Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon, is set to become the new Captain America. This is a huge move for comics in general; it will be the first time anyone of a different race has taken up the shield. And really, for a company that’s surely hoping that their film franchise will bring new readers to their printed works, this is an excellent move.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier was an excellent movie. It was everything we had hoped for and more. Part of that “more” was a new character that we knew nothing about. The Falcon quickly established himself not as a sidekick but as an equal to Captain Rogers himself, a colleague that knew what it was like to be in the armed forces but also knew how to laugh.
When we first saw the movie, one of the thoughts going through my head as we left was, “I want a Falcon movie.” Really, the character, especially when played by Anthony Mackie, is charismatic, acrobatic, and engaging. He has everything that the other Avengers have except the “household name” status. It’s a simple issue of more people knowing the name Iron Man than the name Falcon.
This new comic move, though, could begin to change that. New readers will see a character that they no doubt loved taking over as one of the most iconic heroes of all time. Forget the fact that it’s a huge step forward as far as race equality and ethics and all of the other heavy topics people are talking about for a moment. That’s all relevant and important and a “giant leap for mankind”, but we’re excited for another reason, too. Think about what this could mean for the film franchise.
Chris Evans has already said that when his contract is up he wants to take a break from acting. He intends to hang up the shield and do some behind the camera work. Naturally there will need to be someone to fill his boots. Recasting Steve Rogers is always an option, but let’s face it, it’s not a very good one.
Now there’s a perfect option. Bring Anthony Mackie in as The Falcon and give him the role of Captain America when Chris Evans steps down. We know a lot of people are hoping to see Bucky take over, but as much as we love Bucky, the Winter Soldier, and Sebastian Stan, we just want to see Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson take over a lot more. Maybe we’ll even get to see Cap with Falcon’s iconic wing rig attached to his back. What’s cooler than flying Captain America? Not much, that’s what.
Steve Rogers was humanized quite a bit in his most recent film, largely due to his interactions with Sam Wilson. The two joked, helped each other out, and showed that each could handle themselves on their own, though they didn’t mind the help.
I just keep replaying the scene where Falcon leaps out the window of the 41st floor of the SHIELD building, but in my head he’s doing so in Cap’s iconic uniform, shield in hand, mechanical wings extending. The thought of a movie like that excites us a lot more than Iron Man 7, and we’ll bet that the same is true for pretty much anyone that saw The Winter Soldier.
Captain Wilson, bring it on.
Nerdy Minds Magazine 
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