The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Rumor Suggests Arnim Zola Could Return

Along with Marvel veterans Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, and Daniel Brühl, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier could be getting another familiar face. According to Marvel scoop maestro Charles Murphy, there’s been chatter that Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) could appear in the upcoming Disney+ series. As Murphy says, it’s an unverified rumor for now — so take it with a grain of salt, even though it does make a fair bit of sense.

We last saw Zola in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where he had successfully transferred his consciousness into the computer systems at Camp Lehigh — all thanks to Hydra’s successful infiltration of SHIELD. During the film, the computers Zola’s consciousness was stored in were seemingly destroyed in a bombing. But what’s stopping the character from having pulled an Ultron and stored a second copy somewhere else? The other thing working in Marvel’s favor for keeping the surprise is the fact they don’t need Toby Jones to show up on set.

Instead of risking spoilers from leaked set photos from members of the paparazzi, Jones’ involvement in the role would likely only be the use of his voice, something he can record remotely in a studio.

Either way, Mackie previously said the series will be an emotional ride as his character — Sam Wilson/The Falcon — navigates the responsibilities of that red, white, and blue shield.

“You know what, to be honest, it’s very emotional,” Mackie mused. “I’ve been in the business for 20 years and I’ve been fortunate to do some amazing stuff and work with amazing people. For me, to be a Black man in 2019 and be given the helm of Captain America with the history of Black men in this country is a monumental step, not only in entertainment, but also in my life. It’s been extremely emotional. Look, my grandfather was a sharecropper, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of history and pain and triumph and joy that comes along with me being Captain America.”

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is expected to hit Disney+ Fall 2020.

Other upcoming MCU films include Black Widow, which is set to premiere on May 1, 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021, and Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022. Disney+’s She-Hulk, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel don’t have release dates, nor does the cinematic reboot of Blade.