Marvel may shrink its superhero films after a weak 2025
Marvel had a weak 2025 even as some major superhero releases returned to blockbuster territory. Sebastian Stan has suggested making Bucky Barnes’s next story a low-budget thriller in the style of Sicario.
Image: theguardian.com · Author: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/benchild · source articleEditorial excerpt for news reporting
Marvel may be looking for a new approach to lesser-known heroes after three underperforming studio releases in 2025. One possible model has been proposed by Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier.
Speaking to New York Magazine, Stan said he had suggested that Kevin Feige make Bucky’s next film a low-budget thriller in the vein of Sicario. In his concept, Bucky recognises someone connected to the period when he was brainwashed and becomes determined to discover that person’s identity.
Marvel’s 2025 box-office results
Captain America: Brave New World grossed $415 million worldwide, Thunderbolts* made $382 million and The Fantastic Four: First Steps reached $521 million against a reported $200 million budget. Meanwhile, the latest Spider-Man film, Brand New Day, has passed $2.4 billion worldwide, while reported US presales for Avengers: Doomsday have exceeded $50 million ahead of its December release.
Stan’s proposal comes during a career high. He received his first Oscar nomination for The Apprentice and won a Golden Globe for A Different Man.
Heroes in genre-led stories
The suggested format would move away from another story about a threat to the entire universe and focus instead on one character’s psychological state. The source also proposes possible genre vehicles for other characters: a heist film featuring Ghost, a Cold War spy comedy for Red Guardian and an occult detective story centred on Wong.
There are precedents for this approach in superhero cinema. Logan used the structure of a western, Joker drew on the urban character dramas of the 1970s and early 1980s, while Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leaned respectively into conspiracy thriller, heist film and horror.
Bucky is expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but the source questions whether he should remain a supporting figure in another large-scale ensemble story. Marvel has not officially announced a standalone thriller based on Stan’s proposal.
What we know
- Sebastian Stan proposed making Bucky Barnes’s next film a low-budget thriller.
- Marvel’s three 2025 releases grossed between $382 million and $521 million worldwide.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day has surpassed $2.4 billion at the global box office.
- Bucky is expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, due in December.
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