After Sam Wilson officially took on the mantle of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's star-spangled hero on the Disney+ series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," both audiences and actor Anthony Mackie are ready to see him headline the fourth "Captain America" movie, subtitled "Brave New World." Set to arrive in 2025, "Captain America 4" will debut the MCU's new Falcon – unfortunately, Mackie suggested on Radio Times' podcast, "One More Life," that it won't feature the return of the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) or Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl).
"I really enjoyed doing ['The Falcon and the Winter Soldier']. I was actually excited to do a second season, just so me and Sebastian can get paid to hang out. It's like me, him, and Daniel Brühl is the perfect storm of happiness," he said. "When [Marvel] decided to go back to the movies, it is what it is, but I don't have my friends anymore, so it dampens it a little bit." For context, Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced a big change to Marvel, trimming its Disney+ offerings to focus on quality over quantity, so it's unlikely that we'll ever get another season.
Will Bucky and Zemo show up in future MCU projects?
With Anthony Mackie headlining a "Captain America" flick and Sebastian Stan set to lead "Thunderbolts" to glory, it seems like the era of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" is over. But seeing as this is the MCU, it's incredibly likely that Sam and Bucky will cross paths in upcoming projects, especially since "Brave New World" and "Thunderbolts" are interconnected, both notably featuring Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross, now the president of the United States.
What's next for Zemo is unclear, but Daniel Brühl has expressed interest in returning to the role, telling Screen Rant in 2023, "If the right opportunity would come, I wouldn't say no, obviously." While the character would hypothetically be perfect for an appearance in "Thunderbolts," he hasn't been confirmed for the feature, nor any other. For now, audiences can look forward to seeing Sam Wilson as Captain America in "Captain America: Brave New World."
