Role Call: On Your Left! Anthony Mackie Will Star in Capitan America 4 and Apparently the Fourth Season of Dear White People is a Musical

Courtney B. Vance locks down two projects, a docuseries with Angela Bassett; co-stars in 61st Street with Aunjanue Ellis; Frankie Smith joins BET+’s Sacrifice

Screenshot: YouTube, YouTube

While it doesn’t seem like we’re getting a second season of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TFATWS) anytime soon, it looks as though we’re getting something even better. Anthony Mackie officially closed a deal with Marvel/Disney to star in Capitan America 4, according to Deadline.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
A Jogger had no idea What or Who Hit Her… Until Police Showed Her

Now, I know what you’re thinking, what does this mean for our highly traumatized, comedic relief of a supersoldier? Well, nothing has been announced yet as to whether or not Sebastian Stan will be reprising his role, but we can only hope.

The last episode of TFATWS left viewers wondering what the fate of the true new Cap would be. This will be the first time Mackie has headlined a movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has played Sam Wilson/Falcon in six other films (Capitan America and the Winter Soldier, Capitan America Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame). This new role is a huge step in the trajectory of MCU’s Phase 5 and how they plan to roll it out.

Because, you know, the “next Thanos-level threat” the MCU dropped on us in the season finale of Loki per an article from The Root.

Vanity Fair reports the film will be written by TFATWS head writer/creator Malcolm Spellman and that no official cast or director has been announced.

It’s time for someone new to officially take up the shield, and Mackie’s Sam Wilson/The Falcon is clearly the man for the job.

Dear White People Season 4 Is Here…And It’s A Musical?

Image: Courtesy of Netflix

If for whatever reason the title still has you unclear, Netflix recently dropped the trailer for the fourth and final season of Dear White People. According to a press release sent to The Root, this upcoming season will see the central cast, which consists of Logan Browning, Brandon P. Bell, Antoinette Robertson, DeRon Horton, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson and Marque Richardson, as they take on their senior year at Winchester in the “not-so-distant, post-pandemic future and look back at the most formative (and theatrical) year of their lives. Both an Afro-futuristic and 90s-inspired musical event,the farewell season is “an experience with one pitch-perfect promise: sometimes the only way to move forward is to throw it back.” I don’t know about you, but seeing as how this show was one of the very first series I binge-watched at the beginning of quarantine, I am both minimally intrigued and highly confused at this twist of an ending. There was so much meat to season three and I just don’t see how they’re going to wrap it all up in this format. Peep the trailer below and see for yourself, I guess I’ll be warming up my jazz hands in preparation for when the season drops on September 22.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ1XS3W4plU

Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance Announce New Docuseries One Thousand Years of Slavery

Photo: D Andre Michael/Matthew Jordan Smith

Powerhouse couple Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s production company Bassett Vance Productions has teamed up with MTV Entertainment Studios for a new docuseries exploring the legacy of slavery. Per a press release sent to The Root, the four-part series titled One Thousand Years of Slavery, will highlight “powerful stories of notable individuals courageously sharing their deeply personal Black experiences. It’s the 1,000-year story of how slavery stained the past, shaped the present, and continues to re-write our future. Through preserved historical documentation and insight from studied experts, every story unfolds to chronicle how slavery frames the present and continues to act as a distinct force on the future. It’s a dialogue of reflection, oppression, and progression, offering diverse perspectives proving that this challenging yet imperative global conversation will continue for decades to come.” One Thousand Years of Slavery is set to air on the Smithsonian Channel, you can view the first-look trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JabhpahI1zc

Morgan Freeman to Host and Executive Produce Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman on The History Channel

Photo: Getty Images Emma McIntyre

The voice of God aka Morgan Freeman has been tapped to host and executive produce a new nonfiction series for The History Channel. Per a press release sent to The Root, the eight, hourlong series titled Great Escaped With Morgan Freeman will take an in-depth look at history’s greatest escapes from some of the most notorious prisons around the world. “Famous jailbreaks are the stuff of legend as their true stories are often untold. Now, with dramatic recreations, dynamic storytelling and cutting-edge visual effects, escapes from infamous prisons like Alcatraz will come to life in graphic detail. Each episode will unearth every step of an inmate’s meticulous plan, the escape route and the intense manhunt that immediately followed.” Great Escapes will premiere Tuesday, November 9 at 10p.m. ET.

