Sebastian Stan Defends Marvel Cinematic Universe Amidst Criticism

Actor Sebastian Stan, known for his role as Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has expressed frustration over the recurring backlash against Marvel films in Hollywood. The actor, who has been part of the MCU since the 2011 release of ‘Captain America: The First Avenger‘, recently defended the franchise in an interview.

Sebastian Stan stated, “I’ve never been part of a company that puts so much heart and thought into anything. If Marvel was gone, it’d be such a big hole to try and fill up. Don’t just go out there and criticize something without offering something better.”

Marvel Studios has faced significant criticism in recent years. The studio’s 2023 releases, including ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘ and ‘The Marvels‘, did not perform well at the box office, with ‘The Marvels’ becoming the studio’s lowest-grossing film. Additionally, prominent filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese have criticized Marvel for altering the film industry landscape and overshadowing smaller films.

During an interview last month, Stan reiterated that, although some have criticized the MCU’s quality and impact, the franchise remains vital to the entertainment industry. “It’s become really convenient to pick on Marvel films,” Stan said. “They’re a big part of what contributes to this business and allows us to have smaller movies as well. This is an artery traveling through the system of this entire machinery that’s Hollywood. It feeds in so many more ways than people acknowledge.”

Stan acknowledged the difficulty of consistently producing successful films, saying, “It’s just hard to make a good movie over and over again.” However, he noted that despite recent struggles, Marvel had a hit with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘, which earned $1.3 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated release in history.

Looking forward, Sebastian Stan is set to reprise his role as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in the upcoming Marvel film ‘Thunderbolts‘, which is scheduled for release on May 2, 2025. In this film, Stan hopes to share the screen with Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Doctor Doom, which marks Downey’s return to the franchise.

Stan stated, “I hope I’m in a scene with him. Is there any other guy that could pull that off? I don’t know, probably not. After ‘Tropic Thunder,’ is there anything that guy can’t do?”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue to roll out its projects leading up to the release of ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ in 2026, with fans eagerly anticipating the studio’s future narratives and characters.