There have been some major changes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past year or so. One of the biggest, of course, occurred during the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which saw Sam Wilson officially suit up as Captain America. Since then, a number of fans have expressed excitement about the new Sentinel of Liberty and what his future holds. There are, however, those who are still carrying a torch for Steve Rogers. Well, on the heels of some major news, Chris Evans – the man who played Rogers for years – dropped a definitive statement on the MCU’s new Cap and, as you’d expect, the fans had thoughts.
Captain America 4 took a major step forward this week, as it was reported that the movie has found a director in The Cloverfield Paradox’s Julius Onah. When a trade reported the news on social media, one of its posts questioned whether Chris Evans would reprise his iconic role in the upcoming movie. The star himself later commented on the post with a brief and clear statement, “Sam Wilson is Captain America”. Subsequently, the fan comments started flowing, and one person – a self-proclaimed Steve Rogers devotee – shared honest thoughts:
I'm Steve Rogers fan till the end.. but Steve has passed the shield to Sam! As much as we miss Steve Rogers as Cap, it's not going to change the fact that Sam Wilson is Captain America now!July 9, 2022
They were far from the only person who agreed with the sentiment that Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is now Cap. Another user chimed in on the matter, evoking the events of Avengers: Endgame when making their point:
Steve Rogers handed the shield to Sam Wilson at the end of Endgame. Let’s cut the clickbait shall we? Chris has it right!July 9, 2022
In 2019, many watched as an aged Rogers kindly handed his red, white and blue shield to Wilson, seemingly signifying the beginning of a new era for the mantle of Cap and the MCU as a whole. One user still doesn’t seem to feel that the title belongs to Sam, though, based on their post:
Sam Wilson is Falcon with a shield. Steve Rogers is and will always be Captian America.July 9, 2022
It definitely appears that fans have become attached to Chris Evans’ interpretation of the star-spangled hero. Evans was recently asked about potentially reprising his role and responded by saying that Anthony Mackie is now front and center. He also believes it would be “upsetting” if he were to add to Rogers’ legacy and it didn’t land. Still, another fan who weighed in on the discussion believes he’s still the one and only Cap:
You are. And you always are.July 9, 2022
Honestly, it’s hard not to acknowledge how ironic it is that some are refuting who the MCU’s Captain America is – after the OG actor himself dropped his thoughts. Another user cheekily referenced the meta nature of the discussion in a post of their own:
People arguing with Steve Rogers about how Sam Wilson is not the real Captain America is literally a plot from the comics and y’all are out here just doing itJuly 10, 2022
Despite any pushback from fans, Marvel Studios is moving right along with its plans for Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. His starring turn in Captain America 4 was reported in August 2021. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier head writer Malcolm Spellman is reportedly penning the script alongside fellow series alum Dalan Musson. There are still plenty of unknowns when it comes to the story, such as whether Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will return. Though at the very least, Stan’s reaction to Cap 4 indicates that he’s excited nonetheless.
Like the Bucky actor, Chris Evans is definitely here for Sam Wilson being the man to wear the stars and stripes, regardless of what the fans think. It’s the dawn of a new era, and it’s certainly cool that the man who held that shield for years is making his stance so clear.
MCU fans can check out The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Chris Evans’ cinematic outings as Steve Rogers by grabbing a Disney+ subscription.
