Captain America: Brave New World | Last Trailer

One particular absence from Captain America: Brave New World may feel like a disappointment for some fans, but it’s the necessary direction for all of the characters involved. With every major Avenger in the MCU, there is a cast of supporting characters helping to define their story. For Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, it was Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. They made their debut as the best friend duo in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, and, despite Bucky’s apparent death in that film, Stan went on to appear alongside Evans in the rest of the Captain America trilogy.

Bucky’s most recent MCU appearance was in 2021’s The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, where he helped Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson grow into his newfound Captain America role. When thinking about the patriotic hero, Bucky is likely the first name that fans have come to associate with him. However, Sam’s Captain America marks a new chapter for the hero which will come with big changes, including Bucky’s first absence from a Captain America film since his debut 14 years ago.