An update surrounding the cast of Captain America: Brave New World makes another of the MCU’s upcoming movies all the more important than it was.

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson holding his Captain America shield above a blurred image of the Thunderbolts MCU line-up

An update about the cast of Captain America: Brave New World has made another upcoming MCU movie even more important than it was before. Captain America 4‘s release date will see it be the first MCU film in 2025 after it was delayed from 2024. This delay has made the wait for the film even greater, spurring anticipation to see Anthony Mackie’s first solo outing as Captain America even further.

Note: Captain America: Brave New World will be released in theaters on February 14, 2025.

Another aspect of the upcoming MCU movie that is garnering excitement is its cast. The cast of Captain America 4 includes the likes of Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross and Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader alongside Mackie’s Sam Wilson. However, despite these exciting inclusions in the movie, a recent cast update from Mackie himself has caused some debate. Above all else, the update in question raises the importance of a different MCU film in 2025 and how it treats one specific character.

Captain America 4’s Cast Update Makes Bucky’s Role In Thunderbolts More Important

Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as the Falcon and Captain America

In March 2024, Anthony Mackie revealed in an interview with Radio Times that Sebastian Stan would not appear in Captain America: Brave New World. This disappointed many, who longed to see a reunion between Captain America and the Winter Soldier after 2021’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier. With this disappointment prevalent, it makes Bucky’s role in Thunderbolts even more crucial. Stan was confirmed to appear in Thunderbolts as Bucky and one of the titular team’s core members.

Thunderbolts will be released only three months after Captain America 4, though Bucky’s role in the former must make up for his absence in the latter. Now that Bucky does not have a confirmed spot in the Captain America franchise, how he is depicted in Thunderbolts is vital to his future. Thunderbolts needs to prove Bucky can work apart from the Captain America films, and could even depict him as the leader of the team. If the movie fails to do so, Bucky’s absence from Captain America: Brave New World will be made more of a misstep in retrospect.

Bucky’s Captain America 4 Absence Actually Makes Sense

Bucky Barnes turning away from picture of him as Winter Soldier and toward the Thunderbolts

Despite the anger over Bucky being left out of Captain America: Brave New World, the choice makes sense. Bucky’s appearance in Thunderbolts alone is a good enough reason to justify him not being in Captain America 4, as it moves him away from a supporting character and into a more main role. Furthermore, Captain America 4 is the beginning of a new trilogy, meaning having a fresh supporting cast than the Steve Rogers Cap movies is a logical choice.