Marvel fans, it’s finally here! After all the months and months of leaked footage and speculation leading to its eventual release, here’s the trailer for the official Thunderbolts movie. While Marvel has been all over the board these days with its box office performance, this movie promises to be one of the more intriguing entries into the MCU. What are thunderbolts? Who’s on the team? Why should we care? Let’s dive into why we should care about this movie.
What are thunderbolts?
Think of Marvel’s Thunderbolts as the MCU’s version of DC’s Suicide Squad, but without the ominous twist of bombs in everyone’s heads. It’s a black-ops team of antiheroes—some former villains—gathered for missions that no one else wants to do. These characters have appeared in several of the movies and shows in the MCU, so to get some additional context for their backstories, check out Black Widow, Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and all the Captain America films.
But even if you’re not entirely familiar with these characters’ pasts, Thunderbolts promises to be an accessible entry, focusing more on their interactions and their missions as a team.
Who’s on the team?
The trailer tells us about the film’s team:
Florence Pugh portrays Yelena Belova, a beloved member and former Black Widow, who seems to be leading this group. This adventure incorporates her sarcasm, remarkable fighting skills, and the emotional depth she demonstrated in Black Widow.
Red Guardian (David Harbour): David Harbour stood out in Black Widow with a mix of strength and humor. The Thunderbolts also try to find a place in a world that he feels alienated from.
Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan): Winter Soldier returns, yet his storylines always follow redemptive healing, a sense that he would indeed be the frontrunner for this pending team.
Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) is a mysterious character known for her intangibility powers in Ant-Man and the Wasp. With her history of suffering, it will be fascinating to see her on the team.
Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko): The negative reception of Black Widow’s Taskmaster sparked considerable controversy. The redesign of this character in a costume makes many wonder whether we are to witness the same individual or receive another twist and turn.
US Agent (Wyatt Russell): Darker. Then he seems. What we get here, coming off the back of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is that return of John Walker, the super soldier with that darker edge. He is a character who balances between being a hero and a villain, which coincidentally places him at the centre of what this team does.
Sentry (Lewis Pullman): Not exactly a team member, but Sentry appears to be the most lethal threat to Thunderbolts. As depicted in the comic books, he is one of the strongest beings in the Marvel universe, with godlike strength and a very complicated brain. It will be intriguing to observe how this anti-hero outcast group handles him and his abilities.
Who’s Really in Charge?
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and the ever-charismatic Julia Louis-Dreyfus bring the team together. Her presence in various Marvel projects serves as a stark contrast to Nick Fury, as she attracts morally dubious individuals instead of honorable heroes. Her motivations are still somewhat of a mystery, but she definitely sees some potential in this dangerous group.
Action and humor mix
The trailer for Thunderbolts goes all out with some very cool action sequences. One highlight that truly stands out is when Yelena throws a knife and bounces between enemies, demonstrating the skill required to capture such a shot. The combat scenes featuring Bucky and Selbe could be endless, and they will surely shine.
However, based on the trailer, it does not appear that Thunderbolts is going for all serious, gritty action. In this trailer, there are plenty of jokes, especially with Red Guardian and his slightly out-of-shape goofy yet dead-serious personality. It will be fascinating to see how such an action-comedy mix pans out throughout the film.
What’s the plot?
Although we don’t have all the details yet, it appears that the assembled team, most likely Sentry, is ready for the enormous challenge. Given his superhuman powers, he has the potential to surpass even the most formidable superhero team currently in existence. That makes it even more dangerous for the Thunderbolts, who are not exactly Avengers but still need to work together to get through this.
The trailer also suggests that the team may need to escape from a trap, as we witness each character arriving at a peculiar building where they appear to be trapped. Perhaps the first half of the movie concentrates on the team’s learning curve as they collaborate to escape, preparing them for their major mission.
Will the Thunderbolts succeed?
It’s no secret that some of Marvel’s recent releases have had mixed results. Once more, Thunderbolts are missing Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Wolverine—three powerhouses for the franchise that draw huge crowds. Can this team of secondary characters hold up a film on its own? There is hope, based on the cast strength and the creative minds behind it.
Already, the movie has guaranteed star power, with Florence Pugh’s Yelena as the centerpiece and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky by her side. Despite the potential for the group of ethically questionable heroes to offer a captivating storyline, they could potentially establish a unique position in the competitive superhero film industry.
Thunderbolts will launch on May 2, 2025. And this trailer alone is already worth waiting for. From action to comedy to character complexity, this movie has something for every Marvel fan. While it is too early to claim how this can really do at the box office, one thing is surely sure: Thunderbolts can certainly change the scoring history of the MCU, and I for one can just hardly wait to see how this whole phase goes down.
