Sam Wilson may be keeping the shield, but one thing he’s leaving behind in Captain America: Brave New World is the headgear from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The white cowl/goggles, which made their live-action debut when he officially took on the mantle in the Disney+ series, are nowhere to be seen in the upcoming film – and star Anthony Mackie has cleared up why.
“I told them I was never wearing that sh-t again, dude,” the actor said in a recent interview with IGN, making it crystal clear how he felt about donning that costume feature while shooting The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
It wasn’t just a stylistic choice; it was a practical one. The headgear apparently caused all sorts of issues during filming. “That was hard,” Mackie explained. “It was—with the heat, the sweat, the fogged-up glasses, it was impossible. […] It was my worst nightmare. You can’t do anything.”
Anthony Mackie reveals he told Marvel to get rid of the cowl in his Captain America suit.
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“It was my worst nightmare” pic.twitter.com/yIj7dBLczW
— IGN (@IGN) February 8, 2025
While the cowl was a faithful nod to Sam Wilson’s Captain America design in the comics, it’s clear that – at least on a comfort level – it didn’t quite translate to live action. The upcoming Brave New World gives him a sleeker, more classic Captain America suit, one that keeps his signature red-tinted goggles but ditches the uncomfortable cowl altogether.
We’ll be seeing a more comfortable Anthony Mackie when Captain America: Brave New World opens in Australian cinemas on February 13th and U.S. cinemas on February 14th.
Here’s a look back at Mackie in action, complete with nightmare cowl, in Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier:
