Announced by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige at last year’s D23 Expo, the upcoming Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would introduce the Marvel comic character John Walker, also known as U.S. Agent. Wyatt Russell will portray Walker. Fans may recognize him from films like Everybody Wants Some!!, Ingrid Goes West and Overlord. Thanks to Page Six we have recent set photos finally giving us a look at Wyatt’s in and out of the U.S. Agent costume and holding Captain America’s shield.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be the first MCU TV series on Disney+, hopefully airing in August of 2020. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their film roles as Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier and Sam Wilson aka Falcon, respectively. Additionally, Daniel Brühl who played Baron Zemo and Emily VanCamp who portrayed Sharon Carter will both be reprising their MCU roles.
Who is U.S. Agent in Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
The character John Walker (aka U.S. Agent) was first introduced as the supervillain Super-Patriot in Captain America No. 323 in November of 1986. After Steve Rogers abandoned his costume and identity, writers reintroduced Walker as the new Captain America in issue No. 333. In the comics Walker finds himself trying to emulate Rogers’ ethics, although Walker is more brutal than his predecessor. Eventually his superhuman strength and lack of emotional control lead him to inadvertently beat the villain Professor Power to death.
In the comics John Walker was an honorably discharged solider from the United States Army who had idolized his brother who died in Vietnam. Walker gains his super powers from the Power Broker, a mysterious individual who imbued people with superhuman powers. Both U.S. Agent and Sam Rogers, the Falcon, have donned Captain America’s shield at some point. It is not clear at this time how closely or loosely the Disney+ series will follow these comic origins.
Visually the casting of Wyatt Russell is excellent and the costume really works as a two bit Captain America costume whilst still referencing the US Agent comic costume.