but we've seen in the comics that it's a concept which can actually work.
As a mentor to Sam Wilson, Steve can be a sounding board for the new Captain America who helps point him in the right direction as he wields the shield and tries to live up to his friend's legacy.
It's not just the former Falcon this older Steve could help out either; we know the Young Avengers are set to assemble in the MCU, so what if the former Avenger helps point them in the right direction? Regardless, we definitely expect to see Steve in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier!
9. Director Of S.W.O.R.D.
While he may be unable to get physical, there's still a lot of good Steve Rogers can do in the MCU.
When the Super Soldier Serum was removed from his body in the comics, Steve was aged up, but took charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's entirely possible he'll want to enjoy his retirement, of course, but if he's now widowed, perhaps he'd be open to taking charge of an organisation like S.W.O.R.D.? That might be a good fit for the hero, and it's a great way to keep the character in this shared world.
It's a little sad to think about Cap just hanging up his shield and retiring, but exciting to imagine the good he could do. After travelling to the past, it's possible he even set S.W.O.R.D. up with Peggy to make sure there was a S.H.I.E.L.D. replacement waiting in the wings to protect the world.
8. Captain America Reborn
We're definitely keen to see what Sam Wilson does as Captain America, but we can't help but hope Steve Rogers one day returns to wield the shield. The hero somehow being de-aged after Sam is put on the sidelines would be an epic moment, especially if the threat to the MCU is big enough.
We'll get to what that might be a little later, but we're sure Chris Evans would be open to this idea.
In recent years, both Bucky and The Falcon have become Captain America, but the shield always ends up coming back to Steve. After Sam gets a decent run, that could happen here as well.
7. Weapon X
Wolverine and the X-Men are on their way to the MCU, and while we don't know exactly how that's going to work, exploring Logan's history could lead to Chris Evans suiting up once again.
In the comic books, the Super Soldier Serum and Weapon X programme are tenuously linked, and Steve Rogers actually fought alongside James Howlett during World War II. A flashback showing the two heroes crossing paths would give Wolverine some history in the MCU, and give us another chance to see what it was like for Captain America fighting for his country during the war.
The signs are pointing to Madripoor being introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Wolverine has a lot of history there. Perhaps it's in this series we'll first learn about Weapon X?
6. Trip Through Time
When we caught up with the Russo Brothers last year, we asked if Captain America's trip back through time - which saw him return each of the Infinity Stones to their rightful place - would be a story they wanted to tell. "It would be a great story to tell, no question," Joe told us.
"I don't know whether it needs to be told, but it would be a great story to tell, and we'd love to tell it, but I think there are other stories to move on to now," the filmmaker concluded. So, it's a "maybe," but this is a story fans want to see play out, and it has all the makings of a great Disney+ series.
We certainly hope this becomes a reality, as there's definitely a story there that's worth telling...
5. Secret Empire
One of Marvel's most controversial storylines saw it revealed that Captain America was secretly loyal to HYDRA. As the months passed, his villainous status was cemented through a series of violent and shocking actions which saw Steve Rogers do whatever it takes to get the world to "Hail HYDRA!"
Secret Empire would reveal that the Cosmic Cube had created this second, villainous Cap, and the real deal later returned to take down his evil doppelgänger. Some changes would definitely need to be made to the storyline, but it undeniably has some big screen potential if handled the right way.
For example, it could appear to Earth's Mightiest Heroes that Cap has returned, only for us to learn this evil version is an imposter. You have to admit it would be fun seeing Evans play a villain too!
4. Multiverse Hijinks
Of course, one explanation for the arrival of a Captain America loyal to HYDRA is the Multiverse.
All the signs are pointing to Marvel Studios making that a focal point of Phase 4, and it could ultimately be used to give Chris Evans another chance to play Captain America. It would be a little dull for the character not to go through some changes, though, and Marvel Studios could have some fun with what they get the actor to do as he once again wields the shield.
The Multiverse opens the door to unlimited possibilities, and Evans could play everything from the Ultimate Captain America to the Marvel Zombies and Cap Wolf versions of the character.
3. Captain America & Bucky
Captain America: The First Avenger had to squeeze a lot of story in, and that meant we didn't get to spend a huge amount of time with Steve Rogers, Bucky, and the Howling Commandos.
A Disney+ miniseries could go some way in making up for that, following the heroes as they embark on a mission which somehow plays into other stories being told in the MCU. As we mentioned, a team-up with Wolverine is one strong possibility, introducing us to this world's version of Weapon X.
There are plenty of Captain America villains who have yet to grace the big screen, so perhaps Steve and Bucky could square off with the likes of Hate-Monger and the Serpent Society?
2. After The Happy Ending
At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers made the decision to remain in the past and (finally) get his happy ending with Peggy Carter. The question is, what happened next?
While we're sure Cap knew better than to start interfering in history, it's hard to imagine he remained on the sidelines and didn't save a few lives. If nothing else, you have to believe the hero saved a few lives and inadvertently found himself doing something to help keep the world safe from the shadows!
Inserting Steve into key moments in history could be a blast, and Marvel Studios would make a lot of fans happy by showing them what came next for this beloved MCU couple.
1. Secret War
The Russo Brothers have made it clear that Secret War is a story which would bring them back to the MCU, and as we've explained, there are many ways Captain America could be included.
In fact, if Marvel Studios finds a way to incorporate time-travel (courtesy of The Beyonder's varied power set), then Cap and any number of heroes could be plucked out of the timeline for this battle royale. Just imagine how cool it would be seeing the World War II Steve Rogers fighting alongside the likes of Wolverine, the Fantastic Four, and friends he doesn't recognise like The Falcon!
This makes perfect sense, and could be the perfect use of Chris Evans in the MCU moving forward.