First Avenger James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes: Casting and Discussion

[Garzo]

I don't really mind Bucky not wearing his traditional costume. What bugs me a lot more is the Howling Commandos without Nick Fury. Who leads the unit in the movie? Bucky? Cap? Is there a young Nick Fury in the film at all? Is the Samuel Jackson character a modern-age guy or is he actually several decades older than he looks?
I dig the old Nick Fury. What a character arc he had! He went from being a World War II-era Clint Eastwood in "Kelly's Heroes" to a James Bond-style super suave 60s spy to modern-day super security chief.
Now we're stuck with the Ultimates leather-trench-coat-wearing Shaft version, which I also find to be very cool, but wish he could have just been created as a separate character all together with a different history.

It might be cool if the original "caucasian" Nick Fury appears in this movie and the Afro-American version in the modern-day movies with the explanation that "Nick Fury" is a code name, like "M." That way they won't have to deal with the complications of a near immortal Nick Fury.

 

[Ponyboy]

I liked the idea of Jamie Bell, but I reckon Stan will do just fine.

 

[Triad]

Garzo's last paragraph is an intriguing idea.
Since Howard Stark has been outed as the one that creates S.H.I.E.L.D. in the MMU, then they could have a scene where he appoints him.

 

[Atomicchuck3k]

After seeing the new images of CA I'm still not happy with and older Bucky, but the movies sounds like it's heading in the right direction.

 

[The Squirrel]

First, I liked Bucky's portrayal in this film.

Spoilers!

Spoiler

The only problem I had was his death on the train. I felt it happened to fast after him getting rescued by Cap. I think it would have worked better if he had been on the plane with Cap and had gotten knocked off with one of the Hyrda agents.

 

[RedSkull]

Right it kind of makes Cap's whole rescue effort seem in vein if he dies a couple scenes later.

Now wondering if he'll return as Winter Soldier

 

[JerseyJoker]

I have to say, even though Evans and Hugo did AMAZING jobs as Cap and Red Skull...

Sebastian Stan did a fantastic job with Bucky. I thought personally he might of stole the film on his scenes, its just the difference personalities he brought to the table, especially you can see the true friendship between Bucky and Steve pre and post Super Solider.

 

[gmanca]

The Squirrel, I agree with your idea, one of those propeller bombs could have replaced the experimental plane.

I really don't want to see flashbacks of Winter Soldier, I want to see something like:

Spoiler

Since they are doing Ant Man as a period spy film, why not have the story be based on US needing information on a Soviet assassin, who is revealed to be the Winter Soldier? You get to keep him in the past for more than a flashback and yet it doesn't conflict with Captain America's discovery of Bucky's true fate.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I really liked Stan in this, because he made me like a character that I never liked in the comics. I suppose that has a lot to do with the writing too... I liked simply making Bucky a soldier and Steve's lifelong friend versus his goofy Robin-esque sidekick. But anyway, I think that

Spoiler

we'll see Bucky again, possibly as the Winter Soldier. I think that's why they had him "die" like that... we never see him hit the ground and he fell in a place where he could have easily been frozen like Steve. And if the super soldier serum preserved Steve all those years in ice, maybe it did the same with Bucky? Remember, the Red Skull had him strapped to a chair and was doing God knows what to him... maybe he was shooting him up with the serum? Only time will tell.

 

[Silvermoth]

Sebastion was dreadful in this. He was so wooden and his

Spoiler

death scene may as well have had him yelling out "SEE YA IN THE SEQUEL!!!!"

They completely skated around why Bucky means alot to Steve and his exit had no impact. Charles and Magneto in X-men: First Class could show their closeness to each other with a single look, which the Steve and Bucky scenes lacked.

I wonder if they can recast him and just say the slow aging process made him look different?

 

[Project862006]

^you hated the movie not surprised you hated him

sebastian was very good his chemistry and friendship with steve was done very well

 

[Nokio]

It might be cool if the original "caucasian" Nick Fury appears in this movie and the Afro-American version in the modern-day movies with the explanation that "Nick Fury" is a code name, like "M." That way they won't have to deal with the complications of a near immortal Nick Fury.

If I'm not mistaken I believe that is the route that has been hinted at in the Ultimate universe, although the white Fury has never been seen there as far as I know. I could be wrong. I personally never was interested in Nick Fury and Shield in the main 616 universe. The Ultimate Fury and Shield was far more interesting to me. Just a matter of tastes I guess. I will say that the Ultimate versions of Fury and Shield has been some of the best reimaginings that Marvel has done. It's my opinion though.

 

[Nokio]

Right it kind of makes Cap's whole rescue effort seem in vein if he dies a couple scenes later.

Now wondering if he'll return as Winter Soldier

I need educating on Winter Soldier. I don't follow Cap at all in the comics. Never have.

 

[Nokio]

I don't know anything of the Bucky character save that he was a kid sidekick for Cap. In the movie he app eras to be older and I don't have a problem with that tweaking. The guy that played Bucky did fine. I don't know him from anything but he did a solid job.

 

[Silvermoth]

^you hated the movie not surprised you hated him

sebastian was very good his chemistry and friendship with steve was done very well

Hated is too rough a word. I thought it could have been better. That doesn't mean my opinion is invalid.

I need educating on Winter Soldier. I don't follow Cap at all in the comics. Never have.

