With only one episode of WandaVision left and just over two weeks until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres on Disney+, Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) is preparing fans for the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to Screen Rant, Mackie, who stars as Sam Wilson/The Falcon, has promised the series will dive deep into his character’s backstory.

Audiences first met the character of Sam Wilson on-screen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), when he became Steve Rodgers’ Washington, D.C. running partner and confidant in the modern world. In the film, Sam, an Air-Force veteran, ran a support group for veterans transitioning from military to civilian life.

Mackie discussed why he feels Sam is a fan-favorite in the Spring 2021 issue of Disney’s D23 magazine, stating “I think a big part of why people like him is that Sam is a regular guy. He doesn’t have superpowers. He doesn’t have a super serum. He doesn’t have a super anything. He’s just a regular guy who found himself in a crazy situation.” (The Direct)

It’s March! Are you ready? #FalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/ulLqlNMZk6

— The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (@falconandwinter) March 1, 2021

In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam finds himself making a major title change after being given Captain America’s shield. Despite being personally handed the iconic accessory at the end of Avengers: Endgame (2019), the U.S. government has their own pick for the next Captain America. According to Screen Rant, this ambiguity regarding Sam’s role will likely allow for a deeper exploration of the character’s history.

Mackie explained, “The Falcon is a regular guy who just happened to meet Captain America and volunteered as a fellow soldier to try and save the world. Sam is always Sam. The way it’s written and the way they’ve been playing it is he’s always going to be Sam. The great thing about the series is you get to learn his entire backstory, his life, who he is, and how he became Sam Wilson.” (The Direct)

The Falcon and the Winter Solider will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ on March 19.

Image Credit: Raymond Flotat