The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has an "odd-couple" dynamic between Sam and Bucky

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
(Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will feature an entertaining dynamic between eponymous characters Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.

"There's an odd-couple kind of back-and-forth there," Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, told Entertainment Weekly. "Like, 'I don't really like you, but I might need you.'"

The series' head writer, Malcolm Spellman, also said that the two have "a fire-and-ice dynamic," explaining that the actors have "real chemistry," and adding: "Imagine getting to write the first installment of a buddy-cop series, knowing exactly what the rhythm and flavor is with the two characters before you even start."

This sort of friendship won't come as much of a surprise, considering the duo have been squabbling since Captain America: Civil War ("Can you move your seat up?" "No.") and now seem to be working together full-time. From the trailers, we can already see the banter in action – like when Bucky is clinging to the underside of a lorry, and Sam flies up alongside to poke fun at him.

Sam and Bucky's back-and-forth isn't the only source of comedy in the series, either – Stan shared that Bucky, a former World War 2 soldier, is naturally a bit confused by modern technology. "How does that guy function in 2021, in the times of today?" the actor asked. "And there's comedic parts: How does he deal with technology? Is this guy ordering Postmates at home?"

As for the series' overall tone, it won’t be non-stop laughs. "We didn't lose that feeling of security and espionage," Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam, shared. "It still feels like you're in a Philip K. Dick novel [or] a Tom Clancy movie. But at the same time, it's Sebastian and I, and we're idiots, so you get more of us being ourselves."

The series will also get serious around the Captain America legacy: "The idea of whether or not a Black man could become Captain America just felt like a huge moment and a huge opportunity," said Spellman. 

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier arrives this March 19, 2021. Until then, Marvel are dropping a new WandaVision episode every Friday – and you can check out our release guide for WandaVision episode 7 to find out exactly when you can catch the next installment.

Molly Edwards
Entertainment Writer

I'm an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.