Anthony Mackie has seemingly drawn a firm line in the sand against political narratives surrounding Captain America: Brave New World, telling the press to “chill the f** out”* when it comes to comparisons between the film’s President Thaddeus Ross AKA the Red Hulk (played by Harrison Ford) and U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America in Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. ©: Leslye Headland Abruptly Departs Netflix Project ‘Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ Amid ‘The Acolyte’ Ratings Fallout
Mackie made the statement while defending Brave New World as “literally the best movie it can be,” emphasizing that it “stays in the lines of Marvel. It stays in the lines of Captain America, and it’s fun and it’s big.” But when pressed by Esquire about growing speculation that Ford’s President Ross—who transforms into the volatile rage monster Red Hulk—was meant to serve as a Trump analog, Mackie shut it down.
“I hope, as a country, we’re tired of all the political jousting,” Mackie said. “Let’s just go to the movies and chill the f** out. We could’ve made this motherf***** yellow and it would’ve been a problem.”*
Hollywood’s Trump Obsession Finds Its Way Into Captain America
It’s no surprise that corporate media outlets are trying to inject politics into Brave New World. Ever since Donald Trump’s re-election, Hollywood-access media has been in meltdown mode, with Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Esquire publishing a steady stream of articles attacking the president and those who support him.
Harrison Ford as the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
The latest attempt seems to have been baiting Mackie into feeding the narrative that Brave New World carries anti-Trump messaging—a theory that’s been circulating online due to Ross being depicted as the authoritarian U.S. president the media often portrays Trump as.
To Mackie’s credit, he completely shut the idea down, pushing back against media attempts to politicize the film. The way he sees it, Brave New World is not a political statement. That’s an attitude that more actors in Hollywood would do well to adopt.
However…
Mackie’s Inconsistent Messaging on Captain America
Mackie’s refusal to politicize Brave New World by comparing Red Hulk to Trump is somewhat at odds with his own recent statements about Captain America. Just days ago, while speaking in Rome, Mackie dismissed the idea that Captain America should represent America.
“Captain America represents a lot of different things,” he said, “and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity.”
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Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVELThe backlash was immediate, with critics arguing that Captain America was explicitly created to represent American ideals and that downplaying this fundamental aspect of the character was a massive misstep. Mackie then attempted to walk back his remarks, issuing a carefully worded statement.
“Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like Cap is the honor of a lifetime,” he said on social media. “I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. Cap has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”
Anthony Mackie behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.
Yet, much like his latest comments about Brave New World not being political, his so-called clarification raised more questions than answers. Nowhere in his response did he actually say that Captain America represents America—just that he, personally, is an American who respects the military.
Which Version of Mackie Should Fans Believe?
With Mackie flip-flopping between trying to appease audiences and toeing the line for Disney, his latest comments only add to the confusion. He’s adamant that Brave New World is not a political statement, yet he has downplayed Captain America’s very real connection to American ideals.
The inconsistency leaves fans wondering where he actually stands.
One thing is clear: Mackie clearly doesn’t want to alienate potential audiences by letting Brave New World become another Hollywood political circus.
Harrison Ford as the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
That may be a smart move, given Marvel’s declining box office returns and Brave New World’s already shaky prospects. The film is facing poor presales, low box office projections, and a bloated production budget that could make it one of Marvel’s costliest misfires.
Mackie telling Hollywood media to back off is a rare moment of clarity—but his messaging on what Captain America actually stands for remains as murky as ever.
Which version of Anthony Mackie do you believe? Is Red Hulk just another clumsy Hollywood Donald Trump insert? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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He’s black
So? What does that have to do with anything?
We’d also have issues with a white guy being a terrorist sympathizer, or any other race.
Mackie is smelling the failure of his movie and is trying to damage control again. “No, guys! Disney totally made a politically neutral movie – you gotta believe me!”
Lying works so well as there’s no easy way to prove what you say is true or not. If he’s lying, word will spread pretty fast once the movie is out, and even those who don’t see this trash fire will hear about it.
You need to do better, Mr. Producer.