Anthony Mackie was regarded as the unanimous first choice to play Sam Wilson / Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Mackie is set to reprise his role for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which will see Sam teaming up with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) to fight against a group known as the Flag-Smashers.

For Mackie, who made his first MCU appearance in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the forthcoming show will look to put the spotlight on Falcon. The character has been a part of MCU several projects, albeit mostly in a supporting capacity. Still, in new comments, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige sheds light on the fact that he always believed Mackie would be ready to take center stage when needed.

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Speaking with Variety to promote Falcon and the Winter Soldier's debut, Feige was asked about his earliest memory of Mackie. In his response, the head of Marvel revealed that Mackie was seen as the unanimous first choice for the role of Sam Wilson. Feige also noted that the actor was offered the part and did not have to go through an audition process, which is hardly typical of the MCU’s approach to casting. You can read Feige’s full quote below:

The first experience was him being the unanimous first choice to play the character. We just offered him the role, in my memory, he did not audition. That’s only happened a handful of times at Marvel. Mr. Mackie was one of those times. I thought he would be great as this character. As we often do, when we’re casting, you cast for the immediate role at hand — which was Sam Wilson in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” but if it all goes well, that can grow and evolve into numerous things. You want an actor who can do it all, which of course, Anthony can.

Sam Wilson Falcon and Winter Soldier character poster

Of course, Marvel fans are familiar with the fact that the performers who end up on the big screen often beat out several other worthy contenders for their roles. To take Steve Rogers as an example, John Krasinski was famously considered to play the iconic comic book character. But so were the likes of Chris Pratt and Ryan Phillippe. The same is true for comparatively smaller roles, as Emilia Clarke and Alison Brie were reportedly floated to appear in the second Captain America film. The fact that Mackie was approved to portray Falcon without even having to audition speaks to how capable the actor is in embodying his character’s signature energy and relaxed humor.

The potentially risky move has paid off for Marvel. With his performance as Sam, Mackie has managed to make both his character’s friendship with Steve, and the rivalry with Bucky feel authentic. Even though Falcon’s screen time has been relatively brief across all of his film appearances, Marvel Studios accomplished this. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier promises to offer more insight into the superhero, delving into his backstory and what his life looks like in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame. Hopefully, the increased attention will offer fans more of an opportunity to examine what makes Mackie the perfect choice for Falcon.

More: Falcon & Winter Soldier Recap: Sam & Bucky's MCU Story So Far (All Movies)

Source: Variety

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