Avengers: Endgame star Anthony Mackie has called the notorious Captain America twist in the film “hugely emotional”.
The end of the film saw Chris Evans passing over his shield to retire, with Mackie the next in line to take up the mantle.
The actor, who played the Falcon in the lauded film, has now been speaking about the process of becoming the new Captain America.
Speaking to Deadline, Mackie calls the transition “very emotional”, and discusses its importance in relation to “the history of black men in [America]”.
“I’ve been in the business for 20 years and I’ve been fortunate to do some amazing stuff and work with amazing people,” he continued.
“For me, to be a black man in 2019 and be given the helm of Captain America with the history of black men in this country is a monumental step, not only in entertainment, but also in my life. It’s been extremely emotional.”
Mackie added: “Look, my grandfather was a sharecropper, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of history and pain and triumph and joy that comes along with me being Captain America.”
Chris Evans has recently said that he doesn’t want to “sour” Captain America’s legacy by returning to the character.
Anthony Mackie’s Falcon is set to star in new Marvel TV show The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which comes to new streaming service Disney+ next year.
It’s one of a host of shows set for Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.