Do you remember the 2004 TV film “Sucker Free City?” Probably not. Despite being directed by Spike Lee, the film debuted with very little fanfare. But it did have a hell of a cast, including now-Captain America Anthony Mackie. And according to the actor, the project was set to be Showtime’s attempt to mirror one of HBO’s best series.
Speaking on Variety’s Actors on Actors, Anthony Mackie talked about how his career was supposed to take off 20 years ago when “Sucker Free City” was released. The film started life as a TV pilot and was meant to serve as Showtime’s version of “The Wire,” which would have launched the career of a young Anthony Mackie. However, that didn’t happen.
“It was supposed to be Showtime’s answer to ‘The Wire,’” Mackie said. “We shot it and crushed it. It was supposed to be a series, but the pilot was a straight-up movie.”
So, what happened with “Sucker Free City?” Why did it ultimately fail? Mackie believes it was a victim of behind-the-scenes drama.
“The head of Showtime left, they brought in another dude, him and Spike didn’t quite see quite eye to eye, then all of a sudden all the wheels fell off,” Mackie said. “The movie came out and it was just… silence. Because Showtime put it out on Showtime without any commercials, without anything. They were like, ‘We just need to float this out there.’ And it was weird.”
So yeah, 20 years on, many fans of Spike Lee don’t even remember “Sucker Free City.” And those that do see it as a one-off film and not the launch of a gritty, crime saga on Showtime.
That said, we can’t cry for Mackie all that much. His career has rebounded nicely. As mentioned above, he’s freaking Captain America! Mackie is doing just fine.
