Avengers: Endgame was an emotional experience for a lot of people. More than 10 years of movies came to an epic conclusion that resulted in the loss of some favorite characters, and a new status quo for others. Nobody in the theater was judging anybody if they came out of Endgame with tears in their eyes. For Anthony Mackie and his son, however, the tears apparently came later.
The MCU actor recently told the story of the first time he saw the completed Avengers: Endgame, alongside his son. It seems that Sam Wilson's new status in the MCU as of the end of Endgame didn't entirely process in the theater, but eventually the kid did realize just what an important place in pop culture his dad had just taken, leading to quite an emotional moment between father and son. According to Mackie...
So the last scene in Avengers: Endgame I’m at the theater with my son. And the movie ends and my son goes,’ Dad.’ I’m like, ‘Whassup?’ He goes,’ Are you..are you Captain America?’ I said, ‘I think so.’ He goes,’Cool.’ I’m like, that’s it! That’s all I get! You should be... Fine, cool. You not gonna cry, I’m not gonna cry… A week later he calls me. bawling, and he’s like ‘Dad, you’re Captain America.’ ‘Yeah dude.’ So he’s like, ‘I didn’t know. That’s so amazing, I’m so proud of you.’ So then I start crying, I’m like, ‘You’re proud of me, I’m proud of you, buddy.’
Anthony Mackie tells Vanity Fair that, at the end of the day, the only person whose approval matters to him is that of his kids. One of the reasons he likes working on movies like the Marvel Studios projects is because it's something he can share with his children. They watch the movies together and talk about them afterward and can truly bond because of them.
It's touching to see what the Marvel movies truly mean to one of the actors on a personal level. Odds are these movies allow a lot of families to bond, considering many of these characters have been popular for decades, so multiple generations can connect because of them.
Exactly what's in store for the new Captain America, however, is anybody's guess. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is set to hit Disney+ later this year and it will continue the story of Sam Wilson, who, based on the title of the show, actually isn't Captain America, at least not quite yet. Based on the Marvel characters making appearances in the new series, it would appear that there will be some differing opinions regarding exactly what to do with the Captain America legacy.
I imagine Anthony Mackie and his kids will be sitting on the couch every Friday night watching the new series, and possibly crying a bit.
