Credit: Inside the MagicWARNING: Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World
Marvel star Sebastian Stan has some harsh words for President Trump.
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There’s no doubt the Marvel machine has produced numerous superstars over the years, with Robert Downey Jr. arguably still being the face of the franchise despite what happened in the most recent Avengers film, Endgame, back in 2019.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the biggest phenomena the film industry has ever seen, though with the interconnected series of movies going on its 17th year, many may be wondering how much longer this tightrope act will last.
Two big Avengers films are currently in production, though that doesn’t mean 2025 isn’t a huge year for the MCU, with three films releasing. Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), reprises his role in two of these films, though the actor has also recently branched outside of the MCU.
In 2024, Stan played Donald Trump in Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice, a film based on the early days of Trump’s career working alongside his notorious New York friend and former business partner Roy Cohn, who was played by Jeremy Strong of Succession fame.
Recently, while discussing The Apprentice with Vanity Fair, Stan was asked if he thinks Trump has seen the movie. Stan didn’t hold back, saying he would “put money down” that Trump has seen the film “100 fucking times,” calling the president a “narcissist.”
When asked what he thinks Trump liked about the film, Stan quipped, “How he looked.”
Stan received a Best Actor nomination for The Apprentice at the 2025 Oscars, an award that ultimately went to Adrien Brody for his work in Brady Corbet’s towering American epic, The Brutalist. While Stan went home empty-handed, his performance as infamous business man and current U.S. President is nothing short of incredible, receiving praise for his dedication to the role.
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Thunderbolts* comes at an interesting time for Marvel, as the company has faced some shaky waters with its more recent releases. In 2023, Marvel released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, two more films that were deemed “bombs” by the fandom.
This year’s Captain America: Brave New World failed to recapture the magic of the previous Captain America films, facing both poor financial and critical reception.
However, things seemed to be getting back on track last summer, with Deadpool & Wolverine dominating the box office for weeks on end. In total, Deadpool’s third theatrical outing scooped up over $1.3 billion, a promising figure for both Marvel and The Walt Disney Company.
While Captain America: Brave New World may have underperformed, Marvel still has two more attempts to make an impact in 2025 with longtime fans and newcomers alike. Thunderbolts* releases on May 2 and sees a rag-tag crew of misfits come together to work toward a common goal.
However, Thunderbolts* is not the only MCU film hitting the big screen this summer, with The Fantastic Four: The First Steps dropping July 25. While there has been a lot of buzz and excitement for both Captain America and Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four is viewed by many as Marvel’s big chance at course-correction.
This would be the third modern-day attempt to bring The Fantastic Four, stretchy bits and all, to theaters, with previous outings, while charming, failing to truly capture the fascinating and detailed world of the original comics they were based on.
Are you looking forward to any Marvel movies this year?