The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was released in 2021 to mostly positive reviews, and while the Flag Smashers were a forgettable addition to the MCU, we were left with plenty of other big talking points.
Sam Wilson became Captain America, Bucky finally moved on from his past, U.S. Agent made his presence felt, and Sharon Carter was established as a deadly new villain (though, frustratingly, we haven't seen her since).
Mackie first played The Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He later returned in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, so how did he feel about returning to television?
"Television is really hard. My first episode of television was Law & Order," Mackie told actor Tyler James Williams about the challenges of his transition in an interview with Variety. "It was the hardest seven days of my career. TV is real, TV is a different beast, TV is about stamina. I can handle a movie, but TV - that’s six to eight months, that's unbelievable."
"For me, with Falcon and the Winter Soldier, bringing Falcon to that series, there was so much time to fill. Instead of a two-and-a-half-hour movie, you have eight hours to flush out and that's what scared me and that's what bothered me and that's what I feel like can take away from the potency of the film."
"Luckily, it was a transition with great leadership," the actor continued. "They utilized that show to [set Falcon up] as Captain America, so they had something to aim toward. But for the most part, it was a daunting task for me. How do you make that worth those eight hours?"
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier made good use of its six episodes and there was little in the way of filler. The show got caught up in the COVID-19 pandemic and is believed to have cut a pandemic storyline in response to that, explaining why it may not have played out as smoothly as we'd have liked in places.
Mackie has frequently jumped between film and television after previously starring in Altered Carbon and, most recently, Twisted Metal. Next up is the big screen Captain America: Brave New World.
Marvel Studios' The Falcon and The Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. The pair, who came together in the final moments of Avengers: Endgame” team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience.
Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer, the series also stars Daniel Brühl as Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker.
All episodes are now streaming on Disney+. As for Captain America: Brave New World, that arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.