Even though his character Sam Wilson is the new Captain America, Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran and Captain America: New World Order star Anthony Mackie teased that he won't be leading the Avengers.
In an interview with Empire, Mackie was asked about the potential for Sam Wilson to be the new leader of Earth's Mightiest Heroes as the new Captain America. "Sam is the only character without superpowers," Mackie said. "He's just a regular dude hanging out with a bunch of weirdos. Being from New Orleans, I've been in a few fights. And heart and charisma never helped me in a fight. That usually just got me beat up. So that might cause an issue when you go fight somebody like Thanos."
Though the actor might attribute Sam Wilson's lack of superpowers to whether or not he could lead the Avengers, Mackie has stated that he views Sam's humanity as his main superpower. Unlike the original Star-Spangeled Avenger Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans), Sam doesn't have a super serum.
Sam Wilson's Captain America in the MCU
"So, I think with him, he has to come to the stage with a very different understanding of what it is to be a good guy or be a bad guy and what are the decisions that make you toe that line in the way that you did," Mackie said. "So, I just see him as more of a humane Cap as opposed to a distinctive judge Cap -- [a] Cap of judgment, where this is right and this is wrong. There are decisions that make you choose right or wrong."
In a September 2022 interview, Mackie similarly discussed what sets Sam Wilson's Captain America apart from the other Marvel heroes. At the time, the actor described Sam as "a superhero who is not really a superhero." He said, "There’s no this or that. I just have wings on my suit that I got from the military. So everything that I do, I do as a common man." Mackie added that a conventional citizen may look at the new Captain America and think "'Oh, I can be a superhero, too,'" as opposed to other heroes like the Hulk.
While full plot details surrounding New World Order are still under wraps, it has been confirmed that The Leader will serve as the main villain of the MCU's fourth Captain America movie, with Tim Blake Nelson reprising the role from 2008's The Incredible Hulk. The movie will also introduce the Israeli superhero Sabra (Shira Haas) and see Harrison Ford take over the role of Thunderbolt Ross from the late William Hurt.
Captain America: New World Order opens in theaters on May 3, 2024.
Source: Empire, via The Direct