Despite the growing scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans have reveled in the fact that they've gotten to know some of the franchise's well-known heroes on deeper levels.
Standalone solo movies have typically allowed this, however, the MCU's upcoming Disney+ slate will take this aspect to a whole other level.
A prime example of this will be in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a series that will intricately explore both a post-Blip world following Avengers: Endgame and the mental and physical wellbeings of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
Since the two officially met in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, a sort of bickering, brotherly bond has formed; this bond will be explored in great depth in the heroes' series, driving the characters forward in their aligned mission of world justice in the wake of Steve Rogers' apparent passing.
As such, not only will The Falcon and the Winter Soldier heavily feature some of the MCU's most intense action sequences, but it will also put a spotlight on Wilson and Barnes' evolving dynamic, which the co-stars have now commented on...
BUCKY BARNES AND SAM WILSON DESTINED TO BOND
In the Spring 2021 issue of Disney's D23 Magazine, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, who play the titular characters respectively, commented on the history of their character's relationship in the MCU and where it's heading in the series.
Starting with where the two have come from, Mackie pointed out that Wilson and Barnes "have a certain animosity between each other...I don't think that'll ever go away."
Stan went a bit more in-depth into his character's relationship with Mackie's hero going forward, stating that "they actually discover they have a lot more in common than they want to admit:"
“In terms of the ideals and the principles that Steve Rogers has left behind, both of these guys are left in a place of wondering how they can carry those things forward-and, to some extent, even questioning some of those things, given the world they're in,...They actually discover they might have a lot more in common than they want to admit."
According to Stan, this is largely due to the fact that the two characters have essentially both been left behind by former Captain America Steve Rogers:
"As much as they were maybe hoping to say 'Take care; that was interesting,' they're attached to one another—even in spite of the fact that Steve has left them behind."
Wilson and Barnes' relationship switches constantly, according to Stan, in that "It's a tricky dynamic" and can even be compared to "a bickering old married couple:"
“It's a tricky dynamic...I think there are times where they're definitely like a bickering old married couple, for sure. Then there are other times where there's a lot of pride and ego being tossed around and a bit of one-upmanship.”
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier director Kari Skogland then mentioned how the two titular characters "are very much reeling after the Blip," leading the two to "navigate what some of those [world] changes bring."
A NEW "WITH YOU TILL THE END OF THE LINE"
While the plot of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier may be centered around the post-Blip world and the chaos that will eventually ensue within it, it's clear that this series will be driven by its stars.
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan formed a stand-out duo back in Civil War, and it's not too difficult to remember just how badly fans were clamoring then to see the two of them together one day. Luckily, Disney+ allowed for this opportunity and more.
Stan's comment about how the two characters are carrying Steve Roger's "ideals and principles" into a new age speaks largely to how they will attempt to discover themselves in a new light.
Similar to Peter Parker needing to break out of Tony Stark's shadow starting in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Wilson and Barnes will need to figure out who they are now that they've been left in the wake of a decades-long legacy set by their best friend. Consequentially, they may need to also discover if the legacy left behind still even has a place.
Hopefully, the characters' unwillingness to not admit to their similarities doesn't get in the way too much of their main goals in the series. As to what those goals are, it seems to be solidifying a new Captain America presence while fighting off new and old villains alike.
With everything on their plates, it looks like Wilson and Barnes will be with each other till the end of the line.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier starts streaming on Disney+ on March 19, 2021.
