Bucky Barnes is now one of the characters with the longest history of appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He played a key role in the Captain America series, advanced into the Avengers series, and even had his own series produced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), making him comparable to Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson.
However, this is the first time Bucky has returned to the screen in five years since Avengers: Endgame (2019). The movie Thunderbolts tells the story of MCU anti-heroes and outcasts who are called upon by the government to team up and take on a mission. This time, Bucky takes on the role of leader of this ragtag group.
Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, told GamesRadar+ in the UK, "I never expected my relationship with him to be like this." "But it's a really interesting cast of characters, and each one brings out a new side of him. I think Bucky will find that he fits in well with them, even if he doesn't want to admit it at first." Sebastian previously said about Bucky in Thunderbolts, "He's in a really fun place right now. I think this is the right place to be." This comment echoes that, but what's interesting is how Sebastian compares his own changes to Bucky's evolution.
"It's fun to play him again after all these years. The character grows because I'm growing as a person. [Omitted] I love that he's always evolving, so I always want to find new ways to express him."
While participating in the MCU, Sebastian has always tried to expand his range by taking on a wide variety of roles in each work. He has played a violent husband in I, Tonya (2017), a Pentagon investigator in The Last Full Measure (2019), a corrupt sheriff in The Devil All the Time (2020), and a young Trump in his latest film, The Apprentice. The interesting thing about the character of Bucky is that he can reflect all of these different jobs.
Thunderbolts* is directed by Jake Schreier of Beef. What kind of side will he show us this time in his first collaboration with this up-and-coming director? Sebastian exuded confidence, saying, "I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I think it's a movie that everyone will find entertaining." The film Thunderbolts* is scheduled to be released in Japan during Golden Week 2025 (released in the US on May 2, 2025).