The MCU was just given the best Bucky Barnes idea thanks to a fan, and I’m hoping that the studio makes it happen. One of the MCU's most beloved characters amongst fans since his initial debut over a decade ago, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky has evolved tremendously from the brainwashed HYDRA agent to a man who has forgiven himself. Steve Rogers’ best friend will be making his MCU return in the upcoming Thunderbolts* film in 2025, but the character’s future beyond that is up in the air.
Depending on what happens in the 2025 film, Bucky could still make some MCU appearances wherever the Thunderbolts are needed. There’s also a big chance that the film could be Bucky’s closing arc in the franchise since there’s not much else to do with his character. However, there are just some Marvel characters that fans will never get tired of seeing on their screen, and Bucky is one of them. The studio will likely want to find any way they can to bring him back, and they might’ve just been offered a great idea.
Sebastian Stan Was Asked What He Thinks Bucky Would Be Like As A Dad
A New Take On Bucky’s Potential Future
Marvel has taken fan feedback into account before, so it’s not entirely unlikely for them to use a fan idea. While at Comic-Con Liverpool 2024, one fan asked actor Sebastian Stan if he thought Bucky would make a good father. To that, Stan said, “I think he could be a great dad. Would you guys want to see him as a dad?” Of course, the answer from the crowd was a resounding yes. He then followed up with the question of what Bucky’s child would wear for Halloween, to which the fans answered either Iron Man or Captain America.
Making Bucky a father isn’t a direction for his story that I immediately would have thought of, but the more that I think about it, the more interesting it would be considering what type of character he has evolved into over the years. Based on Stan’s initial surprise on the Comic-Con Liverpool stage, it isn’t a storyline he had thought of for the character either. The actor seemed open to it though, and perhaps it’ll be an idea he brings up with the studio going forward.
Why Bucky Barnes As A Dad In The MCU Just Makes Sense
Bucky Would Fall Into A Beloved Trope
Bucky becoming a dad would task him with a responsibility like he’s never had before. He’s always had a partner to navigate life with, whether it be Steve Rogers or Sam Wilson. Now that Steve is gone and Sam is taking on the Captain America mantle, it is the first time in a while that there’s room to explore Bucky’s individual narrative. He lost so many of his years to HYDRA, whether it was because of the brainwashing or the insurmountable guilt he felt afterward. Becoming a parent could be a rebirth of sorts for Bucky.
At the end of the day, the concept of Bucky being a dad would just be an entertaining story to watch unfold on screen. He’s known to be a little bit of a grump, so he’d fall into the trope of a grumpy guy getting tasked to suddenly take care of a kid. It’s been previously done in projects like Logan, The Last of Us, and The Mandalorian, and it is always a hit with viewers. We love seeing our favorite characters interact with kids, and it’s always nice when the stoic character opens their heart to us.
Marvel Making Bucky A Dad Would Give Sebastian Stan Even More To Do In The MCU
Bucky Has Run Though Plenty Of Storylines Already
Considering that Bucky has been around in the MCU for almost 15 years, it would be no surprise on Marvel’s end if they were starting to run out of storyline ideas for him. His time in the franchise does seem like it’s coming to a close soon, but if the studio did want to come up with one last storyline for Bucky, this father one would make sense. The concept itself is open to interpretation, so it wouldn’t just have to mean Bucky having a biological child of his own.
There are plenty of young superheroes in the MCU being set up to be the next generation of Avengers, and Bucky could become a metaphorical father figure to any of them. He looks at life with a new meaning now that he’s in a better mental state, and part of that may include guiding someone else. As the MCU has done pretty much everything they can with the character of Bucky Barnes, going the parenthood route could be a unique way they give him more content.
