“Captain America: Brave New World” puts Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson at the center of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the first Black Captain America. Joining Mackie in his groundbreaking journey is Carl Lumbly, who made his own historic mark as a Black superhero three decades ago.

Lumbly co-stars as Isaiah Bradley, a supersoldier who is the lone survivor of a vicious government experiment that claimed the lives of 300 Black soldiers. The veteran actor previously played Bradley in the 2021 Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” set after Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, was presented Captain America’s shield.

In the new film, which opened Friday and ranks at the top of the holiday weekend box office, Bradley has settled into a quiet life as a boxing gym owner. But his life is upended when he is activated to assassinate U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford).

The role is a juicy one for Lumbly, who made an impression when he starred in Fox’s 1994 drama “M.A.N.T.I.S.,” becoming TV’s first Black superhero.

The crime fighter was the alter ego of Dr. Miles Hawkins, a brilliant biophysicist who was paralyzed after being shot during an urban riot while saving a young boy. After the tragedy, Hawkins developed an exoskeleton that enabled him to leave his wheelchair.

As M.A.N.T.I.S., Hawkins could run with lightning speed, leap over pursuing cars and toss criminals through the air with ease. He was equipped with a high-tech vehicle that could fly and go underwater.

While Lumbly has enjoyed a long and varied career, including his featured turn as field operative Marcus Dixon in ABC’s spy thriller “Alias,” he said there are two roles that seem to stand out for fans.

“Since I’ve been in the MCU, a lot of people come up and tell me how proud they are,” said Lumbly, adding with a hearty laugh, “And then there are a lot of people who remember ‘M.A.N.T.I.S.’ ”

The Fox series lasted just one, controversy-shrouded season. After the pilot episode aired, several months before its official premiere, executive producer Sam Raimi (“The Evil Dead” and “Spider-Man” franchises), who wrote the pilot, was let go, along with four Black supporting characters.

The new producers were accused of racism by an advocacy group and two cast members from the pilot, who complained that the diversity of the cast had been reduced and that the tone of the series radically changed from the pilot in order to de-emphasize Black identity and attract more white viewers.

For its part, “Brave New World” arrives at an uncertain political moment for Hollywood. As executives at many studios, including Disney, seek to chart a neutral course, the Trump administration has accelerated its attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and scrutiny of films and TV series and the talent behind them remains as heightened as ever. Already, Mackie has been criticized by some conservatives for comments about the Captain America character, while others have lambasted the film as too “woke” or faulted the perceived parallels between Ross and Trump.

In a phone interview, Lumbly addressed his portrayal of Bradley, the politically charged response to “Brave New World” and the continuing legacy of “M.A.N.T.I.S.”

Anthony Mackie, from left, Danny Ramirez and Carl Lumbly in “Captain America: Brave New World.”

(Marvel Studios)

What has being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe been like?

A joyride. I love this character and what he stands for. I love that he exists in the MCU. His story is based on certain actions taken officially by the government that ended in dire, dire, dire consequences for a group of Black men who had enlisted to make the country better but were duped and betrayed. Isaiah is the single survivor. But out of all of that, he survives in the names of those who were so brutally sacrificed. It’s a brutal story but also a privilege to be given this task. I welcomed it in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and I couldn’t be happier that it continues in this movie.

What has it been like working with Anthony?

He is such a wonderful actor, and now I have experienced what a great leader he is. But he is also a lot of fun. There is a lot of joy in the way Anthony goes about things. He requires that people not only have a good time, but that they feel included. He is operating with his heart wide open.

I’m interested in your reaction when you learned that Isaiah is going to attempt to assassinate the president.

That was tricky [Laughs]. Isaiah being in the world again was so filled with caution. After being recognized for his contribution in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” he thought he could return to a kind of normalcy. He feels that the world Sam sees is one he wants to believe in, but he’s not sure he can. He gets his boxing gym and he is free in the world. You would think he would not give that up for some act of revenge or some imagined righting of the wrong. My first impression was that it’s kind of impossible to play and deal with. But if it’s possible, what would it look like?

So what do you make of the comparisons between the movie and the political climate in the country?

The parallels that people are able to see were not in existence when the film was written or being shot. Those things have come into existence at the same time as the film, or the film has come into existence as a way to speak to what we find in the world at this moment. It’s almost like alchemy, the timing of history coinciding with the timing of our film.

What do you feel is the significance?

There’s the title “Brave New World.” It matters less to me that we transgress, that we fall back or fall prey to our lesser angels. It matters more that we address what’s real, what’s true and then move forward with the knowledge that there is much to be afraid of but that we are moving forward anyway. I think that’s what this film is saying. There’s a lot about this film that speaks about love, compassion and empathy.

Everyone who sees “Captain America: Brave New World” will take away their own movie to rerun in their heads. The “Captain America” I saw I am extremely proud of, and it gives me hope at a time I want to feel hope. The idea of connection is for us to come together with our fears and to be brave enough to be connected.

I also want to talk about “M.A.N.T.I.S” Are you surprised that it made such an impression that people still remember the show?

The audience of that day feel something that impacted them. To realize that happened is actually surprising and gratifying. I do know that M.A.N.T.I.S and Isaiah have valued spots in my archive.

What do you feel is the legacy of that character?

M.A.N.T.I.S., Isaiah and Sam Wilson all come from love, and they don’t necessarily have to. There’s plenty of reasons for them not to. But if whatever happened to them — changed, destroyed, imprisoned, being denied — it did not get to that piece in their heart that contained their love. They knew they could withstand anything. There is no hatred in their heart. Hatred is succumbing. It is giving away the power that you have.