Avengers: Endgame Star Anthony Mackie On Becoming The New Captain America

Avengers: Endgame closed Captain America's story beautifully, allowing Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) to return to the past and live the rest of his life quietly with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Returning to where he time-traveled to return the Infinity Stones, Steve then decided to hand his shield to Falcon (Anthony Mackie), making Sam Wilson the new Captain America of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Speaking with fans during a panel at this year's Celebrity Fan Fest in San Antonio over the weekend (via ComicBook.com), Mackie was asked about his new role as Marvel's Captain America and how he learned that the mantle would be passed on to him.

According to the Marvel star, it was Evans who actually broke the news.

"We were shooting in Atlanta and Chris Evans had a bunch of us over to his house to watch a football game, because we all hate the Patriots and he loves the Patriots," Mackie explained during his discussion with fans, "He and I go downstairs and he's showing me the house and he's like, 'So are you excited?' I'm like, 'I mean yeah, it's gonna be a football game. I love football, I watch football every week, but I didn't know you were this into it.' And he's like, 'No, about the script. You haven't read the scene?' I was like, 'No.' So he jumps up, runs out of the room and back in with the script and hits me with the script. He's like 'Page 85! Read it! Read it!' And he sits there like a kid watching [me read it]."

Mackie goes on further by explaining that it was definitely a cool moment when he learned that he'd be given the role of Captain America. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and all of the studio's other producers were also pretty supportive, telling the actor that "You're gonna do this."

Of course, becoming the new Captain America is going to be a huge challenge for Mackie. It's not every day that you're handed over such a long legacy.

"Because he's played Cap for A LOT of movies. To take that over, to be a part of that, the legacy of that, is a huge challenge. It's something where a lot of people are going to expect me to be Chris Evans in the same suit, but a black dude. And that's definitely not gonna happen."

Let's see how Mackie does that in Phase 4 of the MCU.

Avengers: Endgame is currently screening in cinemas.

Read: Avengers: Endgame Directors On Whether They Have One More Captain America Story