From Captain America’s rumored transition (Nomad, perhaps?) to Hawkeye’s newfound identity, the story rumors for Infinity War and Avengers 4 have been coming in thick and fast.
That largely comes down to the fact that Joe and Anthony Russo chose to shoot both ensemble movies back-to-back, resulting in a bottleneck of photos and leaked set pics. And though we still don’t know very much about either of the aforementioned films, it’s fair to say that both MCU tentpoles are among the most-anticipated movies on the Hollywood calendar.
One of the many, many reasons that we have to look forward to what the Russos are cooking up is the fact that several of the Avengers will be receiving some nifty upgrades. And they’ll need them, too, given that Thanos is set to be their greatest threat yet. From Spidey’s Iron Spider suit to Thor’s new battle axe, Jarnbjorn, it’s fair to say that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will be bringing their all with them and now, we’re hearing that Bucky Barnes may be getting some new tech, too.
Since his MCU debut in Captain America: The First Avenger, Sebastian Stan’s character has grown into a bona fide fan-favorite, particularly after his villainous turn in the really rather excellent Winter Soldier. And while Marvel comic book readers believe it’s only a matter of time before Barnes assumes the Captain America title, we still have no confirmation on if that’ll indeed happen. What we can tell you, though, is that the character will be receiving an upgraded arm for his next big screen appearance.
As you’ll surely remember, Captain America: Civil War saw Iron Man destroy Bucky’s cyborg arm. Obviously, we knew he wouldn’t be running around Infinity War missing a limb and sure enough, the film’s first trailer featured him with both arms in tact. Now, Anthony Russo has hinted at where the new prosthetic may have come from.
“For everyone who’s seen Captain America: Civil War, they know Bucky was taken in by T’Challa in Wakanda. I think that, you know, we catch back up with him after he’s been there for a while, and if there’s an influence on his arm, it may perhaps have to do with that country that he’s been spending time in.”
Does this mean that Bucky’s new arm is forged from Wakadan tech? It’s definitely possible, and if that’s the case, then it looks like Stan’s character is in for a huge upgrade. After all, Wakanda is known for Vibranium (the same metal that Cap’s shield is made of) and it’s not only incredibly strong, but can also absorb kinetic energy. In short, if Bucky really is wielding an arm made of Vibranium in Infinity War, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
After 10 years and 17 films’ worth of build-up – Black Panther notwithstanding – Avengers: Infinity War is finally prepped and ready to deliver a huge climax on May 4th. The fight against the Mad Titan won’t end there, though, as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will assemble one final time the following year, on May 3rd, to take down Thanos once and for all.