'Falcon And The Winter Soldier' Series Signs Up 'John Wick' Writer Derek Kolstad

If you're going to make a television series about two cool guys who know how to break stuff real good in the name of justice, Derek Kolstad is a smart hire. The screenwriter behind the John Wick films has joined the writing staff of Marvel's upcoming Disney+ series Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which will follow Captain America's two best buddies on a post-Avengers: Endgame adventure. There will probably be witty banter, macho chemistry, and yes, lots of bad guys lying in their wake. That's the Kolstad way.

The Wrap reports that Kolstad has joined the writing staff of the upcoming streaming series, which is expected to debut on the Disney+ service in August 2020. It was previously reported that Empire's Malcolm Spellman wrote the series, so it sounds like a new staff will be taking a crack at things or going beyond what Spellman has contributed. Television veteran Kari Skogland is set to direct the six-episode series, with Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans Daniel Brühl and Emily VanCamp set to return as Helmut Zemo and Agent Sharon Carter.

Plot details are kept under wraps at the moment, but we do know that the series will take place in a post-Endgame world, after Steve Rogers has retired as Captain America and has passed the shield on to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, AKA the Falcon. Naturally, this means he gets to team up with Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, AKA the Winter Soldier. Heads will get busted, justice will get served, etc.

Marvel honcho Kevin Feige has kept his cards close to his vest (as he always does), but he has previously revealed that the Marvel shows on Disney+ will actually matter to the MCU and won't be so easily brushed aside:

"These will be major storylines, set within the MCU, with ramifications that will be felt both through the other Disney+ series we're producing and our features on the big screen. A post-Endgame MCU will be extremely different and extremely focused on Disney+ tying into our future movies."

Derek Kolstad joining a writing staff is an interesting development because he's been finding blockbuster success elsewhere. His John Wick scripts were the blueprint for one the decade's most surprising and beloved franchises, Sony recently bought his new screenplay Booker, and he's writing the big screen adaptation of the action video game series Just Cause. I'm excited to see him bring his knack for action, world-building, and character to the MCU.