Last year, as people lamented not being able to go to the movie theater, they also started celebrating the cinematic moments that meant the most to them. A recurring pick for best moment in a cinema was the “On your Left” scene in “Avengers: Endgame,” where Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson / Falcon signals the return of all those who had disappeared in the previous movie. As Mackie tells it, he could have played a very different character, James Rhodes / War Machine from “Iron Man.”
During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Mackie tells how he originally auditioned to appear in the first film in the MCU. “I auditioned for ‘Iron Man’ and the director liked me, so in actor terms ‘I was up for the role,'” Mackie said, teasing that the role was that of Rhodey, who ended up being played by Terrence Howard in the first film, before Don Cheadle replaced him in the sequel.
When asked if he was heartbroken over losing the role, Mackie seemed optimistic. “I always wanted to work with RDJ and working with Don Cheadle was always a dream of mine. Then six months later I have a meeting with the Russo Brothers and it all worked out.”
Earlier this month, it was reported that Chris Evans could make a return as Steve Rogers in the MCU, an idea Mackie is supportive of. “I’ve heard that, I’ve seen that, and, look, Chris is my boy, so if they’re getting the band back together, I’ll be very happy with that.”
READ MORE: Chris Evans Expected To Reprise Captain America Role In Future Marvel Projects
Two years before he joined the MCU and became The Falcon, Mackie starred in another would-be franchise-starter, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” Almost a decade later, it seems Mackie is interested in some more vampire-slaying. “You know what, I’ve been begging, I actually emailed Timur [Bekmambetov] about two months ago,” Mackie said. “I told him, ‘I might be famous enough now for us to do the sequel,’ and said what if I became president? I can be Obama!” Now, that’s a franchise would exploring in both TV and film.