Exclusive: Showrunner Malcolm Spellman happy with ending The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ after six episodes

Now playing on Disney+ is “Assembled: The Making of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” an inside look at this new groundbreaking series, where you’ll find out everything you need to know about how the cast and crew filmed the high-flying, globe-trotting action, brought back fan favorite characters such as Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter and Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo, and introduced new characters into the mix to deliver what fans have come to expect from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

The series, which just ended after six episodes, explores the complicated legacy of the shield and what lies ahead for Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, John Walker and the Flag Smashers.  

Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman as head writer, the series stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Brühl, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell, Erin Kellyman, Adepero Oduye, Amy Aquino and Danny Ramirez. 

BlackFilmandTV.com recently spoke with Spellman on the series and whether he was satisfied with six episodes.

Did the ending satisfy you with only six episodes?

Malcolm Spellman: Yeah. I work with one of my best friends, who's a musician and we have a label. There's a fundamental truth to always leave them wanting more. The worst thing you can do is too much. Because then every bit of goodwill that you built up during your storytelling or during your concert in his case, becomes a negative, you're pulling out of that every minute, you overstay. So I feel I felt good about how that series ended. It was very rewarding to me.

Did you feel if you can go 10 episodes, you could explore more? We all want to see a season two, because we want to see some of these characters again, just to have some answers. 

Malcolm Spellman: Yeah, but if we do, can, or we had really started off thinking about doing eight, right? Maybe you don't want to see the characters anymore. And then that sucks too. The number six came very, very naturally. As we started to unpack their stories, it was starting to feel a little bit flabby. It all happened organically. There was not a mandate, Marvel did not say, "Come here, write six episodes," They said, "Come here and tell the best story you can." And six became the number to do that.

What was the most challenging aspect as a storyteller when you knew you had a lot to go with? There's Sam learning to be Captain America. You also have the other characters and their backstory. Was it ever challenging for you? 

Malcolm Spellman: To me, I think the pacing was the most difficult because you feel this inclination to just go go go like a movie. At the same time, I've heard a couple fans say that they wished it wouldn't have started slow. No, I don't think it was slow. But I think it was deliberate. It was us having faith that as this thing unspools, you'll be glad you arrived there at the rate you did. As opposed to you're playing catch up with your story. Because you're worried about going fast. I think the pacing took the most thought and effort, and really being brave to let it be organic and having faith that these characters and these actors would be able to carry it.

For new fans, this series was about this black character picking up the the shield and how he would survive in America. As those episodes played out, to the highlight of fans, did you know what you're getting into as you explored that aspect?

Malcolm Spellman: Yeah, I felt a big sense of duty. It's why I showed up. I'm a huge Marvel fan. I’m a black man. I’m a storyteller and a filmmaker. This whole pot of gumbo, where Marvel was, was exactly where I wanted to be. I did feel pressure and I did feel a sense of duty showing up.

With the new poster of Sam Wilson as Captain America, did you have a hand as far as the look of the costume?

Malcolm Spellman: I got to admit they wore me out. They brought me into those meetings. Kevin, Nate, Lou, Victoria, all the senior Marvel people. They take that shit seriously. Like it was meeting after meeting where they're going. Kevin was taken lead from the shading and how many limelight to where the wings touch the body, I thought I was there for the marathon. But I couldn't keep up with how hard they worked on making sure that costume felt just right.

When did you get the news of writing Captain America 4?

Malcolm Spellman: I heard about it from from the internet. And I can't even confirm that it's happening because Kevin hasn't told me.

Fans were happy to see obviously you brought in three of the original women that were part of the Dora Milaje in Black Panther. That was fun. Was that your decision to bring them in there?

Malcolm Spellman: We were all psyched. I don't know when it happened in the room. We were hoping from day one before we wrote a single word that this story would intersect with people from Wakanda. Having Jim Rhodes and Sam on screen together was a dream. If you're black, or a person of color, you know these heroes had to have been having beers and talking about life. So that was a magic moment and having this story intersect with Wakanda, they had to hold me back. After the movie, it was a dream that came true.

How do you feel after this. You’ve done a great job with this, so where do you go from here?

Malcolm Spellman: The key is staying off the internet. I don't read any press, every blue moon I'll stumble into some comments, but I pretty much avoid them. I'd all get tagged on them. Whatever is happening is mostly happening outside of my life because I didn't get here by reading about me. I'm not going to get to where I want to go by reading about me. You get here by working hard and telling stories and being honest and believe in itself. And I keep it there.