The Falcon and the Winter Soldier introduced a new chapter for Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes while also teasing his next adventure. The MCU series was the second small screen project of Phase 4, staring Stan's Winter Soldier alongside Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon. The show ended on a positive note, with Sam and Bucky gearing up their next mission as the former became the new Captain America.
One of the most ambitious projects of Phase 4 is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness since it will do a deep dive into the concept of alternate realities. The sequel will feature the return of Benedict Cumberbatch's titular sorcerer alongside Benedict Wong's Wong as the new Sorcerer Supreme.
Given the massive scale of Multiverse of Madness, many fans believe that other MCU heroes aside from Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff and America Chavez would return in the sequel. Shang-Chi star Simu Liu has recently addressed the possibility by openly saying that he is not in the sequel to put speculations and rumors to rest.
Now, another Marvel star has shared his thoughts about a potential Doctor Strange sequel sighting.
A Bucky Sighting in Doctor Strange 2?
Sebastian Stan, who plays the MCU's Bucky Barnes, sat down with Collider to talk about his future and his potential appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness amid reports of additional Marvel cameos in the sequel.
Stan promised fans won't be seeing Bucky in the Doctor Strange sequel, saying that it is "above [his] pay grade." The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star also teased that he is curious to see what's next for Bucky:
“I'd be curious to see what the next interesting thing that we could tell with him would be, and as you well know, that is above my pay grade. There are far wiser men and women who are making those decisions.
I am not in Dr. Strange2. I promise.”
Bucky's MCU Future (Breakdown)
Sebastian Stan's latest comments suggest that he is at peace with the idea that Bucky Barnes will not appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In many ways, this makes sense since Bucky is a more grounded character, and he would not fit with the mystical aspects of the Doctor Strange sequel.
Multiverse of Madness is already rumored to be including tons of cameos, but those characters are expected to be not from the MCU. Instead, a good chunk of them would be from Fox's Marvel universe where the likes of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four resides.
Still, there's a chance that Stan could appear in a brief cameo somewhere in the film's rumored 3-hour runtime. It's possible that there is a universe somewhere where Bucky ended up becoming Captain America, and the sequel could serve as its own tribute to the character's original fate in the comics.
Stan mentioned in a previous interview that he is unsure about Bucky's MCU future, with him saying that he still hasn't "quite figured it out yet." However, signs point that he will appear alongside Sam in the reported Captain America 4 project.
It is unknown if the Multiversal ramifications of the Doctor Strange sequel will affect Captain America 4, but it's safe to assume that Bucky and Sam will be ready when it happens.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is now streaming on Disney+ while Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to premiere in theaters on May 6, 2022.
