Wait, Is The Winter Soldier Not Going To Be In Black Panther?

Today's big Marvel news is that Sebastian Stan is going to be returning to the MCU as the Winter Soldier in Avengers: Infinity War, which has surprised me for a couple of reasons. One, it's not all that exciting - yes, every actor needs to be announced for these team-ups, but isn't it a given the key cast are a definite lock? Secondly, however, what about Black Panther?

In Captain America: Civil War, we saw an armless Bucky putting himself on ice until a cure to his Hydra-induced fits of mania could be discovered, revealed in a sweeping shot to be in the middle of Wakanda, home of Black Panther. I took this to mean Stan would first be back in that standalone movie, even if just in a minor role, in February 2016, before being semi-front and centre (Captain America just won't die) a couple of months later in Infinity War.

Maybe that's still the plan - the quote in question is a throwaway line from an article on a totally different film - but if it is the fact it's not part of his schedule suggests it will indeed be on the smaller side.

Tangentially, we've also learnt that Black Panther will, Winter Soldier or no, deal with the aftermath of Civil War, using the death of the eponymous hero's father as plot motivation for exploring the African nation. Screenwriter Joe Robert Cole said this to /Film:

"Our standalone movie will begin shortly after Civil War ends. So we’ll be able to see him mourning and him starting to take command as king of his own nation. Lots of things are going to occur within regards to that. The country will be under threat from inside and out so we’ll learn what Wakanda is, that nation, as the most technologically advanced nation on the planet. Also, as Wakanda’s rise to prominence happens, it will affect the MCU moving forward which is really exciting."

Yeah, that movie sounds class.

Black Panther is in cinemas from 16th February 2018. Avengers: Infinity War is in cinemas from 4th May 2018.