Sebastian Stan recently revealed a crucial detail about Bucky Barnes’ arm in the MCU. 2025 will be a good year for the fan-favorite character as he’s set to make his return in May in Thunderbolts*. A surprise cameo by Stan in Captain America: Brave New World earlier this year set the stage for Bucky’s new life as a congressman, and it’ll be interesting to see how he goes from a life in government to a member of the Thunderbolts team. Recent trailers depict the film in a different tone than past MCU projects, stirring up excitement for the anti-hero group.

Promotions for Thunderbolts* have been ramping up as its release date nears, and the cast is currently featured in Empire’s May issue. Though the focus of the issue is on the upcoming film, one particular quote stands out as Stan reveals a behind-the-scenes fact about Bucky about his overall time in the MCU. When asked about Bucky’s cybernetic arm, he says “I’ve never taken the green-sleeve option. It’s like a house of cards, and when you see a little hole there that you can poke through, all the other believability goes out the window.”

What Sebastian Stan’s Comments About Bucky’s Arm Being CGI Mean

It’s become somewhat common for big studios like Marvel and DC to opt for CGI superhero suits rather than a practical costume. There are a few logical reasons as to why studios have gone in this direction, as CGI allows for elaborate costume movement that a practical suit wouldn’t, and it’s easier to touch-up in post-production. However, fans overall have a negative reaction to CGI costumes as it’s seen as a lazy way for the studio to cut costs. When the visual effects are rushed, it can make the suit look very obviously cartoonish.

Stan feels like one with his character thanks to the fact that he’s fully immersed on set. He’s now confirmed that the arm is completely practical and addressed previous concerns with CGI. He echoes what fans have pointed out in the past, and it shows that he knows what’s best for the character. Stan has only used the green-sleeve option once, which was when he was missing his arm in the fight against Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War. Stan has proven his dedication to using CGI only when necessary, committing to the practical version of Bucky’s arm.

Our Take On Sebastian Stan’s Comments About Bucky’s Arm Being CGI

Stan’s awareness of why fans would be opposed to CGI costumes is a promising direction for future MCU projects. A superhero’s idenтιтy is their suit and a big studio like Marvel should go all out in making it look as great as possible. Not only would a practical costume likely look better for the viewer, but it is a more immersive experience for the actors on set as they can truly embody their roles. There’s a certain distance between an actor and their character when they are wearing a mo-cap suit that ultimately affects their performance.

Stan’s comment hits the nail on the head about the biggest issue with CGI costumes. Digitally creating a costume leaves a lot more room for inconsistencies across the board versus an actor using the same practical prop every day. It only takes one inconsistency or poorly done CGI element for the viewer to get taken out of a film completely. When an element is as crucial to a character as Bucky Barnes’ arm is to him, having the consistency of a practical prop is very reᴀssuring.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Created by

Kevin Feige

First Film

Iron Man

Upcoming Films

ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars

First TV Show

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Upcoming TV Shows

Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Vision Quest

Cast

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors

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Upcoming MCU Movies

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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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  MCU Spider-Man 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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