Where to watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
In the US the series streams on Disney Plus with a regular subscription. Every film it builds on, from the Captain America trilogy to Endgame, is in the same app, so you can line up the homework and the show without switching services.
Outside the US, availability varies by country. The watch box on this page lists the services available where you live.
What to watch first
The show is set in 2023, only months after the final battle of Avengers: Endgame. Steve Rogers has handed his shield to Sam Wilson, and the series opens with Sam unsure whether he wants it. That handoff is the whole premise, so Endgame is required viewing.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the second film to see first. It explains who Bucky Barnes became, why he carries so much guilt, and how he and Sam first met. Civil War also helps, since it introduces Baron Zemo and leaves Bucky and Sam on uneasy terms.
| Title | Needed? | What it sets up |
|---|
| Avengers: Endgame | Yes | Steve's choice and the shield handoff |
| Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Strongly helps | Bucky's past and his first clash with Sam |
| Captain America: Civil War | Helps | Baron Zemo and the split between heroes |
Where it fits in the watch order
On our timeline, the series follows WandaVision, another post-Endgame story, and leads into Spider-Man: Far From Home. Those three titles together show the world adjusting to everyone who came back after the Blip, with borders, jobs and governments all thrown into confusion.
It premiered in March 2021 as the second Disney Plus series of Phase 4. If you follow the Captain America line in particular, our Captain America movies in order guide shows how this series slots between the films, and our Marvel Phase 4 in order guide places it among the other releases of that phase.
What happens, spoiler-free
Sam Wilson is back to flying missions as the Falcon, while Bucky Barnes tries to make peace with his past one awkward step at a time. Neither of them is doing well. When a group called the Flag Smashers starts causing chaos across Europe, the two are pulled into the same case and forced to work together, despite clearly getting on each other's nerves.
Alongside the action, the show asks a serious question: what does it mean for a Black man to carry the shield of Captain America? It also brings in a government-approved replacement, which complicates things for everyone. The tone is closer to a grounded spy thriller than a cosmic adventure, with stops in places like Madripoor and Riga.
Why The Falcon and the Winter Soldier matters
We rate it recommended, and for many viewers it is close to essential. It completes Sam's path to becoming Captain America, which Captain America: Brave New World builds on directly. It also introduces John Walker and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, two characters who return in Thunderbolts* alongside Bucky. That makes this series the shared starting point for two later films.
It also gives Bucky Barnes the reflective arc the films never had time for, which pays off whenever he appears afterward.
Does it have a post-credit scene?
Yes, one. The finale has a mid-credits scene that reveals a returning character's next move, and it matters for later stories, so let the credits roll before you turn it off.
Cast and characters
Malcolm Spellman created the series. Anthony Mackie stars as Sam Wilson, and the show finally gives him the lead. Sebastian Stan plays Bucky, trying to live as a free man after decades as a weapon. Wyatt Russell is John Walker, a decorated soldier with something to prove. Erin Kellyman plays Karli Morgenthau, leader of the Flag Smashers. Daniel Brühl returns as Baron Zemo, and Emily VanCamp is back as Sharon Carter, now living a very different life.
Episodes, runtime and viewing tips
There are 6 episodes, each around 55 minutes, so the series takes about five and a half hours. It feels like a long movie broken into chapters, which makes it easy to binge over two evenings: three episodes a night splits it neatly at its midpoint. If you plan to watch Brave New World and Thunderbolts* afterward, keep the gap short so the new characters stay fresh. For every Marvel series in story order, see our Marvel TV shows in order guide.
