‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Shows Disney Can’t Escape the Culture Wars

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Depending how you look at it, the quote was either totally innocuous or a major PR nightmare.

During a press conference in Italy for the upcoming Marvel film “Captain America: Brave New World”, actor Anthony Mackie, who plays Captain America, expressed that the character symbolizes various concepts to him. He stated that the term “America” should not be included among those symbols. Instead, he emphasized that Captain America embodies a man of his word, honor, dignity, and integrity. He also highlighted that this character is trustworthy and reliable.

Or simply:

At a press event in Italy for the upcoming Marvel movie “Captain America: Brave New World”, Anthony Mackie, who plays Captain America, explained that the character symbolizes numerous ideas to him. He mentioned that the term “America” should not be part of those symbols. Instead, he stressed that Captain America represents a man who keeps his promises, upholds honor, dignity, and integrity, and is someone who can be trusted and relied upon.

Mackie posted a clarification on Instagram faster than Cap hurling his shield.

On Tuesday, he made it plain: I’m incredibly patriotic, and embodying a hero like Captain America is an unparalleled privilege. I hold in high esteem everyone who defends and has defended our nation. What makes Captain America so special is that his qualities resonate with people everywhere.

It’s highly probable that Mackie’s interpretation aligns closely with how the original Captain America, Chris Evans, intended it when promoting “Captain America” in 2011. The idea seems to be an integral part of Disney and Marvel’s well-known media training for the iconic character: Emphasize Cap’s admirable qualities that transcend nationality rather than focusing on his association with America, which might evoke jingoistic connotations, especially when marketing the film abroad. A simple change in wording can transform a quote from a routine press junket statement into a comment causing a stir on social media.

Despite the clarification, the film has faced criticism, with some labeling it as the latest “critique of American values” or “progressive propaganda” from Disney. Interestingly, CEO Bob Iger has expressed a desire for over a year to steer clear of further cultural conflict.

Nevertheless, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” offers an effortless opportunity for those seeking to overanalyze situations and apply the story as a symbolic parallel. With President Trump issuing groundbreaking executive orders, “Brave New World” presents Harrison Ford as a tyrannical U.S. president who transforms into the Red Hulk, causing destruction wherever he goes. Moreover, a planned assassination attempt on Ford’s character was omitted from trailers in July following the attempted assassination of Trump. Initially titled “New World Order,” this film would have undoubtedly sparked excitement among anti-globalist conspiracy theorists.

A different criticism surrounding the acclaim for “Brave New World” is that Mackie’s Sam Wilson being appointed as Captain America is being labeled as a “DEI move” on some platforms, particularly given Trump’s negative stance towards DEI and his policy changes related to it. This is surprising because Evans’ Steve Rogers had a well-developed storyline as Captain America, and then passed the shield to a suitable successor in Mackie’s character, who later starred in the popular 2021 Disney+ series, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” where Wilson grappled with the question of whether he was worthy of taking on the role of the next Captain America.

Marvel’s transition to Anthony Mackie as Captain America seemed deliberate, thoughtful, and well-deserved – much more than usual for a comic book franchise known for abrupt creative shifts. Regardless of your opinion on Mackie’s portrayal, he has been part of the MCU since 2014 and has put in his fair share of effort. The upcoming film, “Brave New World,” opening on February 14, doesn’t appear to be affected by this transition – it’s projected to earn a solid $90 million at the U.S. box office.

And then there was the other Marvel political flap which happened this week.

In a fresh development, the animation studio’s latest production is titled “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Hudson Thames lends his voice to both Peter Parker and Spider-Man in this series. However, it has sparked some controversy due to Norman Osborn being portrayed as African American. This role is played by Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo in the show.

Though one might have anticipated a certain predictability, what took me by surprise during Thames’ promotion of the show was his unexpected remark: “I found it fantastic! Frankly, my main concern was that it would be bothersome and overtly woke, but it wasn’t, and I exclaimed, ‘This is wonderful, it’s so skillfully written,’ as it felt genuine.

It’s quite ironic when a studio, striving so hard to avoid being perceived as overly progressive, encounters a star making statements that are surprisingly conservative instead. I imagine the overwhelmed public relations person thinking, “Oh, why can’t everyone just stick to the agreed-upon messages?!

Thames’ remark is drawing applause from certain spectators – probably the very same individuals who were criticizing Brave New World earlier.

Moving on to a topic of deviating from scripted discussions, just around the bend lies the most enticing culture war subject: The live-action Snow White, set for release on March 21st. Actress Rachel Ziegler’s comments (like these, these, and these) regarding the original movie, her character, and political views have sparked outrage among conservative fans over the past year, leading some to speculate that she may be covertly selling short Disney shares.

This discussion leads us back to the novel “Brave New World” and another debatable point (for now). Given all that has transpired in the past year, it’s understandable that some details may have slipped our memory. The trailer for the film released in July caused a political stir, mainly due to the character Ruth Bat-Seraph portrayed by Shira Haas. In the original comics, she is depicted as a Mossad agent. However, in this adaptation, her role has been altered, and she is now a high-ranking U.S. government official instead.

This creative adjustment drew criticism from all directions. Some argue that Disney is anti-Israel for deleting the character’s Mossad history, while others see it as pro-Israel for featuring an Israeli hero initially. The ongoing controversy surrounding Ruth Bat-Seraph might serve as a valuable lesson: A company with a large and passionate fanbase should anticipate that controversy will always be present.

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2025-01-31 17:25