For almost four years, Marvel fans have been left to wonder about whatever happened to Steve Rogers after Avengers: Endgame. However, new Captain America Anthony Mackie gave yet another hint that may leave Chris Evans' MCU future wide open.
Since the start of Marvel Studios' Phase Four, The Falcon and Winter Soldier set out to find Evans' replacement, with Wilson ultimately being the preferred choice to Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, despite both characters being comic book-accurate stand-ins. Nevertheless, the MCU's messaging has been confusing, to say the least, as the new Captain America refers to Rogers by saying, “Steve is gone,” in his series. However, She-Hulk's conversation between Bruce Banner and Jennifer Walters left more room for speculation.
Over in the real world, things have not been much different, with Mackie being pressed about the matter during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The host directly asked the new Cap “Is Steve Rogers dead? Steve Rogers, the original Captain America?" only to receive the exact type of answer MCU audiences have grown accustomed to. Mackie evades the question and ultimately falls back on the classic comic book trope that if people did not see old man Steve Rogers die on screen, "That mean he ain’t dead!"
The conversation flows as any interview involving big Marvel spoilers would, as Kimmel specifically inquires about Old Cap. Mackie again responds by pointing out nobody saw him die in the movies, exclaiming, "Why you trying to kill Steve?! That’s age discrimination, ain’t nothing wrong with an old Cap!" Mackie's appearance in the show was geared toward promoting his new Netflix movie We Have a Ghost, now available, so he wasn’t talkative about Harrison Ford's role in Captain America: New World Order.
So far, the most groundbreaking piece of information concerning Captain America 4 is that Ford's casting to replace the late William Hurt as "Thunderbolt" Ross will make him President of the United States. This is quite a powerful position for a potential Red Hulk with little regard for the Avengers and superheroes.
After Marvel Studios admitted Robert Downey Jr. won’t come back as Iron Man, Chadwick Boseman's untimely death, and the uncertainty surrounding Chris Hemsworth, Evans looks like one of the few legacy Avengers that the MCU could call upon in the future, so it’s good to know Old Cap is probably alive.
Captain America: New World Order is scheduled for release on May 3, 2024.
Source: Jimmy Kimmel Live | Twitter