Anthony Mackie Critiques ‘Man of Steel’ in 2015 Interview Sparking Debate
MCU star Anthony Mackie once candidly shared his thoughts on the DCEU. His comments date back to 2015, when he discussed Man of Steel, the Superman film featuring Henry Cavill.
During an interview promoting the film Our Brand Is Crisis, Mackie was unreserved in his critique of the DC superhero movie. While many fans celebrated Man of Steel for its contemporary approach to Superman and its striking visuals, Mackie expressed that the film ultimately did not resonate with him.
He noted that he appreciated the film’s beginning, particularly the opening scenes on Krypton. However, his enthusiasm waned as the film progressed, leading him to feel disengaged.
Mackie’s remarks were both direct and surprising, especially given his role in the Marvel universe as Sam Wilson, also known as Falcon and later Captain America.
When asked to respond playfully about DC films during the interview, Mackie instead provided a candid account of his experience watching Man of Steel. He mentioned that after the initial scenes, he found it challenging to stay engaged with the rest of the movie.
When another participant cited Man of Steel as a prime example of a DC film, Mackie quickly disagreed, exclaiming, “You’re bananas… you’re bananas.”
He pointed out that while the film starts off strong, it drags on for an extended period. Mackie added, “But there’s another three hours of movie after that!”
His comments were notable, especially coming from someone involved in a rival superhero franchise. At that time, discussions comparing Marvel and DC were prevalent, and Mackie’s forthright opinion quickly gained traction online.
This discussion also underscored the division among audiences regarding superhero films. While some viewers appreciated the darker tone and visual scale of Man of Steel, others, including Mackie, found the pacing and narrative lacking. Even years later, his comments resurface in conversations about the Marvel and DC rivalry, illustrating the varied tastes among actors in the superhero realm.
Following that period, Mackie continued to thrive in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, eventually stepping into a larger role as Captain America. Interestingly, his first solo film, Captain America: Brave New World, turned out to be one of the biggest critical and commercial disappointments in the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World grossed approximately $200.5 million in the U.S. and Canada and $214.6 million internationally, totaling around $415.1 million worldwide. According to Deadline Hollywood, the film needed about $425 million globally to break even, considering its $180 million production budget and marketing expenses.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige suggested that one factor in the film’s underperformance was the absence of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, who led previous Captain America films.
Nonetheless, Mackie has a second chance, as he is set to appear in upcoming MCU projects.
One of these projects is Avengers: Doomsday, which Mackie describes as a return to the classic Marvel style that fans cherished in earlier years. He expressed enthusiasm about the production and the team involved.
He stated, “We’re supposed to go out this week and we’ll be out there doing it. Everybody’s excited. I feel with the script and having the Russo brothers back, it’s going to be great. I’m really excited for what this project is going to be. It’s going to give the audience that old Marvel feeling that they always had.”
With the Russo brothers on board, Mackie believes the film will recapture the energy that made early Marvel films so beloved.
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