Marvel’s first theatrical drop of 2025 will unite MCU veteran Anthony Mackie with Hollywood superpower Harrison Ford in an eagerly anticipated collaboration that has Mackie headlining his first Captain America feature film since receiving the star-spangled suit from predecessor Chris Evans. Appearing on a podcast to discuss both Captain America: Brave New World and his newest project, Elevation, Mackie spoke about his experience working with the legendary Ford — including the surprising speech Ford gave to him during their very first day on set.
For many, Ford’s induction into the MCU came as quite a shock, despite his longtime experience with numerous blockbuster franchises. In Captain America: Brave New World, Ford took over the role of Thaddeus Ross from the late William Hurt — something that many fans and even colleagues initially seemed to believe was beneath Ford’s prodigious reputation. However, Ford has loudly opposed such opinions from the start, and his recent actions on the set of Captain America: Brave New World only reinforce this refreshing sense of humility and selflessness. Speaking to The Playlist, Mackie recalled his first interaction with Ford prior to filming.
Mackie went on to add that Ford truly embodied his own words during every day of production, consistently treating him like he was “number one.” For an actor who has enjoyed unimaginable fame over the last forty years, with founding roles in two of the most influential franchises of all time, Ford has every right to demand the VIP treatment — but his dedication to others’ success sets a shining example for fans and celebrities alike. You can check out the full version of Mackie’s statement below:
“What was really interesting, and it shows the nature and the beauty of Harrison Ford — when he got to set, he pulled me aside, and he was like ‘Hey kid,’ — and I’m 46 years old. He goes ‘Hey kid, this is your movie. I’m here to support you. And I’m here to make sure after this movie comes out, everyone knows your name.’
And there are a lot of people on his level that would not do that. There are a lot of people at his scale of work who would not do that.
“But from the first day he was on set til the last day when we wrapped, he literally treated me like I was number one. He literally let me have the set and literally walked beside me every day and showed me the respect that people would. You know, it’s still Harrison Ford. Nobody’s like ‘Hey Harrison, get out of the way. We need Anthony,’ but he made it very clear that I was number one on the call sheet. And because of that, everybody else fell in line. So I have nothing but appreciation and admiration for him — for the way he handled himself and the way he handled the set.”
What Can We Expect From Captain America: Brave New World?
Captain America: Brave New World is expected to premiere on February 14th, 2025, and there’s plenty of excitement to look forward to beyond Ford’s unexpected portrayal of both the President of the United States, and fan-favorite comic book character of Red Hulk. Mackie and Ford are both joined by Danny Ramirez in a reprisal of his role as Joaquin Torres — but Ramirez is also set to take over Mackie’s former mantle as the Falcon, likely ensuring that he’ll continue to appear in future MCU properties. Giancarlo Esposito and Tim Blake Nelson round out the rest of the cast, with the latter acting as the film’s super-villain, Samuel Sterns aka The Leader.
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The plot of Captain America: Brave New World is still unclear, although the film’s most recent trailer confirmed a showdown involving the Celestial Tiamut, which has been a lingering question in the MCU since the conclusion of The Eternals back in 2021. Meanwhile, some tension is also expected to arise between Mackie’s Sam Wilson and Ford’s Thaddeus Ross regarding the purpose of the newly appointed Captain America. While fans may be unsure of how these details will come together in the film, Captain America: Brave New World is only a few months away from its premiere, meaning that answers are just around the corner.
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New World Order) marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers’ successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
- Director
- Julius Onah
- Rating
- Cast
- Harrison Ford , Liv Tyler , Giancarlo Esposito , Rosa Salazar , Takehiro Hira , Anthony Mackie , Tim Blake Nelson , Shira Haas , Carl Lumbly , Danny Ramirez , Rachael Markarian , Jacqueline Loucks , Tony Mareno , Zo’Anne Mckinstry , Phuong Kubacki , Colby Lopez , Xosha Roquemore
- Format
- Studio
- Franchise
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Franchise(s)
- Captain America , Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Character(s)
- Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross / Red Hulk , Betty Ross , Sidewinder , Rachel Leighton / Diamondback , Prime Minister Ozaki , Sam Wilson / Captain America , Samuel Sterns / The Leader , Ruth Bat-Seraph / Sabra , Isaiah Bradley , Joaquin Torres / Falcon , Presidential Aide , Secret Service Agent #2 , Navy Seal , White House Press