Anthony Mackie said Chris Evans told him how he’d become Captain America by showing him the Avengers: Endgame script early.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) mainstay and former Falcon actor recalled finding out how Sam Wilson would take over the mantle as part of a conversation with Cigar Aficionado (via Variety). Instead of a behind-the-scenes celebration or public reveal, Mackie said he learned the details about his new role as the next Captain America during a private moment he and Evans shared during the early days of working on Avengers: Endgame.
“Chris Evans is somebody who I hold near and dear,” he said. “We’re at Chris’ house, and because he’s Captain America, he gets the [script] pages first. So he’s like, ‘Yo, did you read the new scene?’ I’m like, ‘Nah, what’s up?’ So, he takes me down…and he gave me the script and let me read it.
“And it was really great and really emotional to learn it from a friend…I don’t know a lot of actors who would have appreciated or celebrated that moment with a fellow actor in that way because I was taking his job for all intents and purposes.”
The end of Evans’ time as Captain America marked the conclusion of an eight-year arc that saw his Steve Rogers appear in three standalone films, multiple team-up movies, a few fun cameos, and more. He quickly cemented himself as the most recognizable incarnation of the character and delivered fan-favorite stories that are still celebrated as some of the best the MCU has to offer today.
To say Evans stepping away as Captain America represented a gargantuan shift for the MCU is an understatement. Mackie adopted the role in the closing moments of Avengers: Endgame in a scene that saw an aged Steve Rogers handing over his iconic shield, but the actor says his friendship with Evans meant he knew how he’d fill the role long before the rest of the world – and, it seems, much of the cast and crew.
Mackie went on to play the Sam Wilson version of Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ show. His first standalone outing as the Marvel superhero was last year’s Captain America: Brave New World.
Audiences will see him – and even Evans’ Steve Rogers – return to the MCU when Avengers: Doomsday premieres December 18, 2026. MCU fans who hit theaters to see Avengers: Endgame Encore this past weekend got a sneak peek at what’s in store thanks to a small collection of new scenes.
Michael Cripe
Freelance Writer
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
