That's right, Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon, will become Captain America, with Steve's recently adapted son from Dimension Z, Ian, becoming Nomad in issue #25 of Captain America in October. With the recent annoucenment about Thor, and the explosion of Marvel characters in movies and TV, this is shaping up to be an amazing year for Marvel. FALCON PICKS UP THE SHIELD IN REMENDER & IMMONEN'S "ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA"
Here's hoping this will lead to Anthony Mackie taking over the film series once Chris Evans bows out. Everyone's been saying that Sebastian Stan's the heir apparent, but I found Mackie more impressive in the film, so I'd be happy to see Sam Wilson become Cap in the movies as well as the comics. Well, if and when Evans steps down.
And I no longer have an interest in this book. Wilson has always been a great guest star but to carry the Cap mantle makes me yawn loudly. The last time I had an interest in someone other than Steve carrying the Shield was John Walkers run at it.
Considering Marvel already said they're okay with recasting in the case of Iron Man, the Bucky or Falcon taking over as Cap idea just seems like wishful thinking on the part of comic fans.
I don't see how the one precludes the other. Recasting is already an established reality in the MCU -- Banner, Rhodey, Howard Stark, Fandral. That's what you do when you want to continue a specific character's story when the original actor is unavailable or deemed unsatisfying (or the wrong age for the context, as in Howard's case). But having a different, established character take over a superhero identity is something different from a storytelling perspective. Steve Rogers has been replaced by Bucky in the comics and now he's being replaced by Sam. Neither of those is a recasting decision, because there is no casting in comics. It's a storyline that allows exploring a different character in the role, doing something distinct with them that you couldn't do with Steve. And if there's a story reason to do that in the comics, there could be a story reason to do it in the movies.
After this announcement, I can't wait for what other horrors they have in store. Maybe Thor, now no longer having his Thor powers, will become the new Wasp, while Wasp becomes the new Falcon. Well, Captain America's books has sucked since Brubaker's volume stopped, so between Captain America and Thor, at least Marvel is only screwing over books I haven't read in awhile, and now will have no reason to read them (although hopefully avengers 2 will save us from Marvel and its stupid gimmicks ). Also, it would suck to see Falcon take over for Cap in the movies. I like steve Rogers, he's why I like Cap. Plus, there is no way falcon as Cap could sustain a movie, so if they recast evans, they'd do it with a new guy playing Steve Rogers so that the Cap movies could continue to tell the story of the actual Captain America. I have nothing against the movie or comic versions of Falcon. I generally like him in books he's in, and the movie version was very good. But, I see no reason to make him Cap in any media, and after the Spidey/Doc Ock thing I outright hate the replacing the real hero gimmick Marvel is now going crazy over. It was tolerable when Bucky took over for cap, but it hasn't worked since then (and Carol Danvers calling herself Captain Marvel doesn't count).
This of course assumes of course that Marvel is interested in telling those stories in the films. Near as I can tell the only ones suggesting that Marvel's is interested are fans on the internet. Which means if they don't there will likely be bitching and moaning on the internet by these fans becuase the assumed Marvel would do something, were wrong and for some reason think its Marvel's fault for not doing something only they (the fans) though they were doing. Which is why I don't see a reason for getting to into fan theories.
I'm not assuming they will be; I'm just declining to assume they won't be. Acknowledging a possibility is not the same thing as believing it's a certainty. I'm not parroting other people's theories -- I'm expressing my own personal opinion of what I would find enjoyable to see, nothing more. I haven't heard anyone else say what I'm saying. I read this morning that Falcon was going to become Cap, and the first thought that entered my head was "Gee, I really liked Anthony Mackie as Falcon in the movie, so wouldn't it be cool if the movies followed the comics' lead?" And I expressed that sentiment online at the earliest opportunity. That's the entire etiology of it -- it came exclusively from my own head. And, one more time just so we're clear, I'm not saying a single solitary thing about whether I "assume" it will happen -- I'm just saying I think it would be cool if it happened. Okay?
