The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known to lean heavily on the comic books for inspiration without adapting the storylines too slavishly, and based on nothing but the continued success of the franchise so far, you can’t deny that the approach has worked a treat. Blending elements of the source material into the established mythology creates a balance between fan service and furthering the in-house narrative, something that might be factoring into Captain America 4.
As per insider Daniel Richtman, now that Bucky Barnes has put the Winter Soldier firmly in his rear view mirror and is genuinely at peace with himself for the first time since World War II, he’ll be undergoing a permanent rebranding as the White Wolf. In the MCU, it’s a moniker bestowed upon him by the people of the Wakanda, but the name actually belongs to another hero with their own nifty costume.
In the comics, the character is an orphan who survives a plane crash that results in the death of his parents, where he’s taken in by king T’Chaka and raised as a member of the royal family, before undergoing extensive hand-to-hand combat training and eventually assuming the mantle of the White Wolf, but according to Richtman’s intel, it’ll be Sebastian Stan suiting up and reporting for duty with a new codename.
Of course, Captain America 4 has only been in development for a matter of weeks and is years away from hitting the big screen, but has already generated an avalanche of rumor and speculation, so it’s best not to take this as gospel for now. That being said, it would at least further Bucky’s continued arc that finally saw him reconcile with his past in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s closing moments.
