Bucky Barnes Gets Black Panther-Inspired Superhero Outfit In MCU Future Art

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes has been imagined as a new MCU hero inspired by the Black Panther in brilliant new fan art. Stan debuted as James “Bucky” Barnes in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, depicted as Steve Rogers’ childhood friend and military ally during World War II. After seemingly losing his life in the 1940s, Barnes returned in the present day as the HYDRA-controlled Winter Soldier but eventually broke free from his conditioning and became a valued hero at the end of the MCU’s Infinity Saga. The Multiverse Saga is giving Barnes an even greater role, which could even see him suit up as his new superhero moniker.

New art shared by bensolo_cup imagines Bucky Barnes in his White Wolf costume in the MCU’s future. Barnes was gifted the title of White Wolf following his stay in Wakanda between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, but despite him having held this moniker for several years, it has rarely been mentioned. Inspired by the Marvel Comics villain of the same name, Bucky Barnes’ White Wolf would perhaps take on a more heroic role in the MCU’s future, yet his costume could still be inspired by his time in Wakanda, directly mirroring the Black Panther suit itself. Check out the art below:

Bucky Barnes Can Finally Suit Up As White Wolf In The MCU’s Phase 5

Sebastian Stan’s most recent appearance as Bucky Barnes was during 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with the Disney+ series delving much deeper into his past as the Winter Soldier and his relationship with Steve Rogers and the Captain America legacy. Barnes did name-drop his White Wolf persona during The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the series saw him finally renounce his previous identity of the Winter Soldier, potentially allowing him to officially embrace his future as the White Wolf. This transformation could occur in Barnes’ next MCU appearance in the MCU Phase 5’s Thunderbolts.

Expected to release in 2024, Thunderbolts will be bringing together several antiheroes and reformed villains to build a new MCU team, and Bucky Barnes has been teased as the de facto leader of the team – akin to how Steve Rogers led the MCU’s Avengers. Thunderbolts is also rumored to have connections to the Black Panther franchise, as it’s suspected the team may invade Wakanda on the hunt for vibranium. This could provide a major hint at Bucky Barnes becoming a Black Panther-inspired White Wolf, as he could finally leave his villainous past behind and suit up and embrace a new heroic identity.