The Falcon and The Winter Soldier picked up after the events of Avengers: Endgame, revealing that Sam Wilson had decided against taking up Steve Rogers on his offer to wield the shield as the new Captain America.
Ultimately, Sam realised he needed to take over the mantle and did so in the finale. As for Bucky Barnes, he was finally able to put his past as The Winter Soldier behind him and move on as a hero in his own right.
The latter's story will continue in Thunderbolts, with the former Falcon taking centre stage in Captain America: Brave New World. However, in an interview with Radio Times, Anthony Mackie admitted he was disappointed to bid farewell to the Disney+ series.
"The Falcon and [the] Winter Soldier, I really enjoyed doing that show," he tells the site. "I was actually excited to do a second season, just so me and Sebastian [Stan] can get paid to hang out. Because it's like me, him and Daniel Brühl. It's kind of like the perfect storm of happiness."
"When they decided to go back to the movies, it is what it is, but I don't have my friends anymore, so it kind of dampens it a little bit," Mackie says of taking Captain America back to theaters. "Anything I can do to hang out with Daniel, a dancing Daniel Brühl, makes me very happy."
It does make sense for Cap's story to continue on the big screen, of course, though many fans have expressed disappointment with how the character has been sidelined since first debuting in 2021.
Of course, original plans called for Captain America: Brave New World to be released this year, only for last year's Hollywood strikes and Marvel Studios' creative overhaul (which will involve extensive reshoots) to push it back by a year.
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.