At first James Barnes was a Robin-esque sidekick. However since the Brubaker run began it was revealed that this was a cover story in order to replace the potentcy of the Hitler Youth and make them seem less appealing to American audiences.

In reality Bucky was a wetworks soldier, in charge of doing the things Steve would not or could not do.

Spoiler

When Bucky "died" at the end of World War II he was in fact discovered by the Soviet army and brainwashed. He was also given a cybernetic arm. He became the Winter Soldier. As the Winter Soldier he was responsible for some of the most world defining acts of terrorism commited covertly by the Soviet army during the Cold War to dissuage US expansion.

 

[JAK®]

Spoiler

The biggest problem with Bucky's death is that it had little connection to the story. It was just like "Oh, he died? Alright". It would have had more weight if he died on Red Skull's plane at the end. Then Cap's final showdown with the Skull would've been more emotional.

However, it seems to me that his death happened the way it did as a set up for the Winter Soldier storyline. It seems quite likely that he could be captured by HYDRA in that situation.

I liked Stan as Bucky, just wish that we could've seen more of him.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Spoiler

The biggest problem with Bucky's death is that it had little connection to the story. It was just like "Oh, he died? Alright". It would have had more weight if he died on Red Skull's plane at the end. Then Cap's final showdown with the Skull would've been more emotional.

However, it seems to me that his death happened the way it did as a set up for the Winter Soldier storyline. It seems quite likely that he could be captured by HYDRA in that situation.

I liked Stan as Bucky, just wish that we could've seen more of him.

Spoiler

See, in the film I took it at Steve looked up to Bucky. Then they kind of reverse roles, and Bucky chose to follow Steve and it killed him. I think when Steve is stearing the plane later in the movie, it was Bucky's death that inspired him to sacrifice himself (hence him reusing Peggy's line of "It was his choice" when they talked about Bucky earlier. In that context, it makes the scene very important.

 

[BizarroAids]

Spoiler

I think his death was more important than people are giving it credit for. Bucky has always protected and looked out for Steve. And now Steve actually has the power to protect Bucky and repay him for all the times he helped out Steve. Well Bucky being killed hit Steve hard, which is why he was drinking. Not just because his best and probably only friend died, but because he would always look out for Bucky now, and Bucky dies while Steve is trying to save him.
Steve probably felt like a failure because not matter how much power or not, he still couldn't help his friend in the end. Probably the one thing he's always wanted to do.

That's just my opinion.

 

[Raiden]

Sebastion was dreadful in this. He was so wooden and his

Spoiler

death scene may as well have had him yelling out "SEE YA IN THE SEQUEL!!!!"

They completely skated around why Bucky means alot to Steve and his exit had no impact. Charles and Magneto in X-men: First Class could show their closeness to each other with a single look, which the Steve and Bucky scenes lacked.

I wonder if they can recast him and just say the slow aging process made him look different?

I completely disagree.

Spoiler

I think they handled Bucky's death well, from Rogers' emotional expression after he saw his friend fell from the train, to a follow-up scene where he tried to deal with his sorrow by trying to get drunk (and failed to do so). What else do you want him to do, sobbing uncontrollably? This is a war, and ultimately Rogers had to soldier on. I also disagree with you re: their chemistry; I think both Evans and Stan sold their relationship very well, without getting into the Bromance territority. It doesn't matter if Bucky will return in the sequel or not, what they did with his character is more than commendable.

 

[The Morningstar]

I really liked the kinda resentment Bucky had for Steve after he got the SSS. Obviously they were still friends, but I like the little bits of dialogue that hinted at Bucky being a bit insecure, almost jealous.

 

[captainrogers]

I definitely would've loved to have seen more Bucky, but am definitely relieved with what we got.
My biggest fear before the making of the film was that they'd leave Bucky out entirely.
Not only did I get a fix of Barnes, I can see (as can many others) a potential Winter Soldier story in the future.

 

[Stripesy Strip]

I wish we would have had that young enthousiastic mascott Bucky. The one in the film I didn't care for at all. Pretty much seemed like a jerk.

Also his death falling from a train doesn't really compare to the scene in the comics where he jumps on the rocket and it explodes and Cap falls in the ice saying "Bucky!!!". Instead we have Bucky falling from a train and Cap going on the ice by...landing a plane there? This movie lacked drama and showmanship.

 

[Raiden]

I wish we would have had that young enthousiastic mascott Bucky. The one in the film I didn't care for at all. Pretty much seemed like a jerk.

Also his death falling from a train doesn't really compare to the scene in the comics where he jumps on the rocket and it explodes and Cap falls in the ice saying "Bucky!!!". Instead we have Bucky falling from a train and Cap going on the ice by...landing a plane there? This movie lacked drama and showmanship.

Bucky is a jerk? Can you explain please? I've seen Cap twice now and he was definitely not portrayed as a jerk.

As for the comic's death scene vs movie's, I just have to say that if Marvel has further plans for Bucky, that comic's scene won't work.

 

[SerendipityWas]

Did anyone else see this image when Bucky was holding the shield?

 

[Shadowlord X]

CAPTAIN AMERICA's 'death' in the movie is far, far, superior to that in the comics which was little more than a contrived retcon to get CAP to the present.

Having Bucky die there also would have diluted the impact of a sequence meant to be devoted to CAP.