Sebastian Stan thinks the internet might be doing more harm than good for superhero movies right now, and there's no counterargument. The actor returns to the MCU this winter as Bucky Barnes in Avengers: Doomsday, out December 18. Bucky's now one of the leaders of the New Avengers, which feels like his fifth or sixth evolution for a character who's been part of the MCU since 2011 and been through one of its best arcs. With that much history behind him, it's no surprise Stan has strong opinions about the state of Marvel discourse online.
At The Toronto Film Festival (TIFF), Sebastian Stan was promoting his new movie, Fjord, but was asked about his upcoming superhero ventures, Avengers: Doomsday and Matt Reeves' The Batman: Part II. Stan is the ninth Marvel actor to jump to DC, joining fellow MCU alum Scarlet Johansson in The Batman sequel as well. Asked by the Los Angeles Times if he's used to keeping these superhero projects under wraps, Stan flipped the question back on the toxicity behind it. The 44-year-old actor explained that internet culture (rather than the people making these movies) is why movies like Doomsday have to be so secretive, adding that it's the new norm for fans "seemingly not wanting to be surprised:"
"It's unfortunately because of the nature of the internet and how we've sort of gotten used to seemingly not wanting to be surprised... I don't think anybody set out to be secretive."
He explained the lack of logic behind wanting to see every leak or set photo for these comic book movies: "Why know everything?"
"It just became the interrogation that happens because of these movies... It's very funny to me. You would want to have the best experience when you go see them, right? Why know everything? What's the fun in that, you know?"
Still, Stan said he appreciates that passion and made a point that blockbusters and smaller films "sort of need each other" more than people think:
"But I can appreciate the passion and I love that part of it... It was interesting, because all these movies sort of need each other. They sort of ground each other. All those big movies honestly take a lot from the smaller movies in a lot of ways, more than people think."
He was then asked how exactly that relationship works, and Stan said it always comes down to "the stakes and whether it's grounded and whether you care about these character:"
"Well, I think, because, no matter what the size, it's always going to be about the stakes and whether it's grounded and whether you care about these characters, you know?"
That's part of why Stan gravitates toward all kinds of films in the first place, where, as he put it, "the risk is all on the table:"
"And again, one reason why I get interested in these other types of films is that, the risk is all on the table. It's not about pleasing anybody. It's just simply trying to look and not pretend that life is any different than it is."
Still, Stan said the blockbuster films "have their place," as long as there's a mix:
"So, and I think those movies sometimes have their place and I love them for that, but there's got to be a mix, you know?"
Luckily for Stan, his latest MCU film, Thunderbolts*, hit on much of what he discussed here. Many fans felt like it was one of the best character-driven stories the MCU has told in the Multiverse Saga. This makes it no surprise that director Jake Schreier was given the keys to the new X-Men kingdom, coming in 2028.
As for what Stan has coming next in the superhero space, Doomsday and The Batman: Part II, only time will tell how well those stories land with audiences. In both cases, the point of conversation, like a plot leak or photos from set, has been exposed.
One mystery still to be solved is who Stan is actually playing in Part II, with the leading candidate being Victor Zsasz after he was initially thought to be playing Harvey Dent. Only set photos featuring Robert Pattinson as Batman and Bruce Wayne have surfaced, though Stan would clearly prefer that everyone be patient and wait for the surprises to be revealed when the movie opens in early 2028.
Have Superhero Movie Fans Gone Too Far?
Sebastian Stan is arguably right to call out fans for making him (and his other co-stars) stay so secretive about MCU and DC movies. It's a double-edged sword, as he pointed out: that passion leads to the movies' great popularity, but it also has fans digging for anything they can find.
Focusing on the case of The Batman: Part II, it's no surprise fans are dying for anything they can get, as the sequel is set to open nearly six years after the first film. It does get to a point where enough is enough, however, and part of it can be shared with the media for reporting spoilers and casting details meant to be kept under wraps until opening night in theaters.
But there's always going to be an appetite for fans to know more than they should before watching the movie, and these days it's hard to avoid early spoilers if you're invested in big brands on social media.
