Anthony Mackie‘s first encounter with Sir Ian McKellen on the set of “Avengers: Doomsday” turned into an unforgettable moment.
Mackie stars as Captain America, a role he inherited from Chris Evans, while McKellen reprises his iconic role as Magneto.
“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to debut in theaters this December, bringing together Mackie, McKellen, and several other high-profile actors from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Speaking to IMDb, Mackie recalled meeting McKellen for the first time after filming began on “Avengers: Doomsday” in early 2025. The actor admitted he was starstruck by McKellen’s presence and immediately introduced himself.
“I go to Ian McKellen, he goes, ‘Hello, son.’ I’m like, ‘Ian McKellen, sir. You’re amazing. It’s amazing to work with you,’” Mackie said.
Mackie also shared that McKellen asked which character he was playing before making a comment that genuinely touched him.
“He goes, ‘So what are you doing in the film?’ and I’m like, ‘I’m Captain America,’” Mackie added. “And he goes, ‘Wonderful… and you deserve that.’”
Anthony Mackie And Sir Ian McKellen’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Roles
In “Avengers: Doomsday,” a host of Marvel characters will unite on the big screen for the first time.
Mackie returns as Captain America, a role passed on to him by Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers at the end of “Avengers: Endgame.” He officially took up the mantle in the Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” before leading his own solo film, “Captain America: Brave New World.”
Meanwhile, McKellen’s appearance in “Avengers: Doomsday” marks his sixth outing as Magneto.
He first portrayed the iconic mutant in the original “X-Men” trilogy before reprising the role in “The Wolverine” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Anthony Mackie Says ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Was His Toughest Marvel Shoot Yet
On the same day he shared the McKellen anecdote, Mackie also revealed that filming “Avengers: Doomsday” was “definitely more strenuous” and “intensive” than working on his previous Avengers films.
“It was a lot of rigorous physical work,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “It was a lot of action work, but also just getting the dialogue and the emotional moments, the beats correct.”
According to Mackie, every effort was aimed at delivering the “best story” possible for Marvel fans. He added that the extra work also helped the filmmakers craft a compelling story without an excessive runtime.
“It’s like there are ways of streamlining it and making it more focused so the audience could have all the stuff that they enjoy, but it usually takes us longer in the process,” he said.
Mackie Can’t Wait For Fans To See ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
“Avengers: Doomsday” is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, and is one of Marvel’s most anticipated releases.
For his part, Mackie said he is excited for audiences to finally see the movie after the cast and crew spent “years and countless” hours bringing it to life.
“When you look at the Russo brothers and what they put together and bringing them back to do this movie, it was the right time and the right moment to make it happen,” he told Extra.
Elsewhere in the interview, Mackie described working alongside cast members from different generations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as “amazing.” He added that the atmosphere on set felt like “a family affair” and compared the experience to attending “summer camp,” where longtime friends reunite.
The Seasoned Actor Says Captain America Comes With Delicious Perks
Last year, Mackie appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he opened up about the unexpected perks of playing Captain America.
The actor admitted that before taking on the role, he believed he was already famous enough to receive special treatment while dining out. However, it wasn’t until he became Captain America that those perks actually started rolling in.
“Since ‘Captain America’ came out, y’all, y’all. I get free appetizers now everywhere I go, everywhere I go,” Mackie joked.
He continued, “I get the good cheese like Gorgonzola. You know what I mean? The secret cheese. I didn’t even know cheese could be sharp.”
