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Could Bucky Barnes finally become Captain America? Sebastian Stan teases his character may still have a long future in the Marvel Cinematic uNiverse.
Sebastian Stan has been one of the longest-running actors in the MCU. Making his debut in the franchise as Bucky Barnes in the first Captain America movie, Stan has appeared in nine projects, with a 10th on the way with Thunderbolts. This is not counting any future commitments, as the character will likely return once more in Avengers: Doomsday.
It seems Sebastian Stan has no intent on slowing down with his commitment to Bucky Barnes. The actor seems just as gung-ho with playing the hero as he was in the early days of the MCU. The star reflected on his character’s transformation beyond the Captain America franchise in a recent interview with Total Film to promote Thunderbolts, admitting that he grows just as much as the beloved anti-hero with each subsequent appearance.
“It’s always been fun for me to come back to him after all these years because you’re growing as a person, and then the character ends up growing. I never would have thought we would have ended up where we have with him, but it’s a very interesting group of characters, and they all bring out different sides of themselves.”
“I think [Bucky] finds himself way more suited to them than initially maybe he wants to admit, but he’s always an evolving character, and that’s what I love about him. It’s always trying to find another way of expressing. I think it’ll be fun. I think people will be excited for the movie.”
Will Bucky Barnes Become Captain America In The MCU?
This interview left fans wondering where exactly Bucky Barnes could go in the MCU. The character has a rather sparse history in the comics, at least when compared to his contemporaries. And given he’s already been rehabilitated from his time as the Winter Soldier, the only other storyline fans could think of would be for him to take on the mantle of Captain America. While seemingly unlikely given Anthony Mackie picking up the shield, Sebastian Stan did give a small tease as Tokyo Comic Con by stating that he’s “Not Captain America…yet”.
Sebastian Stan with Captain America’s shield at #TokyoComicCon.
“Not Captain America… yet.”
(📸: @R_I_F_B) pic.twitter.com/DTD2tCMqpI
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) December 29, 2024
It’s not likely that Marvel would make a complete U-turn and give the Captain America mantle to Bucky Barnes after they’ve spent so much time setting up Sam Wilson’s debut as the Sentinel of Liberty. However, with the multiverse saga coming to an end, it’s possible that Sebastian Stan plays a variant of Captain America in one of the MCU’s upcoming projects after Thunderbolts.
Thunderbolts is currently set to hit theaters on May 2, 2025. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
