Captain America 4 Will Make Sam Wilson 'Earn' The Title
Marvel's TV series "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" introduced us to a new Captain America with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) putting on the red, white and blue, and giving the superhero some wings too. But Sam Wilson isn't Steve Rogers. He doesn't have the super soldier serum, and he won't be in superhero shape for anywhere near as long. But the Avenger formerly known as The Falcon has the heart of a superhero, and that's what really matters. Even so, Marvel Studios VP of Production and Development at Marvel Studios Nate Moore says that Sam Wilson still has to "earn" the title of Captain America, even as he's slated to star in the superhero's next feature film outing.
"He's going to be the underdog in any situation."
Nate Moore recently appeared on the Phase Zero podcast at ComicBook.com, and conversation turned to the new Captain America. Though Moore obviously couldn't divulge any details about the forthcoming "Captain America 4" in the works, he did confirm that taking on the mantle of the superhero wouldn't be easy for Sam Wilson. Moore said:
"I think, he's not Steve Rogers and I think that's a good thing. Because to me, this new Cap is Rocky. He's going to be the underdog in any situation. He's not a super soldier. He's not a hundred years old. He doesn't have the Avengers. What happens with this guy who announces publicly kind of, without the support, 'I'm new Captain America.' What happens next? I think is fascinating because he's a guy. He's a guy with wings and a shield, but he is a guy. So, we're going to put him through the wringer and make him earn it, and see what happens when he is outweighed, outclassed, out-everything. What makes somebody Captain America? I'm going to argue it's not being a super soldier. And I think we're going to prove that with Mackie and Sam Wilson."
Yes, despite the fact that Steve Rogers was given a super soldier serum that gave him superhuman abilities and unnaturally long life, those weren't the traits that made him admirable and respectable as Captain America. Rogers had the heart of a true superhero, and everything else was just icing on a very handsome cake. That's why when Red Skull tried to take the serum, he ended up looking like a monster. When it comes to Captain America, what matters is what's inside the man.
Sam Wilson was one of Steve Rogers' most trusted allies. That's why he was given the shield at the end of "Avengers: Endgame." Rogers maybe didn't know just how much pressure he was putting on Wilson as a Black man being forced to take up the mantle of a patriotic superhero in a country with a problematic history when it comes to the treatment of Black people. But Wilson has taken it in stride so far, and it will be interesting to see how he settles into the character as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand.