Sebastian Stan wants a new Captain America now
After over a decade as Bucky Barnes, Sebastian Stan’s eyeing a bigger mantle in the MCU — and, in a chat with Josh Horowitz, he didn’t play coy.
Here we are again with Sebastian Stan making mischief in Marvel-land. The man’s been Bucky Barnes for more than a decade across a carousel of Avengers punch-ups and political punchlines, but now he’s just coming out with it: he wants to nick the shield and become the next Captain America. No subtle hints. Just pure, straight-up ambition — and a polite ‘sorry’ to Anthony Mackie on the way.
Stan’s version of ‘I want the job’
This all comes from a recent chat with Josh Horowitz, where Stan, who’s starring in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, didn’t bother dancing around it. Asked if he ever brings up taking over the Cap role, he made it absolutely plain that he’s both keen and ready — with only a slight nod to Anthony "Current Cap" Mackie to soften the blow.
Here’s how Stan himself put it to Horowitz:
"I always bring it up. Even the Captain America thing, I bring it up. I’m like, whenever—sorry, Anthony—I’m like, whenever, let’s go. I’m just saying, I’m ready, man. I’m at that sweet spot where I can still do some of it. It's really more in terms of just the action bits that you want to do."
You see, in the comics, Bucky did get his stint as Captain America, but the films swerved that — opting for Sam Wilson straight away when Chris Evans hung up his shield. Stan doesn’t seem bitter about it. Quite the opposite: he says he’s fiercely protective of Bucky’s arc on screen and reckons Marvel made the right move by giving Sam the nod. But he does think there’s unfinished business for his metal-armed alter ego.
As he explained further to Horowitz, he’s proud of the movies he’s done — The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War, Endgame — and admits Bucky’s evolution felt right. But that lingering feeling persists: Bucky’s story, in his view, isn’t over yet. And apparently, Marvel execs may sense it too.
Speculation, Evans’ Bond routine, and what’s next
Fans have already started cooking up theories about a possible “BuckyCap” reveal in Avengers: Secret Wars. Of course, Marvel’s kept their lips zipped — nothing officially confirmed. As for Chris Evans, Stan was amused to see his old co-star back for Doomsday. Apparently, Evans was being "kept away in a house far from the rest of us, like James Bond or something,” according to Stan’s take on production protocol for the returning Steve Rogers. Proper secret agent stuff, which fits Evans just fine.
Avengers: Doomsday hits cinemas in December 2026.