Upcoming Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will introduce a new character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that of John Walker, played in the series by Wyatt Russell. A new image has now been released of a pensive looking John Walker, with head writer Malcolm Spellman revealing some details about the show's approach to the character.

"Walker speaks to this idea of American exceptionalism and the necessity we have in questioning it."

John Walker first appeared in the pages of Marvel comics back in 1986's Captain America #323. Known as Super-Patriot, the character has undergone several redesigns over the years, becoming a new incarnation of Captain America and, a few years later, changing his name to U.S. Agent. Walker entered military service after idolising his soldier brother, but never felt he had lived up to being the hero he wanted to be. He was then approached by a mysterious individual, the Power Broker, and imbued with powers similar to that of Steve Rogers including superhuman strength, agility, reflexes, and endurance.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier John Walker Photo

An overarching theme of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be the fallout of Avengers: Endgame, the loss of Captain America and both Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes' attempts to live up to the expectations of their friend and superhero colleague. John Walker has often been critical of Cap, and with Sam and Bucky's relationship having always been that of a mismatched rivalry, the introduction of Walker will be another spanner in the works. "John Walker wouldn't be in this series if he was causing everything to go well," Wyatt Russell says. "There's a dynamic he adds that somewhat complicates the relationship of everybody involved."

As for Spellman's intention to have Walker represent "American exceptionalism", the writer reveals that he has taken cues from Marvel's hugely successful big screen outing, Black Panther, in terms of tackling loftier ideas. "It proved that Marvel fans don't mind substance," Spellman said, while also revealing that Captain America's shield was also a frequent inspiration, with himself and his writer's never keeping it too far from view while penning the series.

Russell, whose character U.S. Agent will have begun his military career as a Marine before being called upon to team with Sam and Bucky to tackle a new international threat, agrees that the shield is an integral part of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. "The shield doesn't itself represent something that's singular. It represents what somebody puts on it," he says. "So one guy puts his own version of what Captain America is on it and another person puts a version of what it is."

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier picks up around six months after the events of 2019's Avengers: Endgame, during which Steve Rogers AKA Captain America returned from an alternate timeline as an old man following his quest to put the Infinity Stones back in their rightful place. Having been handed the mantle, Sam Wilson is struggling to live up to the legacy of The First Avenger and must team up with Bucky Barnes for a globe-trotting adventure that tests their abilities and their patience.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is scheduled to premiere on March 19, 2021 on Disney+ as part of Phase Four of the MCU and will run for six episodes until April 23, 2021. This comes to us from USA Today.