In a recent cast interview with Entertainment Weekly, Captain America actor Anthony Mackie shared his enthusiasm and insights about the upcoming film “Captain America: Brave New World.” The conversation, sprinkled with playful banter between Mackie and co-star Harrison Ford, unveiled intriguing hints and sparked fan theories about what to expect in the movie.
Anthony Mackie when asked what is the one thing he’s excited for people to see in ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’:
“I’m excited for Tom Holland to see my movie. He’s my date to the premiere. Zendaya, whatever you need to do, come with your friend or something. But [Tom’s]… PIC.TWITTER.COM/O4OQTHCPPP
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) JULY 30, 2024
When asked about the significance of the events of 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” to “Captain America: Brave New World,” Mackie intriguingly hinted at the possibility of the Hulk making an appearance.
“The events of Hulk and his film don’t pertain to this movie at all,” Mackie replied, causing Ford to say, “Aw, come on, man!” Mackie took a moment to clarify, “When he shows up. Not Red Hulk! The other Hulk! There are multiple Hulks! So, when he shows up.” Mackie’s response prompted the reaction from Ford, clearly surprised and pleased with the finding that there is more than one Hulk. Mackie reassured him, “There’s only one Red Hulk.”
Mackie’s words sent fans into overdrive on wild speculation, which raised a great question: Might the Hulk really appear to help Captain America against formidably powerful Red Hulk? Fans are already pondering how their guy, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, will stand up to a face-off with the Red Hulk after seeing, as confirmed by the “Captain America: Brave New World” trailer, that such a battle will happen. What’s more, there has been a suggestion that Bruce Banner’s Hulk might join the fray.
What gets Anthony Mackie’s goat with “Captain America: Brave New World” is beyond some cameo-ing characters. To Mackie, it’s about creative process and commitment to giving the fans a story worth their while.
“It’s about understanding what the fans love about these characters and then building on that to create something fresh and exciting.”
Mackie focused on retaining Captain America’s spirit while bringing new elements to the table to keep it fresh. “We know what Captain America means and what he stands for,” Mackie explained.
“Not just from the action standpoint or with r7egard to being a superhero—it’s about the themes. We wanted to make sure that, not only does ‘Brave New World’ bring it when it comes to action, but it also brings it on an emotional level for the fans.”
One can only feel in him the passion he has towards the project, his commitment to the role of Captain America.
“Taking on the mantle of Captain America comes with great honor, and I want to be able to do justice by the character and legacy,” says Mackie. “So every day that we’re on set, we try to do something that will hopefully make the fans proud, stand on its own, and be solid for years to come.”
“Captain America: Brave New World” will stand apart from its Marvel predecessors by going much deeper with themes of identity, legacy, and representation. Now that Sam Wilson—formerly the Falcon—has taken up the mantle as Captain America, it’ll explore being Captain America in a modern, overwhelming world.
This new vision will be tackling relevant social issues—race, patriotism, or coherent global politics—underpinning the superhero saga through several real-world challenges.
The plot revolves around Mackie’s Sam Wilson, dealing with finding his place as Captain America amid the semblance of an international crisis. It begins when Sam visits the brand-new President of the United States—an old friend named Thaddeus Ross—to take up his greater purpose before getting tangled in the middle of a looming conspiracy that vows to plunge the world into chaos. Logically, it gives a promise of being a mix of personal growth, hard morality, and high-stakes action.
In addition to these apex predators, the film has multifarious villains. Tim Blake Nelson reprises his role of The Leader from 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk,” rebooted this time around into an actual supervillain. Harrison Ford is working double duty playing President Ross and Red Hulk, which welcomes him aboard as a very complicated antagonist pointing a blessing to Sam Wilson to become Captain America but later emerges as one of the heavyweights against him.
The other mysterious character was that of Giancarlo Esposito, which was very much unknown as a terrorist leader attacking Washington D.C. Other cast additions include Shira Haas and Carl Lumbly. Although all actors bring their A-game, Haas’s character and Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley add depth and layers to the storyline.
While “Captain America: Brave New World” is full of action sequences, it really means to represent a much broader range of experiences and different views of life and explore important contemporary issues also at a deeper level. It therefore highly promises to enrich the genre by offering audiences not only exciting escapism but thoughtful social commentary as well.
As the Marvel universe continuously evolves, “Captain America: Brave New World” beelines itself into a place of innovation and representation that will have fans and newcomers alike doing little but awaiting it eagerly. What seals its chances of being not only entertaining but also impactful in some sense is the blend of a character-driven story, diverse cast, and timely themes.
