There Can Be 1 More Captain America in MCU: Sebastian Stan’s Massive Hint About Chris Evans’ Legacy Ahead of Avengers 5

When Sam Wilson was given the Captain America shield over Bucky Barnes in Avengers: Endgame, many Sebastian Stan fans had strong feelings about the decision. They hoped that Stan’s character receiving the shield from Cap would’ve been a redeeming moment for him.

Instead, Marvel went in a slightly different direction. The studio built the whole plot of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier around Sam Wilson proving himself worthy of the shield.

Sebastian Stan in a still from Thunderbolts* | Credits: Marvel Studios

While Bucky seemed to be cool with the new Captain America, Stan has dropped a major hint about him taking on the mantle. Stan will appear alongside a new Marvel team in Thunderbolts* and is not a part of Anthony Mackie’s Captain America 4. But he doesn’t dismiss his chance to wield the shield.

Sebastian Stan drops a major Captain America hint ahead of Avengers 5

Chris Evans’s Captain America handing over the shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame | Credits: Marvel Studios

In the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel might finally right the wrong they committed in Avengers: Endgame. While fans wanted Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers to pass on his shield to his best friend Bucky Barnes, Cap instead gave it to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Many fans still believe that Bucky, with his supersoldier powers, was more worthy of the shield.

However, Anthony and Joe Russo had their own reasons not to give the shield to Bucky. During an interview with SiriusXM, the directors of Endgame revealed that they had lengthy discussions about who should get the shield from Cap. At the end of their discussions, they had a number of factors that drove them toward Sam as the choice.

For instance, Cap and Bucky are shown to be more like opposites who attract throughout the films. The Russo brothers shared that Sam Wilson had more of a camaraderie with Steve Rogers. They both dedicated their lives to the service of their country, which made Sam worthy. The directors also added that Bucky’s earlier unstable mind was another reason for Cap’s choice.

Despite the arguments put forward by the Russo brothers, fans believed that the shield and the title should’ve gone to someone who could use it like Steve did (via r/marvelstudios). According to them, Sam was just a human who was best at flying and fighting with his vibranium wings. However, Mackie’s character too proved them wrong with his performances post-Endgame.

Now, Sebastian Stan has hinted at one thing that could potentially resolve this long-standing Bucky vs Sam debate. While appearing at the Tokyo Comic Con, Stan entertained fans with a prop shield. He took on the mic to announce, “Not Captain America… yet.”

Here is the video☺️#TokyoComicCon pic.twitter.com/7qJVALlGPZ

Fans took this comment as a possibility that we could soon see him with a shield in the upcoming Avengers film. In the Marvel multiverse, anything is possible and the studio will likely explore one of the comic book storylines and bring an alternate universe Bucky as Captain America.

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will not appear in Captain America 4

Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Credits: Marvel Studios

During an interview with RadioTimes, Captain America: Brave New World actor Anthony Mackie revealed that Sebastian Stan wouldn’t be a part of the film. Mackie and Stan shared a bond over their series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Mackie even hoped that they get to do a second season for the show.

Mackie shared with RadioTimes, “I was actually excited to do a second season, just so me and Sebastian [Stan] can get paid to hang out.” Mackie also mentioned sharing a great friendship with his co-star Daniel Brühl. Further, he addressed the appearance of these friends in his Captain America film, sharing:

According to IMDb, only Mackie is added to the cast of Avengers: Doomsday. However, Stan is also expected to join the cast alongside his former peers and possibly Chris Evans himself.

Captain America: Brave New World has a release date of February 14, 2025, while Avengers: Doomsday will be released on May 1, 2026.