Anthony Mackie returns to playing Macbeth on Broadway after a long absence from the theater

exclusive: Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson, aka Captain America, in the big-screen Marvel movies will return to Broadway to take on William Shakespeare’s most infamous villain, Macbeth. The actor told Deadline that he will take on the role starting in spring 2027, after being absent from the board for 16 years.

Mackie will play Shakespeare’s tragic Scottish general, the Thane of Cawdor, in Tony and Olivier Award-nominated director Max Webster’s New York transfer.henry v) was staged to great acclaim at the Donmar Warehouse Theater in London in late 2023 with David Tennant and Cush Jumbo as the cruel Macbeth. The production later transferred to the Harold Pinter Theater in London’s West End for an 11-week season.

“I started out as a theater kid,” comments Mackie. “And doing theater has been my passion since I was seven years old. And you know, to be able to do it now at this level in this field, not a lot of people can say they’ve done that.” macbeth On Broadway,” he claims.

rehearsal for macbeth Launching in February 2027, previews will run through late March or early April. The play will run at a Broadway theater through July at a date that has not yet been announced.

But Mackie will still have to fulfill the outstanding duties of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as he winds up with “double, double the hard work and trouble.” macbeth. “So once I’m done on Broadway, I’m going to end it all the avenger stuff for secret war” he says, referring to the next film to be released late next year.

It marks the Juilliard-trained Mackie’s first chance to play King Duncan’s once loyal and valiant general, who, driven mad by ambition, seeks to take over the king along with his bloodthirsty wife. Macbeth explains, “Macbeth has become so mad that he is willing to do anything to remain in power.”

“That’s why I was so excited. I mean, you know, macbeth One of the great plays of the canon…it’s one of those roles everyone dreams of playing. “And to come from where I come from and be able to do this on Broadway is a huge accomplishment not only in my career, but in my life,” Mackie marvels.

Webster’s version macbeth Won praise for its staging and revolutionary use of sound. Tony and Olivier Award-winning audio designer Gareth Fry (harry potter and the cursed child) created a binaural sound system in which the audience wore headphones and the actors spoke their lines into a microphone. “It will be Some?“The microphone and the sound aspect of it is interesting because you can hear everything in the audience, you can hear every whisper, you can feel every emotion,” says McKee. So instead of the house being projected onto the back, the house comes onto the stage.”

The Juilliard-trained Mackie was last on Broadway 16 years ago in Martin McDonagh A treat in Spokane With Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell and Zoe Kazan, directed by John Crowley.

Mackie’s first of four sons was born 15 years ago and it was then that he realized family and films would be his twin passions. Plus, living in New Orleans meant that setting foot in NYC would have been taboo until now. “The thing about theater is, if you live in New York, it’s great because it keeps you at home. But if you don’t live in New York, you know, having kids, taking time away from your kids and father duty to go back and dip your toes in the water to pursue your dreams is a huge sacrifice. But I think it was something that my kids would understand,” Mackie said, speaking via Zoom from his New Orleans home. Say.

when mackie was shooting Avengers: Doomsday In London he met his friend and mentor Wendell Pierce (elsbeth) and when he started talking about theater work, “It made me want to get back on stage,” he says. McKee also plans to debut on the London stage, adding, “hopefully sooner rather than later”.

In my time away from filming Avengers: Doomsday He would go out on weekends to see London shows. “I saw everything,” he says, laughing.

“Everyone laughed at me because I said, ‘You should go and see oliver! In London’… so I enjoyed it a lot during the three days on the set. I was speaking in a really bad British accent, repeating lines oliver“He jokes.

Most recently, Mackie shot Season 3 of Peacock and Sony Pictures Television’s twisted Metal, In which the actor stars and also executive produces alongside longtime manager Jason Spiers of Inspire Management. Mackie to star alongside Jamie Dornan in heist drama 12 12 12Debuts on Apple TV on November 13.

However, for now, the tragedy of macbeth Is uppermost in his mind. Mackie suggests that the character is tragic because “his ambition was what overcame him. And I think in this day and age, it’s a very poignant time to play this character and tell this story because we live in a day and age of ambition.”

He insists that relentless ambition is all around us. “If you look at the business sector, if you look at the tech sector, if you look at sports, if you look at any area of ​​popular growth in this day and age, the idea of ​​ambition is something that is a common thread among all of them. Just watching the news every day, and you know, walking down the street every day, you see how this generation and this time evolves.”

We agree that Webster’s captivating staging at the Donmar and Harold Pinter made the play accessible to audiences who were reluctant to see Shakespeare’s plays. And the beauty of the Bard is that his plays can be adapted to suit modern sensibilities – without losing their original insights.

“And that’s why I think the staging is so important. That’s why, in that production in London, the performances were so important because it made it really legible and easy to understand. It’s such a beautiful play,” he says, quoting a poem from the play.

“I’m honored and involved with all my heart,” he said, adding that he is working on the text with renowned drama teacher Richard Feldman, who taught him at Juilliard. “I was like, ‘Hey, man. I need your help. I’m calling on my side.’ I’ve known him for 30 years,” McKee explains. “He’s going to be my main guy, my leader.”

Mackie still has his voice book and other notes from when he was studying at Juilliard in the 1990s. “So I’m going back and practicing my singing again. You know, going to the gym, increasing my weight, increasing my air intake back up, and because it’s a big accomplishment. I mean, being on stage is a workout,” he tells us.

“Creature captain AmericaKicking, punching and flying is one thing, but being on a stage, it’s a tough beast. I mean, it’s not like you have to repeat all your lines every night when you’re in a movie. You know, it’s muscle memory. This is physical memory. It’s a tough test, yet enjoyable,” he adds.

He added, “Theatre is one of those things where I can honestly say the work is worth the reward you get at the end of every show.”

Webster and the production’s casting director are looking for an actress to play Lady Macbeth and other major characters. “I think it will have an all-American cast,” says McKee.

Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Falcon takes over captain America From Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers/captain America end of 2019 Avengers: Endgameand has a starring role in the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier With Sebastian Stan, his first full feature as an action-hero Captain America: Brave New World.

I recently met Avengers: Endgame Encorere-release of Avengers: Endgame With additional footage. “They’re just preparing you for DoomsdayMackie says with a hearty laugh. Avengers: Doomsday Which is going to be released on 18th December.

Evans appeared with McKee Avengers: Doomsday. He explains it all for us. “He’s coming back now and reprising his role, but I’m still captain America. Like, if you look at comic books, there are comic books where Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are fighting together captain America. they both still captain America. It’s just the return of Steve Rogers because he has a big opponent to fight Doomsday“He explains.