Sebastian Stan Doubles Down on His Marvel Defense

Sebastian Stan is doubling down on his defense of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Just weeks after telling Variety that “It’s just [really] hard to make a good movie over and over again,” Stan is once again espousing the value of Marvel Studios to the broader Hollywood ecosystem.

In a recent interview with GQ UK, the actor, who has been a part of the MCU since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, reignited his defense.

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

Marvel’s Comeback Story

Following the disappointing reception of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, and Secret Invasion, Marvel critics began to celebrate the studio’s downfall and continue to criticize the impact that Marvel films have had on the box office.

As it turns out, however, the eulogy of the MCU may have been written prematurely.

Image: Marvel

After a difficult 2023 at the box office, Marvel has seemingly righted the ship. Earlier this year, Deadpool and Wolverine grossed 1.3 billion at the global box office, on its way to becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history.

The Return of Robert Downey Jr.

Marvel made headlines earlier this year when Robert Downey Jr. revealed that he was returning to the MCU to play Victor Von Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Photo: Marvel

Stan, meanwhile, will reprise his role as Bucky Barnes in the upcoming Thunderbolts*. The actor hopes he hangs around long enough to share the screen with Downey again.

“I hope I’m in a scene with him,” Stan says. “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?”

Photo: Google

Thunderbolts* will hit theaters on May 2, 2025.