"We Didn't Have a Script" - Sebastian Stan on The Bizarre Marvel Way of Not Spoiling Movies for Even Actors

Published 08/18/2026, 9:50 PM EDT

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, from left: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, 2011. Ph: Jay Maidment Marvel Studios– 2011 MVLFFLLC. TM &2011 Marvel. All Rights Reserved. Paramount Pictures courtesy Everett Collection Paramount Courtesy Everett Collection !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! PUBLICATIONXNOTxINxCANxCHNxFRAxITAxJPNxNORxPOLxRUSxESPxUKxUSA Copyright: xParamount CourtesyxEverettxCollectionx MCDCAAM EC075

Sebastian Stan just revealed the bizarre Marvel secrecy rule that left even the actors filming Avengers: Doomsday without a full script. Stan has embodied Bucky Barnes across more than a decade of the MCU, evolving from Steve Rogers’ loyal friend to the haunted Winter Soldier and a key member of the New Avengers.

Marvel Studios has built a reputation around extreme secrecy, restricting access to scripts and information to protect major revelations. For Avengers: Doomsday, that secrecy has apparently reached another level. And Stan has now admitted that he and his fellow actors were filming scattered scenes without knowing the complete story.

Sebastian Stan had no full script for Avengers: Doomsday

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In an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, Sebastian Stan revealed that he never received a full script for Avengers: Doomsday.

“We didn’t have a script. We were simply filming scattered scenes,” he explained when asked about the plot. This approach aligns with Marvel’s long-standing strategy of compartmentalizing information to protect spoilers. Stan further described the process as unconventional yet familiar.

via Imago

“It’s another way of working, an ongoing process that is constantly evolving,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche. This method allows writers to adjust storylines during production, responding to test screenings or creative shifts without being locked into an early draft. Florence Pugh and David Harbour confirmed similar restrictions for Avengers: Doomsday, noting they had not read the script to avoid accidental leaks. The rationale behind this secrecy is clear.

“The producers didn’t want us to read the entire script so that journalists couldn’t ask us questions about it,” Stan stated. This policy has been in place for over fifteen years, becoming standard practice for MCU productions. Tom Holland previously noted similar restrictions for Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he received scenes individually to prevent spoilers. 

Sebastian Stan Finally Confirms His Heavily Rumored Role as Harvey Dent in 'The Batman: Part II'

Yet Marvel’s secretive production process is only half the story, because Stan is also carrying that same mystery into his next major DC project.

Sebastian Stan’s The Batman: Part II role has its own mystery

Sebastian Stan is set to appear in Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II, though his exact role remains a subject of speculation. Early reports suggested he would portray Harvey Dent, Gotham’s district attorney and future Two-Face. This casting aligned with the film’s focus on Gotham’s corruption and the rise of classic villains. Stan’s chemistry with Robert Pattinson and his dramatic range made him a fitting choice for Dent’s tragic arc.

Berlinale Closing und Award Ceremony Sebastian Stan beim Berlinale Closing und Award Ceremony im Berlinale Palast anlässlich der 74. Internationalen Filmfestspiele Berlin am 22.02.2024 . *** Berlinale Closing and Award Ceremony Sebastian Stan at the Berlinale Closing and Award Ceremony in the Berlinale Palast on the occasion of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on 22 02 2024 Copyright: xEventpressxKochanx

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Recent rumors, however, indicate Stan may instead play Victor Zsasz, the psychopathic serial killer known for tallying his murders with cuts on his own body. This shift would place him in a more overtly antagonistic role, contrasting with Dent’s political trajectory. The change reflects Reeves’ intent to ground the film in a gritty crime narrative rather than a traditional superhero origin story. 

Stan has not confirmed which character he will portray, leaving fans to speculate. His involvement alongside Scarlett Johansson and Charles Dance signals a high-stakes sequel that expands Gotham’s criminal underworld. Whether as Dent or Zsasz, Stan’s presence adds significant weight to the film’s ensemble.

Sebastian Stan to Join a Star-Studded List of Actors to Work in Both DC and Marvel, as Latest Images Hints an Exciting Future

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What do you think about Marvel keeping even its own actors in the dark during Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments.

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Pratham Gurung

541 articles

If films shape personalities, Pratham was practically raised in a dark theater, pulling off twenty-four-hour movie marathons and falling into hour-long YouTube video essays at 3 a.m., his fascination with cinema never really having an off switch.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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