Everything You Need to Know About Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”

Plot, characters, and release date.

Since last week's season finale of WandaVision, there is a superhero shaped hole in the hearts of Marvel fans that needs fillin’.

Thankfully, Disney are here to give you Marvel junkies another hit of action with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

So, if you're not too sure what it's all about, here’s everything you need to know about the new series.

When is it coming out?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is slated for release on 19 March. Similarly to WandaVision, episodes will be available to stream on Disney+, most likely around 7pm AEST.

You can expect there to be six episodes, running between 40 – 50 minutes each.

The series will wrap up around April, just in time for the release of the Loki series. We're also pumped for this one. It's Loki (Tom Hiddleston) travelling through time altering history with the Tesserect, eventually getting trapped in a crime thriller.

Seriously, so much Marvel to consume, so little time.

What will The Falcon and the Winter Soldier be about?

Great question. Disney have stayed notoriously tight-lipped on the premise of the series, with the Disney+ blurb being annoyingly vague.

“Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience—in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier," the official blurb states.

After a little more digging though, it looks like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be directing their powers against the anti-patriotism group, the Flag-Smashers, as well as familiar villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Baron Zemo (Daniel Brulh).

Hold up, who’s Baron Zemo?

Baron Helmut Zemo is a colonel from an elite Sokovian commando unit seeking to avenge the death of his family during the Avenger’s battle against Ultron.

He’s mysterious, has a cool accent, and gets the job done—that’s all we ever ask from of our villains.

The series is harking back to the comic’s original design for Zemo: a purple balaclava.

Okay, that doesn’t sound scary but trust us, it looks badass.

German actor Bruhl stars as Baron Zemo. You might previously remember him as the irritating Frederick Zoller from Inglorious Basterds or Niki Lauda from Rush. Mark our words, he’ll be the standout character in the show.

Refresh me on Falcon?

We thought you’d say this. Sam Wilson aka Falcon is an Avenger and former pararescueman trained by the military to specialise in aerial combat.

He was handed the mantle of Captain America by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) after Avengers: Endgame, but prefers his Falcon moniker instead. Who wouldn’t? He has this sick wing pack that helps him fly.

American actor Mackie is reprising his role as Sam Wilson/Falcon, and without a doubt will bring his balance of humour and intensity to the series.

So, who is the Winter Soldier?

Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier. You may remember him as a scientifically enhanced soldier and one of Captain America’s best friends turned brainwashed assassin after World War II.

He’s all good now though. His brain is unwashed and on the right side of Avenger’s history, but expect his dark past to haunt him in the series.

Romanian actor Stan will continue as the role of Bucky Barnes in the series.

What do I need to watch beforehand?

We don’t expect you to watch all of the MCU films in preparation for The Falcon and the Winter Solider, but there are a few flicks that will help refresh your memory.

Start with Captain America: The First Avenger. This will give you all the backstory you need regarding Captain America. You’ll meet Bucky, and then see him 'die'.

After this, chuck on Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This is the film where we are introduced to Sam Wilson, as well as the return of Bucky as the Winter Soldier as the villain.

Captain America: Civil War is next. Captain America in this installment goes to all kinds of lengths to protect his brainwashed friend Bucky, regardless of the damage it could cause.

Finally Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame. Both Sam and Bucky don’t feature heavily in the film, but the dynamic between them keeps flowing. Captain America’s final appearance in Endgame though is a direct setup for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

At this stage, it’s unclear if the series will relate to WandaVision, but all signs are pointing to a no.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiers 7pm AEST (5pm WST) Friday 19 March on Disney+.

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Header Image: Marvel