Anthony Mackie Reveals When He’ll Stop Playing Captain America in the MCU

Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie reveals when he intends to stop playing Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In an interview with Esquire, the actor took a moment to discuss his future in the franchise, and while he’s planning to stick around for a bit, he also has an endgame in mind. “I give it a solid 10 years,” Mackie said, theorizing which MCU projects he could appear in over the next decade. “You have the two Avengers movies, you have hopefully another Captain America, and then random plug-and-plays: Oh, Spider-Man! Oh, Fantastic Four! What are you doing here?”

Mackie explained that this plan stems from a desire to pursue other roles as he gets older. “I mean, I don’t want to be a 60-year-old Captain America,” he said.

Mackie debuted as the MCU’s Sam Wilson/Falcon in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with the character becoming one of Steve Rogers’ closest allies in the Infinity Saga. Following The Winter Soldier, Mackie reprised the role in five movies before headlining TV series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier alongside Sebastian Stan. Picking up after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the show sees Sam accept the Captain America mantle, becoming Rogers’ successor.

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Audiences will next see Sam in February’s Captain America: Brave New World, marking the first time Mackie plays the titular superhero on the big screen. The film is expected to be a sizable box office hit over Presidents’ Day Weekend, potentially grossing over $100 million domestically. Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the “two Avengers movies” Mackie referenced in his comments, are scheduled to hit theaters in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

While being a part of the MCU has been a tremendous opportunity for Mackie, it’s understandable that he wants to leave the franchise eventually. Part of the appeal of being an actor is challenging yourself by inhabiting different roles; returning to the same well repeatedly could become stale from a creative perspective. It’s true that Mackie has been able to take on a variety of projects in between Marvel appearances, but MCU blockbusters are massive undertakings — and with Sam Wilson moving into more of a leading role, the franchise could take up much of Mackie’s time over the next handful of years. These productions also take a physical toll on their actors, and it sounds like Mackie wants to step away before he gets too old to handle the action-heavy role.

Marvel has not officially dated any films beyond the premiere of Avengers: Secret Wars, and it will likely be some time before fans learn what the studios has planned. Assuming Brave New World is a success, it wouldn’t be surprising if a fifth Captain America movie forged ahead. The character remains one of the franchise’s most recognizable, and it sounds like Sam Wilson is going to play a meaningful role for the rest of the Multiverse Saga. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Captain America as he becomes a leader of the Avengers and eventually picks a successor.