Bucky Barnes was never bequeathed the shield by Captain America, but there are various ways in which he can still adopt the mantle in the MCU.

While Sam Wilson’s cinematic debut as Captain America approaches with Captain America: Brave New World, there is still a chance for Bucky Barnes to also take the mantle in the MCU. Captain America: Brave New World is slated to release on February 14, 2025, and will follow Wilson as he navigates his responsibilities as the new Cap and bearer of the iconic shield. Wilson faces a significantly larger challenge than his predecessor, as he is distinctly devoid of the Super Soldier Serum that imbued Steve Rogers with powers that helped him go toe-to-toe with some of the MCU’s most powerful occupants.

The fact that Rogers deemed Wilson worthy of the mantle regardless speaks volumes for Wilson’s character, especially considering he seemed to have a choice between him and his oldest friend, Bucky Barnes. However, it also raised some eyebrows, considering Bucky’s deeper connection to Steve and his redemption since being brainwashed into villainy. A comic book precedent also exists for Bucky taking up the mantle in the wake of Captain America’s death, with his dying wish to see Barnes stave off a descent into villainy. With that in mind, there are still ways in which the MCU could pull this off.

With Wilson carrying the weight of Rogers’ decision, it remains to be seen how his tenure will fare in the face of such powerful adversaries as Red Hulk and the Leader, which the serum-imbued Bucky would presumably fare much better against.

A Bucky Barnes Variant Could Be Captain America In A Future Multiverse Movie

The Multiverse Saga Will End In MCU Phase 6

The Multiverse Saga has shown that as long as the multiverse exists, just about anything is possible. Countless universes facilitate every eventuality from the sublime to the ridiculous, and with Bucky Barnes coming so close to taking the mantle in Earth-616, it’s easy to imagine that there are many Barnes variants who donned the shield in other universes. One such variant could emerge within the Multiverse Saga’s final stretch.

Captain America: Brave New World won’t be that movie, not least because Sebastian Stan is not due to reprise his role in it. Thunderbolts*, meanwhile, is also unlikely to feature variants, as it currently looks set to join Captain America: Brave New World in being a distinctly terrestrial tale. Instead, multiversal jaunts within Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars would be more likely to feature variants of Bucky Barnes alongside various other Marvel heroes.

Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to round out the Multiverse Saga and feature many variant characters.

If The MCU Reboots, Bucky Barnes Could Become Captain America

How long Marvel intends for Sam Wilson to carry the mantle is unclear, but a natural stopping point may be en route in the wake of Avengers: Secret Wars. Rumors that Marvel has yet to quash suggest that a soft reboot of the MCU may follow Avengers: Secret Wars as the multiverse is reconstituted with a new set of stars at its center. This could feasibly work in conjunction with a more overtly virtuous Bucky Barnes variant making himself known.

Either way, the MCU’s presumed refocus on mutants will likely push Bucky’s Captain America to the sidelines in a rebooted MCU as the franchise aims to adapt fresh stories less reliant on the main cast of MCU Phases 1 – 6.

This might also necessitate removing Earth-616’s Sam from the picture entirely, either as a casualty of the cataclysmic incursions that will surely precede Avengers: Secret Wars or as he finds himself replaced by a variant from another universe. Either way, the MCU’s presumed refocus on mutants will likely push Bucky’s Captain America to the sidelines in a rebooted MCU, as the franchise aims to adapt fresh stories less reliant on the main cast of MCU Phases 1 – 6. This may dampen the narrative impact of the Avengers and their leader, as the MCU leans on mutant stories.

Bucky Barnes Could Become Captain America After Sam Wilson

Sam Wilson Still Needs Time To Shine

One of the benefits afforded to Bucky by the Super Soldier Serum is a much longer life than the average person. Sam Wilson, on the other hand, has not been given the same formula and thus will age at a normal rate. With that in mind, there is still plenty of time for Barnes to carry the shield, while Wilson’s MCU tenure is decidedly more ephemeral. This would also comprise a best-of-both-worlds situation in which Rogers’ choice was made safe in the knowledge that Bucky could have his turn with the shield down the line.

The fact that Sebastian Stan does not share the same decelerated aging privilege as his character admittedly works against this possibility – as does the concept of how long the MCU may itself exist for. Still, if the MCU could feasibly feature a more aged Stan in the role taking more of a backseat as newer MCU characters forge ahead with the narrative. As it stands, the MCU should capitalize on a unique version of Captain America as an underdog devoid of the superpowers that helped make Rogers so formidable.