We still have three episodes left of “WandaVision,” and as great as that series has become (seriously, it’s really great, huh?), fans are still eagerly anticipating the next Disney+ series from Marvel Studios, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” And according to that series’ creator, Malcolm Spellman, though the series picks up where “Avengers: Endgame” left off, ‘Falcon’ might have more in common, culturally at least, with “Black Panther.”
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Speaking to TVLine, Spellman talked about “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and how that series is picking up the baton from “Black Panther” and showing, again, how important Black heroes are to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as the real world.
“When you start to see the direct impact that a Black superhero had on my nephew, that’s branded on my brain,” Spellman said. “I believe that ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ is a nice progression with the mantle that [‘Black Panther’ director Ryan] Coogler and Chadwick [Boseman] left us. I really do believe that these giant Black icons are necessary, not only for Black kids, but for white kids to start to absorb — our people as being big and heroic.”
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One of the biggest champions of the ‘Falcon’ series and someone who Spellman believes was crucial in getting the series actually made is producer Nate Moore. The producer was assigned to team up with Spellman to help develop the pitch for the Disney+ series and helped prove to Kevin Feige that it was something that had to be made.
“[Moore] heard what I wanted to do, that I wanted [race] to be part of the story very prominently, and I think he knew it was right,” Spellman explained.
Of course, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” follows the title characters as they deal with the fallout of “Avengers: Endgame” and a world without Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. The series is expected to follow the passing of the Captain America torch from Rogers to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), aka Falcon, and what it means to have a Black man carry the shield.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” debuts on Disney+ on March 19.
