Avengers Actor Addresses Theories Red Skull Returns in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Ross Marquand addresses theories Red Skull will return to menace Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), allies of since-retired former enemy Captain America (Chris Evans), in Marvel Studios series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. After portraying the character in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame — where the ex-HYDRA leader was revealed as the ghostly keeper of the Soul Stone on the desolate planet Vormir — Marquand speculated the cosmic powers of the newly freed Red Skull could allow him to traverse the universe and return with a vengeance, now that he's no longer bound by the Infinity Stone that was first destroyed by Thanos (Josh Brolin) before being returned to its rightful place by a time-travelling Captain America.

"I don't know about that," Marquand said with a laugh when Point Blank LIVE asked if Red Skull returns in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The upcoming series releasing on Disney+ takes place after a 112-year-old Steve Rogers entrusted Sam with the star-spangled shield of Captain America in Endgame.

Marquand then clarified comments made during a recent virtual convention appearance, where the actor said the events of Infinity War and Endgame made it possible for Red Skull to return somewhere in the Marvel multiverse.

"My point when I said that was just that any of these characters can come back. I think when Doctor Strange established there are a million different threads and multiverses now, there are certain timelines where Red Skull is certainly free," Marquand said. "Because in Infinity War, once the Soul Stone goes to Thanos, now Red Skull can go anywhere. I was just saying there's a world where all of these characters can come back — Black Widow, everyone who passed away, all of the villains — there's different multiverses and different timelines where all of these characters still exist, which I thought was pretty cool."

Following the apparent death of Captain America in the wake of Marvel Comics' Civil War event, Steve Rogers' allies found themselves untangling a plot put into motion by the Red Skull.

In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam and Bucky are forced to partner up once more against the returned Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl), who maneuvered Earth's mightiest heroes into a feud that splintered the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War.

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier team up in a global adventure that tests their abilities — and their patience — in Marvel Studios' The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The all-new series is directed by Kari Skogland; Malcolm Spellman is the head writer. Debuts on Disney+ this fall.