Bucky Barnes actor Sebastian Stan has earned a major 2025 awards nomination, and his achievement has supercharged my excitement forThunderboltsand theMCUin general. Short of a cameo inCaptain America: Brave New World, we are primed to see Bucky Barnes inthe second MCU movie of 2025,Thunderbolts, where he will ostensibly lead the titular team. Slated to release on June 13, 2025,Thunderbolts*will also bethe final movie of MCU Phase 5, heralding what promises to be the most bombastic phase of the Multiverse Saga inMCU Phase 6 and its two Avengersmovies.
I don’t want to jinx it, but I think things are looking up for the MCU from this point. My overall interest inThunderbolts*, which stars the lesser-known reformed villains and antiheroes of the MCU, has steadily increased with each new reveal. While I was always excited to witness the return of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Bucky Barnes, I wasn’t necessarily expecting this aspect of my enthusiasm to be elevated even further - but now, with Sebastian Stan’s recent recognition, I thinkThunderbolts*could be in the running for one of the best movies of the entire saga.
Why Sebastian Stan Was Nominated For His First Academy Award
He Was Nominated For His Portrayal Of Donald Trump In The Apprentice
Nominations for this year’s Academy Awards have just been announced, andSebastian Stan has nabbed a nomination for one of the ceremony’s most prestigious: Best Actor. Hot on the heels of his Golden Globes win for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy withA Different Man, Stan’s Oscars nod is for his other 2024 movie,The Apprentice. This historical drama stars Stan as a pre-presidential Donald Trump, delving into his life as a real estate businessman in the 1970s and 1980s.
Colman Domingo
Sing Sing
TheApprenticehas earned widespread acclaim while also uniting critics and audiences with a score of 82% and 83%, respectively, onRotten Tomatoes.Stan’s depiction of Donald Trump is a frequently cited highlight of the film, as is Jeremy Strong’s Roy Cohn, with his ability to convey the physicality and characteristics of Trump in his younger years earning significant praise. At the height of a particularly inescapable political backdrop, critics also extolled the nuanced portrayal of now-President Trump, humanizing the deeply divisive figure without shying away from the less-than-favorable aspects of his rise.
Despite the overall praise of Stan’s depiction, Trump himself lambasted the movie as a “defamatory, politically disgusting hatchet job.”
All these factors had a significant part to play in Stan’s nomination, which seemingly came at the cost of Daniel Craig’s expected spot on the list for his depiction of William Lee inQueer. While Stan’s nomination may have come as something of a surprise, it’s worth noting that the Academy Awards nominations are voted on by the nearly 10,000 members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the current political climate may have indeed factored in. With that being said, I’m not suggesting that this supersedes Stan’s talent, as his Golden Globes win further demonstrates.
Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Movie Will Showcase Sebastian Stan’s Acting Talent
Thunderbolts* Will Delve Into Themes Of Mental Health
I’m positive thatThunderbolts*is about to further illustrate why Sebastian Stan is deserving of his Oscars nod. Stan’s Bucky Barnes has been a firm fan favorite sincehis debut inCaptain America: The First Avenger, thoughCaptain America: The Winter Soldiersignificantly galvanized the hope he would spend even more time in the spotlight.This was largely thanks to Barnes' stellar portrayal of Bucky Barnes' tumultuous mental state, expertly depicting a character whosebrainwashed Winter Soldier personaclashed with the deep-seated love for Steve Rogers in his subconscious.
10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching All Of Bucky’s MCU Appearances
Bucky Barnes, the MCU’s Winter Soldier, is one of the franchise’s longest-serving characters, but rewatching his appearances highlights a few issues.
According to what the movie’s stars and director have been teasing,Thunderboltsmay be the next best portrayal of Bucky Barnes' tortured mind. While I can already tell thatThunderboltsis about to delve into the mental health of its stars fromtheThunderbolts*traileralone, multiple actors have confirmed this motif. Red Guardian actor David Harbor, for instance, stated in an interview withEW:
Part of the film is — for a lot of these characters, not to get too deep on it — but it deals a little bit with mental illness and self-hatred, for sure, and the tripping over yourself.
Meanwhile, John Walker actor Wyatt Russell added:
Go [watch Thunderbolts*] for the kicks, stay for the emotional complexity and the mental health issues.
Director Jake Schreier mirrored this sentiment in an interview withEmpire, specifically referencing the rather playful notion that Bucky Barnes washes his vibranium arm in a dishwasher, as seen in theThunderbolts*trailer, stating:
Come for the dishwasher jokes, stay for the deep emotional journey.
He suggests there is more to it than a jokey confirmation that Bucky’s arm is dishwasher safe, and hints that Bucky’s starring role will delve into Bucky’s emotional state just as much as his co-stars'.Multiple confirmations thatThunderbolts*will not shy away from the complex themes of mental health makes me hopeful that we’re about to see Stan at his best, delving once more into Bucky’s tortured mind as he fronts the team, whereasThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierdidn’t exhaustively explore his struggles.
I’m Hopeful For Sebastian Stan’s MCU Future After His Oscar Nomination
Marvel Studios Will Want To Keep An Oscar Nominee In Its Lineup
There are many reasons why many like myself are concerned about the fate of the Thunderbolts. Their lack of powers compared to most ofthe MCU’s powerful characters, especially Sentry, puts them in particularly vulnerable positions. The conspicuous absence of Taskmaster for most of theThunderbolts*trailer, meanwhile, suggests that the Thunderbolts will not make it out of the movie in one piece. WhileI understand that bringingBucky Barnes' MCU journeyto an end would be poignant and help to deliver pathos, I also think this would be a particularly inopportune timefor Marvel.
I just hope that Marvel Studios recognized his talent long before his Oscars recognition, and thatThunderbolts*will both highlight his talent and springboard his MCU future.
Instead,I’m hopeful that the MCU still has plenty in store for Bucky following his Oscars nod, as it would be remiss of the studio to do away with such an evidently talented actor. It isn’t as if his acclaim should preclude him, either, as Robert Downey Jr. was confirmed to be re-joining the MCU just months after his Oscars win forOppenheimer. I just hope that Marvel Studios recognized his talent long before his Oscars recognition, and thatThunderbolts*will both highlight his talent and springboard his MCU future.
Thunderbolts*
Cast
Thunderbolts follows seven disillusioned individuals who find themselves trapped in a perilous situation. Tasked with a daunting mission, they must face the most shadowy aspects of their histories in order to survive and achieve their goals.