Oh, yeah, because replacing Cap with Falcon must just sound like a license to print money to the people making the Marvel movies. Maybe they can have Pepper permanently become Iron Man for Iron Man 4, and then Maria Hill can become the new Black Widow in Avengers 3. The only person they may try changing Cap with is Bucky, and that would kind of make sense. They built him up in both Cap movies, so if they did replace Steve Rogers as Cap (which I still think is unlikely in any case), Bucky is the only one I see taking over. In the end, no one is paying to see a Falcon movie, no matter what costume you put him in. Ok, some comic fans would, but the general audience is there to see Steve Rogers kick butt, not his sidekick to take the costume and screw around. I'm not even saying they couldn't make a good story out of it, just that it would flop financially. Heck, Bucky would also be a real tough sell I think, and he's better established with the audience than Falcon is. Admittedly, I'm totally against changing the character in the suit anyway. I like Steve Rogers, he's the only Cap I want to see. The draw of the movie is going to see a character I like. I'm there for the character, not the costume/secret identity disconnected from the character. If they found a good actor, they could replace Chris Evans as Rogers, and it could be great. But, with all the potential stories not just Steve Rogers but the Marvel U in general have to offer movie makers, I don't see Sam Wilson becoming Cap in the movies. It makes more sense to just recast Steve Rogers, and as a character he has a lot more stories to tell. I'd watch Falcon as a major character in a movie, and I think if they had him as a big character in a Captain America 3, it would be cool. But I don't see him becoming the headline character. He really was only a minor character in Cap 2 compared to Steve, Black Widow and Bucky, and while they're probably friends by the end Cap and Falcon aren't really partners or as close as Steve and Bucky were. Nothing against the character or actor, I just want to see Steve Rogers when I watch a Captain America movie, and I don't think I'm in the minority. Its not like the comics ever last long when they give an established characters identity to someone else. They all go back eventually. People get attached to the character at the core of the story, not the suit. Sam Wilson in the comics will not be Cap for long, he'll probably revert back to Falcon when Avengers 2 comes out (same with female Thor), and I really don't see Marvel completely changing the Captain America movie brand by removing Steve Rogers from the role.
I thought you were asking why I thought Falcon couldn't make a successful movie Cap. My answer was that the general audience probably wants to see the Cap they're familiar with in a Captain America movie. I don't see Falcon becoming Cap really being something that will draw in viewers. If you're wondering why Steve Rogers is the reason I like Cap, its the same reason that Bruce Wayne is the reason I like Batman. Anyone can wear a costume. Heck, the comics have had several fake Captain America's, from the one that was active during WW2 right after Cap's disappearance, to the guy who eventually became US Agent. But, when I read Cap, I want a story involving the WW2 hero who was frozen and recovered and became an Avenger. If I wanted to read about Falcon as the star, I'd read a book labeled Falcon. Heck, I would read a book about Falcon, and even watch a movie if they made it. But, I expect a movie or comic with the name of a hero I like to be about the character I liked, not some random person stealing the name. Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel is one of the few places it works, mostly because she's not trying to copy Mar-Vell, she's just using the name. Bucky also worked ok as Cap, but he was inferior to Rogers. I have no desire to read the adventures of FalCap. I'd read/watch a story about Falcon. But if the movie (or comic) is promoted as Captain America, I don't want to read a book/watch a movie about some random guy calling himself Captain America, I want Steve Rogers. I'm not a fan of the name/costume, I'm a fan of the character. Without the character, I'm not attached to the idea.
Captain America is an icon to many people (in the Marvel Universe) he doesn't necessarily have to be Steve Rogers. In fact this opens up the door on numerous new story lines they can tell: Sam adapting to being Captain America, Sam having to live up to Steve Rogers who is in all accounts, a living legend. That's why Marvel is doing these kinds of soft reboots, to tell familiar stories in a new, fresh way. That's why I am eager to see this happen.
Other characters have carried the shield in the past and others will carry it in the future. It's only a matter of time till Steve Rodgers will be back at it.
Actually, for me Cap when downhill before Marvel NOW. It was probably Captain America Volume 6 (Brubaker's last issues) where it started going from good to meh. Then, that volume ended after 19 issues and Rick Remender took over writing with the first issue branded Marvel NOW, John Romita jr. took over art, and it just wasn't worth reading to me. The Remender book is the current one, and I think its pretty bad.