The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s superhero transition of the hour, with Anthony Mackie taking on the reins of Chris Evans as the new Captain America already had fans a bit reserved about what is about to come. But before Mackie could actually secure his touchdown on the big screens, he landed on a rather anti-hero drive. Although the actor has big shoes to fill within the realm of the Marvel extravaganza, fans recently threw him under the bus for his strange take on Captain America.

Despite the not-so-heroic reception, Mackie recently set the record straight with a much-needed clarification.

Anthony Mackie is about to debut as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s new Captain America in Brave New World. Still, before that, he might have to brave the storm of criticism online. During a recent press event for the film in Rome, Italy, the actor said even though the character shoulders the representation of “different things,” America should not be one of them. However, Mackie took to his Instagram story following the unrelenting backlash, exclaiming, “I’m a proud American.”

Mackie knew his remarks may have hurt a few sentiments, and consequently, he shouldered the responsibility to separate fact from fiction. He added that donning “the shield of CAP is the honor of a lifetime” and all Mackie has is respect for everyone who dedicates their life to the nation. However, he clarified that Captain America has universal relevance because of his characteristics. As a result, “people all over the world can relate to” the superhero.

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Anthony Mackie has taken a step forward to reinstate his superhero reputation, but for anyone not in the knowledge of the row, here is a lowdown on everything the new Captain said to receive the blow.

Captain America: Brave New World is undeniably one of the hotly anticipated releases of the 2025 Marvel Cinematic Universe slate. However, Anthony Mackie fell victim to cyber outrage after his recent comments during the film’s press event in Rome, Italy. The Marvel actor went on to explain his opinion on what Captain America represents, saying, “I don’t think the term, you know, ‘America’ should be one of those representations.” 

Instead, Mackie thinks the Captain is a superhero who never backs down on his words, and has the righteous “honor, dignity, and integrity—someone who is trustworthy and dependable.” The 46-year-old also laid out straight that getting to sport Captain America’s super suit is nothing less than a dream come true for him. However, his prior comments on the character’s representation secured him in the anti-hero camp before his heroic landing.

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What do you think of Anthony Mackie's correction for his remarks on Captain America? Let us know in the comments below!