Anthony Mackie may have made his debut as the new Captain America in Disney Plus’ Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but the actor’s official cinematic debut as the superhero will come in Captain America: New World Order. As it turns out, the movie will also be the debut of a mysterious ally, likely a new MCU superhero.
Ahead of his We Have a Ghost premiere, Mackie sat down with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast about what to expect going into New World Order. There, he accidentally spilled some major beans.
When asked if Sebastian Stan will appear in New World Order as the fan-favorite Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier, Mackie alluded that he won’t since Stan will be busy filming Thunderbolts at the same time. Mackie also confirmed that a “new member of the trio” will replace Chris Evan. Previously, that trio consisted of Evan’s Steve Rogers, Mackie’s Sam Wilson, and Stan’s Bucky Barnes.
“I don’t know. We’re gonna be shooting at the same time,” Mackie said, referring to his and Stan’s filming schedule. “So, I think we’re gonna replace Chris with a new member of the trio. And we’re gonna do it.”
Horowitz dutifully pressed Mackie on the matter, but Mackie had nothing left to spill. Nevertheless, his slip-up has big implications for the film and the MCU as it likely points to a very specific comic book character joining the fold: Joaquín Torres.
In the comics, Joaquín Torres becomes the successor to Wilson’s title and Captain America’s new sidekick. He is first introduced in 2015’s Captain America: Sam Wilson #3, then again in 2017’s Secret Empire, and most recently in 2022’s Captain America: Symbol of Truth. If Mackie is confirming there will be “a new member of the trio,” then it’s most likely a new Falcon, aka Joaquín Torres.
Captain America: New World Order is scheduled for release on May 3, 2024.