Frankie Smith to Join BET+ Legal Thriller, Sacrifice

Photo: Getty Images Daniel Zuchnik

BET+’s upcoming legal thriller, Sacrifice, just gained a new cast member. The BET+ original movie was picked up into a series in September 2020. The movie—and subsequent show—follow Danielle Hernandez, played by Paula Patton, a successful entertainment lawyer as she deals with the shady lives of her rich clients. Frankie Smith (Mudbound) will be portraying Chauncy Winchester, a tech-savvy Gen-Z from Wharton Business School. Smith’s character has the “music know-how of a 20-year old industry veteran,” according to Deadline. The series is diving deeper into Daniella’s (Patton) personal life and “takes an in-depth look at the entertainment business in a way that no television show ever has, by capturing the glamorous yet mysterious sides of the music industry from the perspective of an entertainment attorney” according to Chris Stokes, Chairman, Footage Films. Scarface is slated to premiere on BET+ later this year.

Courtney B. Vance and Aunjanue Ellis Star in New Crime Drama 61st Street

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQpfF9trmi4

Speaking of Courtney B. Vance, it looks like he’ll be staying booked and busy for a while. Deadline reports that he, alongside his former Lovecraft Country co-star Aunjanue Ellis, will be starring in an upcoming AMC drama series, 61st Street. Executive produced by Michael B. Jordan, the two-season television series will tell the story of “Moses Johnson, a promising black high school athlete who is swept up into the infamously corrupt Chicago criminal justice system. Taken by the police as a supposed gang member, he finds himself in the eye of the storm as cops and prosecutors seek revenge for the death of an officer during a drug bust gone wrong.” Vance will portray “Franklin Roberts, a public defender in the twilight of his career who serves the busiest courthouse in America,” while Ellis will play his wife, Marta Roberts, “a candidate for alderman on the South Side who is very skilled at telling the voting public that her drive and ambition will be placed at their service.” Production is set to begin in Chicago with an expected premiere date some time in 2022.

Blood Brothers: Netflix Releases Trailer for Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali Documentary

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali delves into the three-year-long friendship between them and the triumphs—and struggles—they faced. The film is produced by Grownish creator, Kenya Barris and includes interviews with Ali’s younger brother Rahman Ali, Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and features never-before-seen footage of the two together with their families. Ali and Malcolm X bonded over their understanding of the struggles surrounding being a Black figurehead yet also disagreed on the right way to run the leadership of the Nation of Islam The Hollywood Reporter. The intertwining story of two of the most influential figures in Black history is coming to Netflix on September 9.

Wyatt Cenac Slated to Develop Animation Series With Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios

Photo: Getty Images Theo Wargo

Wyatt Cenac, Daily Show alum and comedian, has just penned an overall, cross-studio deal with Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios (CNS). Cenac had already had a deal with WarnerMedia through his work on the HBO docuseries Problem Areas, and this new deal extends their relationship. Circling back to 2002, Cenac’s deal puts him back in a producer position which is where he got his start with Fox’s animated series King of the Hill. The WBA and CNS deal spans across a range of ages from pre-school to adult and is the second overall deal alongside Looney Tunes. With this deal, Cenac is set to produce and develop animated programming for both studios according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

Everything You Need to Watch, Listen To Before You See the New Michael Jackson Movie

Everything You Need to Watch, Listen To Before You See the New Michael Jackson Movie

There’s exactly one week before the new Michael Jackson biopic hits theaters. But if you can’t wait to enter into MJ land, consider this your pre-viewing and listening syllabus! …
A Look Inside Prince's Famous Paisley Park Mansion in Minnesota

A Look Inside Prince’s Famous Paisley Park Mansion in Minnesota

An all-new Prince celebration is set to take place soon, so what better time to revisit the place Prince called home? Let’s take a look! …
Expert Tips to Help Black Families Navigate Dementia Care

Expert Tips to Help Black Families Navigate Dementia Care

In many Black families, caregivers pour their hearts into taking care of loved ones. Here’s what an expert wants families to know about managing dementia care …
5 Things You Won't See In New Michael Jackson Movie

5 Things You Won’t See In New Michael Jackson Movie

‘Michael’ arrives this week—but don’t expect these storylines to make the final cut …
Charles Barkely And Michael Jordan Squash Their Decades-Long Beef

