Sebastian Stan says Avengers: Doomsday will probably be heartbreaking

Sebastian Stan has finished work on Avengers: Doomsday without knowing how it looks on screen. The actor returns as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier, and he told Decider he has not seen the film and does not know how it turned out, in remarks reported by Variety. His guess is simple. It will “probably be heartbreaking.”

The Marvel Studios team-up is set for cinema release on Dec. 18, according to Variety. It is co-directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo. That date puts it in the year-end holiday corridor, the stretch when studios place their largest titles.

Stan spoke about the shoot in an interview published by Decider on Oct. 7, 2026. Asked about reuniting with Chris Evans, he said he got a chance to reunite with everyone on the production, according to Decider. He described acting opposite Evans again as “very nostalgic.”

The pairing goes back a long way. Stan first appeared as Bucky in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, according to Variety. He had originally read for the lead role of Steve Rogers before being cast as Bucky, while Evans was cast as Rogers, according to Marvel.

Stan has stayed with the character since the early run of linked Marvel films known as Phase 1. He also returns as Bucky in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, according to Marvel. That continuity makes him one of the longest-serving cast members in the series.

Alan Cumming is also back for Doomsday as Nightcrawler, according to Variety. Cumming said he does not fully understand the plot. He is not alone. Stan’s comments suggest much of the cast was kept in the dark.

For fans, this means two familiar faces are returning without giving anything away. One calls it nostalgic. The other calls it confusing. The rest will have to wait until December.