Captain America: New World Order director Julius Onah defends Sam Wilson replacing Steve Rogers as the new version of the MCU hero. After Chris Evans' Rogers was first introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, the character quickly became a staple of the MCU. The patriotic hero would go on to appear in two sequels as well as a number of team-up films, culminating in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which saw Evans pass his shield onto Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Wilson would go on to further explore whether he truly wants to be the new Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with his own solo film now on the horizon.
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Although little is known about the plot of Captain America: New World Order, it was confirmed earlier this summer that Onah, who previously directed The Cloverfield Paradox for Netflix, would helm the film. The upcoming Captain America film is expected to release in May 2024 as part of MCU's Phase 5, with Disney's D23 Expo 2022 recently confirming that Tim Blake Nelson will be reprising his role as the Leader from The Incredible Hulk to act as the film's villain. Despite Wilson generally being a popular character in the MCU, many fans are still hesitant to see anybody replace Evans as the iconic superhero, while a smaller subset of fans has taken issue with Captain America being a Black man.
Speaking with CinemaBlend at D23, Onah defends Wilson as the new Captain America, saying that detractors should see the movie for themselves before passing judgment. He also brings up the fact that Captain America himself fundamentally stands for inclusivity and doing what's right in the world, meaning, in the spirit of the character, fans should be coming together to celebrate this new chapter for the MCU. Check out Onah's full comment below:
"First of all, wait until you watch this movie. But secondly, you know, I think for anybody that questions why somebody like Anthony Mackie or Sam Wilson should be at the center of this, it's going back to what Captain America stands for. It's so beautiful to have a character who stands for what is right and to think of a world in which everybody gets to be a part of it, it's unquestionable that that is right. That is exactly what Captain America is about. So, there really isn't anything to detract, there are only things to celebrate, and all those people should feel invited to celebrate that."
Onah's comments come after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored very similar issues facing Wilson within the world of the MCU. Wilson's journey to becoming Captain America takes place in a reality where he faces racism, and the challenges he takes on as a hero are different and more complex because of his race. It's clear that, as far as real life is concerned, Onah believes that MCU fans should give Wilson a fair chance as the new Captain America, judging the hero by the inherent goodness and strength within him rather than the color of his skin.
It remains to be seen how Captain America: New World Order will compare with past Captain America movies, but the film is already shaping up to be an interesting departure from what's come before. While Evans' turn as the hero was beloved by many, MCU Phases 4 and Phase 5 are a period of major change for the MCU, as new heroes come to the forefront to face new types of challenges. While fans already know Wilson as Falcon, Captain America: New World Order will hopefully explore the character in a brand-new way, ultimately cementing him as the new Star Spangled Man.