With the absence of Steve Rogers from the picture of the MCU, Sam Wilson was the one who inherited the will and the title of Captain America from his predecessor and realized it when Anthony Mackie busted out his new Falcon suit in all its star-spangled glory. This was almost three years ago, and since then, we have been waiting for a new update from the star as his iconic character.
For the longest time, it was speculated that the superhero would make his re-entry in the recently released second season of Marvel’s What If…? series on Disney+, but alas, he didn’t. In a recent conversation, executive producers of the animated show revealed that Marvel Studios had specifically told them not to add Wilson into the mix because of the production limbo his own show was facing.
What If…? Producers Reveal Marvel Studios Warned Them Not To Add Anthony Mackie In The Series
It’s been quite some time since Anthony Mackie made an appearance in the MCU after becoming the new Captain America in the franchise towards the end of Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The major part of the reason is that Marvel Studios is focusing on new and upcoming superheroes for the future, and the new Captain America is reserved for only the biggest and most crucial projects.
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Since What If…? is the studios’ repeatedly renewed series, people have accepted it to be one of the most impactful and important projects in the franchise, which naturally made them hope for Sam Wilson’s return to the main picture of the MCU, which sadly wasn’t the case. In a recent episode of the Phase Zero Podcast, the animated series’ executive producer A.C. Bradley revealed that Marvel Studios had specifically asked them not to include Wilson in the narrative. He said:
“It’s also why we couldn’t do Sam Wilson’s Captain America, because we didn’t know when that would be coming out. We were writing Season 2, Falcon and the Winter Soldier was shooting, paused shooting, the scripts were being re-written, because of other things, and we were like, ’Well, we don’t know when anything’s airing, so we couldn’t touch it, because we’re not allowed to… It makes sense. Let the character live in live-action first and then come play in the Multiverse.”
Before this, executive producer Bryan Andrews had also revealed that they had plans to do something with the X-Men and Ghost Rider in the series, which was also shot down by the company.
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When Will We See Sam Wilson In The Franchise Again?
While it was understandable to not see Mackie’s take on Captain America in the first season, it was confusing to not see him again in the second season of the animated series.
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But it seems like the franchise has bigger plans for him in the future. With reports flying in, confirming that Sam Wilson will make his reappearance in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, and we are sure to witness the new Captain in action while several new and old characters make their entry along with him leading to the conclusion of The Multiverse Saga.
What If…?, streaming on Disney+.
