The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has a legacy of some of the greatest heroes that Hollywood has seen. Right from its comic books carefully crafted by Stan Lee to its films helmed by a list of stellar directors, the MCU boasts a spectrum of stories and a huge fanbase.
However, an actor who has closely worked in a Marvel film as a superhero, and has also gone on to become a fan favorite, has some feedback on the creative freedom as an actor. Anthony Mackie, known for his role as Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America in the MCU, recently discussed the contrasting creative freedoms between his MCU projects and his Peacock series, ‘Twisted Metal’.
Related: X-Men Officially Reveals The Four Most Powerful And Superior Beings In The Marvel Universe
Anthony Mackie Says “There’s Only So Much You Can’t Do” As An MCU Actor
In a recent interview with RadioTimes.com, Anthony Mackie opened up about the constraints he faces within the MCU, citing the structured nature of Marvel’s storytelling. He emphasized the challenge of sticking to the established narrative in the Marvel comic books written by the legendary Stan Lee.
“I would say the Marvel thing is completely different, just because it’s such a space of controlled entertainment. Like, there’s only so much you can do,” Mackie said. “There’s only so much creativity you can bring to the table because Stan Lee gave us so much content.”
Mackie compared the experience as a Marvel actor to being a part of his recent show ‘Twisted Metal’. The actor said he and his colleagues enjoyed better freedom in shaping the narrative and characters of the series as compared to the MCU production.
Mackie said he got a say in even deciding the characters they may kill on show. Comparing it to Marvel, the actor said “that’s the hard thing about the Marvel universe. It’s like, you can’t really go outside of the lines of those comic books.”
“You know, when we introduced the Falcon, and the growth of the Falcon to Captain America, all of that had to coincide with what Stan had already gave us. So it’s an interesting juggle to be a part of that world. And [Twisted Metal] was more like, ‘Let’s just have fun and figure it out as we go,'” he added.
In case you missed it: Marvel Likely To Introduce A Brand New Villain In ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2
Anthony Mackie Is Now Set For The Release Of Marvel’s Next Project ‘Brave New World’
Though he highlighted the constraints in of working with a Marvel project, Anthony Mackie said he is excited for his role as Captain America — a journey that began with his portrayal of Falcon in the past MCU movies.
Mackie is set to feature in the next Marvel project ‘Brave New World’ set to feature his Captain America as the main character. Though its release has been delayed to 2025 due to Hollywood strikes in 2023, the anticipation around it remains high among MCU fans.
The Sam Wilson superhero saga will have photography helmed by ‘Moon Knight’ scribe Matthew Orton, and is scheduled for the spring and summer.
Meanwhile, ‘Twisted Metal’ based on the popular PlayStation video game series, offers Mackie a different creative role. As the lead character John Doe, Mackie will be seen navigating the post-apocalyptic world and shape his character’s journey. The series premiered on Peacock in July 2023, and is renewed for a second season.
You might also like to read:
