In Marvel's 'Brave New World,' Anthony Mackie's Captain America is 'the best part' of us

Anthony Mackie’s Marvel superhero journey started with leafy greens and ultimately landed him in a Happy Meal.

Before he was cast in 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” directors Joe and Anthony Russo invited him to a “so LA" meeting – over salads by a swimming pool – but they could tell him nothing about the role. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, I'll do it. I like y'all. This is a great arugula salad. Let's go,’ ” Mackie, 46, recalls with a laugh.

Since then, Mackie has played Sam Wilson over several movies and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” TV series. Sam became the high-flying Falcon – and friend to Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers – before finally being handed the star-spangled mantle for his first solo movie “Captain America: Brave New World” (in theaters Friday). Mackie's enough of a Marvel icon now to be a toy in a Happy Meal, and he takes his itty-bitty Cap with him wherever he goes.

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“I’ll never think it's not cool. I don't care what anybody says," says Mackie, adding that his Marvel run has been "humbling. I've been in this business 24 years and it literally feels like it's been four."

Sam has faced Thanos as well as the U.S. government over the years, and he continues to fight the good fight. In his latest outing, there's an international conspiracy at play, assorted villains causing chaos, and headstrong former antagonist – and new president – Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) turning into a rampaging Red Hulk.

“The Marvel universe is such a magical invention,” Ford says. “A world full of what might be black and white characters fleshed out into really interesting characterizations of humanity. There's a truth to it.”

'Brave New World' throws back to Marvel political thrillers

Marvel movies have recently been all in on the fantastical, from cosmic missions to a few multiverse-spanning adventures (including last year’s hit “Deadpool & Wolverine”). “Brave New World” is “a reset,” says director Julius Onah, a throwback to “Winter Soldier” and even the first “Iron Man” with geopolitical stakes and real-world themes. “You do want to have something that just feels tangible that you can wrap your arms around and say, ‘Oh, I recognize this. I can invest in this.’”

In the latest film, Sam attends a White House function for a multinational treaty regarding a precious new resource called Adamantium and has a meeting with Ross. The president at one point was anti-superhero and imprisoned Sam and others (see: “Captain America: Civil War”), but now wants his new Captain America to restart the Avengers. However, things go sideways when an assassination attempt is made on Ross’ life, Sam’s friend Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is blamed, and Sam has to figure out the mastermind behind it all.

Part of the return to a more grounded Marvel universe: The Serpent Society, colorful supervillains from 1980s “Captain America” comic books, has been reinvented as a group of mercenaries led by the sinister Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito).

“He’s just truly a heavyweight,” says Esposito, who attended military school and “almost went into the Army before becoming a softer human being.” The actor goes all in on the snake influence, especially with his knife skills: “The way a serpent moves, that stealth kind of smoothness, was very important to me to try to figure out how to get into my body and my thinking.”

Harrison Ford hulks out in new 'Captain America' movie

It is Marvel, though, so of course some things are a little more heightened, like a Hulk romping and stomping around. Though Ross, originally played in the movies by William Hurt until his death in 2022, sports a crimson look when hulked-out rather than the normal green hue.

“The interesting thing is how it changes him, because he doesn't initiate this,” Ford says. "You're seeing him feel himself as the Hulk for the first time. It's incomprehensible to him, but later on when you see what's happened, when he's aware of what he's been through, he faces the implications and the reality of what he's done and who he's been.”

Filming their Cap/Hulk throwdown in an Atlanta parking lot, Mackie loved that his 82-year-old legendary co-star wanting to do all the stunts himself in his motion-capture suit. “One of our first conversations, he's like, ‘Oh, we're going to get to kick each other's ass. This is great!’ ” Mackie says. (“I didn't know there was an option. I thought that was acting,” Ford deadpans in response. He reports that playing a Hulk is “as fun as it looks.”)

Anthony Mackie's Marvel hero boasts heart, not superpowers

Whether it’s in the comics or Evans’ character, Captain America has a history of standing up for decency, justice and integrity, “even though that might put you at odds against people who are technically on the same side,” Onah says. That carries over in the new film, as Sam and Ross are “incredibly powerful symbols” who don’t see eye to eye but still have to work together.

“Making a movie that leans into being a paranoia thriller and a political thriller, these are stories of mistrust of individuals and also institutions,” the director adds. “Yet you've got a Captain America whose superpower is his empathy. It creates a very natural tension.”

Also, Onah concludes, “you can't make a movie about Captain America that doesn't, on some level, touch on the real world that we live in.” Much has changed in the Marvel universe, and our own, since “Winter Soldier,” and with “Brave New World,” Mackie thought it was important to lean into the things that make Sam a Captain America of the moment, like his decency and compassion.

“It became more about the goodwill of a great character as opposed to being a reflection of what's going on outside this window,” Mackie says. “He represents the best part of all of us. We need the embodiment of that. And that's who Sam Wilson is.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Captain America Anthony Mackie embraces a 'Brave New World'