Charles Barkely And Michael Jordan Squash Their Decades-Long Beef

After more than ten years of silence, the two NBA icons have set aside their differences and reconciled …
Why Millions are Risking AI Medical Advice Despite Fading Trust

Why Millions are Risking AI Medical Advice Despite Fading Trust

A new study found that consumer trust in AI as a medical decision-making tool is waning …
No, Janet Jackson Isn't In the New Michael Movie and Here's Why

No, Janet Jackson Isn’t In the New Michael Movie and Here’s Why

Michael and Janet Jackson shared a close relationship, but she won’t be featured in his highly-anticipated biopic. We’re breaking down why she’s not in the film …
Behind the Violent End of Justin Fairfax’s Marriage

Behind the Violent End of Justin Fairfax’s Marriage

They were a Duke University power couple with the world at their feet. But by April 2026, Justin and Cerina Fairfax met a tragic end during tense divorce proceedings …
Everything You Need to Know About the Black Woman Trump Nominated To Lead the CDC

Everything You Need to Know About the Black Woman Trump Nominated To Lead the CDC

Pres. Trump just nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz as the next CDC director. Here’s all you need to know about the Black woman who has been tapped to take over the nation’s top public health agency …
D4vd Arrested in Celeste Rivas Death Case: What We Know

D4vd Arrested in Celeste Rivas Death Case: What We Know

Authorities had been circling D4vd for a while now, but had nothing concrete to bring him in on until now. Here’s what we know …
Why Black Women Continue to Defend Meghan Markle Despite the Online Trolls

Why Black Women Continue to Defend Meghan Markle Despite the Online Trolls

Meghan Markle is opening up about the digital bullying she experienced, but Black women online aren’t letting her fight this fight alone! …
Why Bill Bellamy's Latest Message to Black Women Has the Internet Heated

Why Bill Bellamy’s Latest Message to Black Women Has the Internet Heated

While many people love Bill Bellamy for his comedy, he’s sadly coming under fire for his latest joke and message to Black women. Let’s get into it! …
Hilton Head's Gullah Geechee Community Built A Legacy, Now They're Fighting To Be Heard

Hilton Head’s Gullah Geechee Community Built A Legacy, Now They’re Fighting To Be Heard

The Legal Defense Fund says that the Hilton Head Gullah Geechee community is being shut out of key land talks that could shape their survival …
Dave Chappelle Says Republicans 'Weaponized' His Trans Jokes, But That's Not the Whole Story

Dave Chappelle Says Republicans ‘Weaponized’ His Trans Jokes, But That’s Not the Whole Story

Dave Chappelle is reflecting on his trans jokes and the role some Republicans seemingly played in making things worse—but there’s more to it than that …
Vogue Slammed Online After Trying to Rename The Afro

Vogue Slammed Online After Trying to Rename The Afro

The Black internet is giving Vogue magazine an earful after they tried to rename a classic hairstyle that represents Black pride …
Viral 'Demure' TikToker Jools Lebron Breaks Her Silence on the Brutal Toll of Internet Fame

Viral ‘Demure’ TikToker Jools Lebron Breaks Her Silence on the Brutal Toll of Internet Fame

In a new interview with Tamron Hall, Jools Lebron reveals the dark side of overnight fame after she went viral on TikTok for “demure.” …
LeBron James Should Retire Now While Greatness Still Defines Him

LeBron James Should Retire Now While Greatness Still Defines Him

The only thing left for King James to prove is that he knows when to walk away …
This Georgia Lawmaker's Blackface Photo Was Offensive Enough— But His Response Was Even Worse

This Georgia Lawmaker’s Blackface Photo Was Offensive Enough— But His Response Was Even Worse

Folks say if “tone-deaf” were a person, Georgia lawmaker Kasey Carpenter might be contending for top spot after a photo of him in blackface sparked fury …
Khloé Kardashian Claps Back at Lamar Odom Over His Comments About Her Role in His Recovery

Khloé Kardashian Claps Back at Lamar Odom Over His Comments About Her Role in His Recovery

After allegedly trying to downplay her role in helping Lamar Odom recover from his 2015 brother incident and more, Khloé Kardashian is now pushing back! …
Black Virginia Lt. Governor and Wife Shot Dead in Harrowing Murder-Suicide

Black Virginia Lt. Governor and Wife Shot Dead in Harrowing Murder-Suicide

Justin Fairfax made history as the second Black man elected as lieutenant governor in Virginia. Now, police say that trailblazer shot his wife, then himself …