In the MCU movies, Kevin Feige and Marvel altered the Falcon’s role as more of a sidekick to Captain America. They did not show his abilities to communicate with birds and focused more on his abilities with his high-tech suit and powerful explosives, somewhat similar to Iron Man. However, Marvel wasn’t really in favor of the idea of introducing the character in the MCU.
In the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie played Sam Wilson, who is first shown as a jogger whom Captain America, played by Chris Evans, often passes by. Producer Nate Moore was the one who came up with the idea for bringing one of his favorite Black superheroes growing up, the Falcon.
The Falcon Ended Up Becoming a Major Part of the MCU
When Nate Moore discussed the movie’s characters with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, he advocated introducing the character. They were skeptical at first, thinking the character with a winged suit wouldn’t be a good choice.
Moore recalled (MCU: The Reigns of Marvel Studios):
“We have to introduce the Falcon, because as a kid, that was a character I remember loving,” he told them. “The guy with the wings?” they asked. “Do people like the Falcon?” He replied: “People love the Falcon.”
Director Ryan Coogler, who has collaborated with Moore for Black Panther and its sequel, said Moore, being a comic book fan and a Black man, felt a sense of responsibility when he joined Marvel to ensure the introduction of specific characters, including Falcon and Black Panther, into the MCU.
Coogler said:
“He’s a comic book fan. He’s also a Black man, and I think he felt a responsibility once he got to Marvel to shepherd these specific characters-Falcon and Panther-into the MCU.”
Sam Wilson was introduced in Marvel Comics in 1969 as the first African-American superhero. He is also one of the few comic-book heroes not to have “Black” in his superhero name.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Had a Pandemic-related Plot
The new book also featured a story revolving around the Falcon’s latest adventure with the Winter Soldier. The book talked about an interesting potential storyline for the Anthony Mackie-led series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The writers of the book, Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards, wrote that the show’s original storyline involved the two main characters working on preventing the spread of a serious disease. The idea resembled too much of the real-life COVID-19 situation at that time, so the studio decided to do away with the idea.
It might have sparked controversy had they included the plot in the series. Removing it proved better for the show, as a storyline similar to the real-world situation would have been unsettling for many viewers.
