Yahoo Movies Why has Captain America: Brave New World become controversial?
Actor Anthony Mackie has responded to backlash after suggesting that Captain America shouldn't just represent America
The MCU has been in something of a reset period of late, with Captain America: Brave New World in line to be one of the projects welcoming in its new chapter. 2025's Deadpool & Wolverine felt like more of a standalone adventure — especially as its adult content meant younger Marvel fans weren't able to see it in cinemas. 2024 was also a tough year for Marvel's TV offering with both Agatha All Along and Echo — Disney+ series based on lower-tier Marvel characters — falling behind in viewership in comparison to Loki S2.
And now, after that, it's on to Captain America to carry the torch.
Marvel debuted the first trailer for Brave New World in 2024 and the response was broadly positive. Anthony Mackie is stepping very capably into the leading man role and it's great to see Harrison Ford marching around yelling at people in his grumpy, gravelly voice. Also, Red Hulk is here, and that's exciting.
But the trailer aroused controversy in certain corners of the internet, with some even going so far as to call for a boycott on the film, and it's all to do with a supporting character: US government official Ruth Bat-Seraph.
Mackie — whose character Sam Wilson is taking the lead in the Marvel film — has also prompted some controversy with his recent comments about America.
What did Anthony Mackie say about Captain America?
At a press event for Captain America: Brave New World, Anthony Mackie was asked what he thought Captain America represented in 2025.
"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations," Mackie is reported to have said "It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honour, dignity and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable."
His comments were picked up online by various political commentators, with conservatives suggesting his comments were representative of a "woke Hollywood" agenda, who felt Captain America should be proudly patriotic, with some saying fans should boycott the movie.
On Tuesday, 28 January, Mackie responded on Instagram to clarify his stance explaining "Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime.
"I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country. CAP [Captain America] has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to."
Who is Ruth Bat-Seraph in Captain America: Brave New World?
Ruth Bat-Seraph, played by Shira Haas, works for the US government as a key ally of Ford's president Thunderbolt Ross. She used to be a Black Widow, which means she has ample combat skills and can more than handle herself in any given espionage situation.
In the comics, Ruth is the alter ego of the mutant superhero Sabra — an agent for the Israeli secret service organisation Mossad. The character was always controversial on the page, especially in her interactions with often stereotypical and negatively-portrayed Arab characters. Given the long history of tension in the Middle East, some readers found the character insensitive.
Read more: Every upcoming Marvel movie and TV series (Yahoo Entertainment)
When the movie's inclusion of a reimagined version of Sabra was first announced by Marvel in 2022, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel condemned the character's comic book incarnation for "ugly racism and valorisation of Mossad".
Responding to that controversy at the time, Marvel said (via New York Times): "While our characters and stories are inspired by the comics, they are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience, and the filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago."
But the reaction to Sabra in the comics was never universally negative. She was one of the first Jewish superheroes to appear in a major comic book and fans have long advocated for her to show up in the MCU.
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Today, the controversy around depicting an Israeli hero is even more intense than it was in 2022. The current Israel-Hamas war is a febrile issue and, on social media, Marvel is receiving a lot of criticism for including a character with such documented links to the state of Israel.
This criticism is in place regardless of the fact Marvel has made big changes to Ruth, moving away from the Mossad links of the character's source material.
Who plays Ruth Bat-Seraph in Captain America: Brave New World?
Shira Haas plays Ruth in Captain America: Brave New World and the character makes a brief appearance in the new trailer. Haas is an Israeli actor who received nominations at both the Emmys and the Golden Globes for her performance in the German miniseries Unorthodox.
Her casting has also drawn calls for a boycott from certain corners of social media given her links to the Israeli military. Haas was medically exempted from conscription to the Israel Defense Forces, but served a short period of voluntary service in its performance theatre unit.
This controversy is unlikely to go anywhere in the months between now and Captain America: Brave New World's cinema release. Marvel is the latest entertainment powerhouse to discover how carefully they must tread when dealing with the complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
Captain America: Brave New World will be released in UK cinemas and IMAX on 14 February, 2025.
