Captain America 4: Anthony Mackie to star in new film taking over from Chris Evans

The plot of the coming Marvel film is a closely guarded secret

Anthony Mackie as Falcon in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'. Marvel-Disney / AP

Anthony Mackie is set to take on Chris Evans's shield in the coming Captain America film.

Marvel's Captain America 4 has been confirmed, with Mackie, 42, attached to the project, Deadline reports. Other details are currently being kept firmly under wraps.

The American actor stars as Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon. He made his first appearance in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and has since starred in five more films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), and 2021 Disney+ mini-series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Captain America 4 is currently in pre-production with Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Empire) attached to the project as head writer, along with Dalan Musson (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier). No director has yet been announced at the time of writing.

Mackie's Wilson evolving from Falcon to Captain America in the film is still officially a rumour. However, fans will recall Evans's Captain America, Steve Rogers, passing on the character’s shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame, and Wilson officially assuming the role over the course of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It is also not yet clear if Sebastian Stan will star as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, having featured in the Disney+ series.

No release date or official title have been announced for Captain America 4.

This year, Marvel has a busy release schedule, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home all set to hit cinemas. In 2022, the studios have Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Marvels due to be released.