Anthony Mackie, who rose to prominence through roles in films such as 8 Mile and The Hurt Locker before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appeared in the 2011 science-fiction film The Adjustment Bureau. Directed by George Nolfi and based on a Philip K. Dick short story, the film featured Mackie alongside Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, exploring a shadowy organisation tasked with controlling human destiny and their clash with a congressman determined to pursue a romantic relationship with a ballerina.

During production in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Mackie experienced a moment of personal significance when he recognised that the bar used for filming was located directly above the apartment where he had lived upon first arriving in New York to attend the Juilliard School. The actor described this discovery as a "full circle" moment, representing his transformation from uncertain newcomer to established performer. Whilst the film received mixed critical response, with reviewers questioning its narrative coherence, the location's personal resonance became more memorable for Mackie than the finished project itself.