ICYMI: Disney+ Series "The Falcon and Winter Soldier" Brings Back Two Familiar Faces from the MCU!

After the trauma of Infinity War and the sad losses in Endgame, the MCU is definitely looking to lighten things up with whatever comes next. While there is no doubt that the next phase of films will be exhilarating, what fans should really be excited about is what's happening on the small screen. Disney+, the newest contender to enter the streaming wars, is coming in hot with many new shows with many of our favorite characters, including one featuring Bucky Barnes and The Falcon. “Falcon and Winter Soldier” will be one of the ones to look out for and will see the former brainwashed Hydra assassin and the newly-appointed Captain America co-exist in what can only be described as one-part “Odd Couple” and one-part Bad Boys -- but with superpowers. And if that wasn’t enough to have fans marking their calendars, the 2 latest additions definitely will. 

According to reports, talks have begun to have the two Avengers joined by none other than Emily VanCamp and Daniel Bruhl. For those that need a quick refresher and may not member who these two talented actors played, I’ve got you covered. VanCamp first made her appearance in the film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and was last seen in Captain America: Civil War as Agent 13, the niece of Peggy Carter and who almost became Cap’s girlfriend (awkward!). The two locked lips before Cap inevitably became a fugitive, and Agent 13 hasn’t been seen since. While she does not have any superpowers, this agent is more than just a pretty face and should be considered a force to reckoned with. She has worked as a deep cover operative for S.H.I.E.L.D. reporting directly to Nick Fury and then took her talents to the C.I.A. Now the talented spy and agent will make her return in the highly-anticipated series, which makes a lot of sense given the character's experience. She isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with Winter Soldier, so Falcon may want to keep her around if Bucky loses control.

The other returning character in talks to join the series with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan is Daniel Bruhl. Bruhl played a villain named Zemo, a loose adaptation with many changes made of Baron Von Zemo from the comics. Bruhl’s character wasn’t a member of Hydra but used Hydra secrets to execute a plan framing the Winter Soldier for the murder of the King of Wakanda to get the Avengers to kill each other over the deaths of his family during the events of Age of Ultron. Zemo is not only a coldly calculated strategist, but he is also a very skilled soldier. Again, while he doesn't have any powers, he was able to break up the Avengers, which is something even Loki and countless others failed to do. So, if he has in some way escaped custody or has information to help the 2 heroes on their adventure, it makes sense to bring him into the mix. He would be a formidable opponent for the two, and it would definitely be great to see this villain return, given there aren't many good ones still left alive in this massive universe. 

And with this potential casting news comes the revelation of who will be directing all 6 epodes of the series. Director Kari Scotland will be at the helm, which is great considering she has directed significant episodes for fantastic shows such as “The Handmaid's Tale”, Boardwalk Empire”, “House of Cards”, and “The Americans”. She seems like the right person to tackle a series starring these 2 fan favorites who have already showcased that they have great chemistry on-screen. While the 2 had only a few funny moments together in the third Captain America film when they appeared, they literally stole the show with their hilarious back and forth. Add to the mix the man born in 1917, Bucky attempting to exist in the modern age with him dating and using apps. It will also be interesting to see how Cap’s 2 besties co-exist now that he’s gone -- Falcon has the shield now, and it's still unknown how fixed Barnes actually is. A Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde scenario for Bucky would be excellent, and Falcon being the only one on his side in honor of Cap’s dedication to his friend is just one of the great possibilities this series could showcase. This formula worked very well between Thor and Hulk in Ragnarok, so there is a precedence for this to be another Marvel classic. Whatever happens, all of us should be looking forward to a lot of action-packed comedy when the show finally releases.

“Falcon and Winter Soldier” will hit Disney+ in August 2020.