Captain America: New World Order is now filming, which means that soon we’ll finally get to see more of Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the new Cap! However, some fans are disappointed at the costume reveal in some set photos that leaked earlier this week.
Warning: this article contains potential spoilers for Captain America: New World Order.
The photos emerged from the Captain America 4 set in Atlanta, Georgia. Mackie can be seen wearing a blue, red, and gold costume similar to the costume that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wore during his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. (And before you ask, yes, that’s pro wrestler Seth Rollins on the right. He’s reportedly playing a member of the Serpent Society.)
However, the last time we saw Sam was in the series finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier—and his costume in that series is much different. In that series, Sam initially decides not to take on the mantle of Captain America after Steve gives him his shield. Instead, Sam gives it to a museum, only to find out that the U.S. government has passed it on to a new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell). At the end of the series, Sam finally takes the shield back, learns how to use it, and emerges as a winged iteration of Captain America.
His new suit, which is white with blue and red accents, incorporates the electronic wings he uses to fly as the Falcon. It’s a triumphant moment in the series, in which Sam takes the persona of Captain America and makes it his own, with a total redesign to match. So why does he seem to be switching back to a more traditional suit, which echoes Steve’s?
This isn’t the first time Marvel has revealed a new costume, only to toss it after literally one scene. In the series finale of WandaVision, Wanda transformed into the Scarlet Witch, wearing a new bodysuit and crown. However, the next time we saw her, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she was wearing a darker, more sinister-looking version of the costume. In retrospect, one can’t help but feel like the costume change paralleled her sudden turn to villainy, which undid all her character’s growth.
That isn’t necessarily what will happen with Sam, though. And it’s worth noting that, from what we can see, the new costume keeps some key details from his Falcon and the Winter Soldier costume, like the parallel lines around the star that look like wings.
It’s also worth remembering that we shouldn’t draw too many conclusions from a single leaked image. Captain America: New World Order comes out on May 3, 2024, so all our questions will be answered then.
(featured image: Disney+)
