Anthony Mackie hopes to continue starring in two more Captain America movies to complete Sam Wilson's character arc. However, this is merely Mackie's personal wish and does not mean that two sequels have been officially greenlit.
At the time of Avengers 5's release, Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson is the Captain America of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but will he still hold the shield after the universe resets? With a six-episode Disney+ series and a solo film under his belt, Mackie's superhero has secured a solid position in the MCU. However, the poor reception and dismal box office performance of Captain America: Brave New World, released in 2025 ($415 million worldwide gross, 46% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of only three MCU films with a "Rotten" rating), cast doubt on whether his character arc can continue, especially with Steve Rogers returning in Avengers 5.
During a live episode of the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Mackie was asked about his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as his hopes and dreams, to which he gave a meaningful response.
"I think every character deserves a second movie, and it turns out every character deserves three movies, right? Spider-Man already has 17 versions, each with three movies. There are just so many Spider-Men... Every character deserves three movies. So, I'd be happy to shoot two sequels and see how this character's storyline unfolds completely."
Anthony Mackie Hopes to Star in Two More Captain America Movies
Mackie's desire to make two more films to complete his Captain America storyline seems like the least Marvel Studios could do for the character, but this raises two important questions. The first is: what will become of the character after Avengers 5 and Avengers 6: Secret Wars?
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will undergo a "soft reboot" after its 2027 films, with some roles potentially being recast while others remain familiar to audiences. It's entirely possible for the MCU to continue having Anthony Mackie portray Sam Wilson (and Sam as Captain America), especially given that an entirely new lineup of X-Men characters is expected to be its main revenue source in the coming years. However, Marvel has not yet commented on this matter.
The second major question is how Sam's storyline will ultimately conclude. He has already undergone two significant growth arcs, both centered around the resistance he faced when taking on the mantle of Captain America. The story certainly needs to progress further, but this also raises the question of how to bring it to a close in a fresh way, rather than simply repeating the ending where Steve Rogers passes the shield to a new hero.
In Marvel Comics, Sam Wilson remains the bona fide Captain America, with two heroes simultaneously holding the title at any given time in the Marvel Universe (a situation that has persisted for over a decade). That said, throughout Marvel Comics history, many other characters have picked up the shield to become Captain America; some are even currently present in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), such as Bucky Barnes portrayed by Sebastian Stan, John Walker portrayed by Wyatt Russell, and even Danielle, the daughter of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones (who made a brief appearance in Daredevil: Born Again). Therefore, when Sam's storyline in the MCU eventually concludes, Marvel has plenty of characters to choose from.