Warning! This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New WorldDirector Julius Onah discusses Bucky Barnes’ cameo in Captain America: Brave New World and reveals how much information about Thunderbolts* he had to know in order to add the MCU character. Bucky Barnes’ Captain America: Brave New World cameo is short, but it gives Sam Wilson’s first big-screen starring role an emotional bonus, as Bucky arrives to support Sam when Joaquin Torres fights for his life in an operation room. Besides offering Sam Wilson his sympathy, Bucky Barnes reveals he’s now running for congress. After the events of Captain America: Brave New World, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes a.k.a. the Winter Soldier will star in Thunderbolts*.

In an interview with Brandon Davies, Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah addresses Bucky Barnes’ cameo. When asked whether he had to keep in mind Bucky’s Thunderbolts* story in order to include him in Sam Wilson’s movie, Onah explains that Marvel made sure that Bucky’s scene worked within the larger context of the MCU. Onah also underlines how special Bucky and Sam’s friendship is, and how important it was for them to share a scene in Captain America: Brave New World. Read Onah’s comments below:

“There’s a great team around me and Marvel. Obviously, there’s a huge story group there thinking about how these things interface. But in terms of those guys, I mean, I grew up watching this stuff like everybody else, and it was so so cool to get to be there and see these individuals share a scene, and you know, you’re giddy, it’s fun, and that’s what these movies are about. But there’s also so much respect and affection that they have for each other, so knowing that that was also very important for them was super exciting for me.”

What The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Comments About Bucky’s Cameo Mean

Sam And Bucky’s MCU Story Is Far From Over

Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes developed a friendship during The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and both of their personal stories reached a new stage in their series’ finale. Now, Captain America: Brave New World opens a new chapter for both heroes, as Sam has started to face bigger challenges as Captain America, and Bucky Barnes is looking for new goals in his personal and professional life. Sam and Bucky only had one scene together in Captain America: Brave New World, and Captain America could cameo in Thunderbolts*, but they’ll likely have a bigger role together in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* release so close to each other in 2025 that it may have been easy for Marvel to coordinate Bucky Barnes’ cameo without requiring a lot of logistics or tweaks to either movie’s plot. There will surely be a big change between Bucky’s run for congress and his mission with the Thunderbolts. However, it’s Thunderbolts*‘ job to reveal exactly what leads the former Winter Soldier to work for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Our Take On The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Comments About Bucky’s Cameo

Every Sam Wilson And Bucky Barnes MCU Appearance Is The Perfect Opportunity For An On-Screen Interaction

While Sam Wilson was the one who received the Captain America mantle directly from Steve Rogers, both Sam and Bucky are upholding Steve Rogers’ legacy in the MCU. Not only that, but Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan have also developed a genuine friendship in real life, to the point that a Mackie and Stan pH๏τo appeared in Captain America: Brave New World. Such real chemistry is of great value to the MCU, and even though both characters deserve to forge a journey of their own, not giving them at least one scene together in every one of their appearances would be a disservice.

Source: Brandon Davies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
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  Spider-Man Homecoming 4

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  July 24, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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