Anthony Mackie has explained his comments about Captain America that caused a bit of an online storm earlier this week.
At a Disney event in Rome where he was promoting the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, Mackie said: "To me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations.
"It's about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable."
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Videos of the moment (often without the question included) have been doing the rounds online, and in response to the debate surrounding it, Mackie has clarified what he meant.
"Let me be clear about this, I'm a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime" he wrote in his Instagram Stories.
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"I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to."
Following on from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Brave New World shows that Mackie's Sam Wilson has accepted the moniker of Captain America. Like his predecessor Steve Rogers, Sam has a strained relationship with those in power.
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In this case, it's the newly elected President Ross, who is targeted by some new villains (including Better Call Saul and The Mandalorian's Giancarlo Esposito). Things get even more complicated when Ross transforms into the Red Hulk.
Although not seen in the trailers so far, we know that one of the baddies isn't so new. In fact, it's a return from one of the MCU's earliest films.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in cinemas on February 14, 2025. The first three Captain America movies and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are streaming on Disney+.
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Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he's covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small. A big fan of TV and movies both mainstream and obscure, Joe also enjoys video games and in particular PlayStation. Joe currently does not use Twitter, but he only ever used it to tell people to watch the film Help! I'm a Fish.
