Okay, so everyone's pretty hyped about Thunderbolts, the upcoming Marvel movie set to hit screens on May 2, 2025. It sounds like Marvel is putting together a bunch of not-so-good guys, some we already know and some brand new faces, which should be really interesting.
What's the deal with the Thunderbolts anyway?
Basically, in the comics, the Thunderbolts started as villains pretending to be heroes way back in 1997. It let the story get into some cool areas, like whether bad people can become good, if people can be trusted, and how thin the line is between being a hero and a villain. Sounds like the movie might go there, which is a change in pace for superhero films.
Who's actually in the movie?
Okay, here's the cast list of folks we know for sure are showing up.
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova: Remember her from Black Widow? She is trying to find her purpose after being trained as an assassin.
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier: Still dealing with all the brainwashing stuff. He wants to be a good guy now, but it's not easy.
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian: He's like the Russian Captain America, and that alone means there's a lot to explore character-wise.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: She seems to be putting the team together, but no one really knows what she wants.
Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent: Remember the replacement Captain America? He messed up, and now he's with this team. Can he be trusted?
Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster: This character can copy anyone's fighting moves. That should make for some exciting fight scenes.
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost: She can walk through walls and all sorts of stuff. Ghost is unpredictable.
Steven Yeun in a mystery role: Some folks think he might be playing The Sentry.
How did they get this movie made?
It has been a bit of a process. Back at the D23 Expo in September 2022, Marvel announced the Thunderbolts movie. The studios planned to start shooting in June 2023. The Hollywood strikes messed with those plans. Cameras finally started rolling in early 2024. Now, in May 2024, they figure out all the special effects and music to put the finishing touches on everything.
What could the movie even be about?
Since the plot is a secret for now, here are some ideas:
- Government missions: The comic book storylines show the Thunderbolts working for the government on missions the Avengers cannot deal with. This would mean they are doing morally questionable things.
- Changing for the better: Each character has a story involving bad things, so they would like to change. Bucky wants to be free from his past.
Could this be a dark Avengers set-up? This team could be pretending to be heroes as the Dark Avengers do.
Why does any of this matter for the MCU?
Since the movie is the last one in Phase 5, there is going to be a lot that will carry over to future storylines. This movie will have consequences. With new characters, the MCU could be entering an age of complicated heroes. The morally gray area of the story could add new depth to the MCU.
What do fans think?
The teaser came out in September 2024, showing the team together. A slower version of Where Is My Mind? played in the background. People are trying to guess what will happen in the movie. Will it live up to the hype?
Wrap it up!
Thunderbolts is a huge gamble for Marvel. They are putting a bunch of complex characters in a movie. The story should explore morality and redemption.