The MCU is bringing together a team of villains and anti-heroes for the Thunderbolts release date. Here’s what we know about the upcoming film.
The Thunderbolts team will be fairly similar to DC’s Suicide Squad, as potential supervillains turn over a new leaf under Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s thumb.
This superhero movie will be one of the main events in Marvel’s Phase 6. But, the film has suffered a few delays and creative issues behind the scenes, so, is everything still in order here?
We’ve been digging into Marvel’s secret files (not really, don’t get us please Kevin) and have compiled a dossier on all the need-to-know info on this release.
Thunderbolts release date
Thunderbolts will be released in US cinemas on May 2, 2025.
It was originally supposed to be the final movie in Phase 5 before Fantastic Four: First Steps kicked off 6. Following a rejig of those plans, Thunderbolts will arrive after F4 and before Blade.
Florence Pugh confirmed filming had begun in February 2024 while attending the Dune 2 premiere in New York. Production wrapped in mid-2025.
Cast list
Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan lead the Thunderbolts cast, with support from David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more.
The Thunderbolts cast:
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova/Black Widow
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
- Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds/The Sentry
- Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff
- Geraldine Viswanathan
The core line-up consists of existing MCU characters that we’ve met before. Yelena Belova is back after her debut in Black Widow and subsequent cameo in the Hawkeye series.
Meanwhile, John Walker returns after his menacing start in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ghost is back from Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Taskmaster has a revamped look after her big screen debut in Black Widow.
Thunderbolts was to introduce at least one fresh face to the MCU, though: Steven Yeun. The Walking Dead alum would’ve portrayed Superman pastiche the Sentry, however, he exited the production in January 2024. Top Gun: Maverick’s Lewis Pullman replaced him.
Plot
The synopsis for Thunderbolts is short but sweet at the moment, and all we know is that the titular team will embark on some kind of mission on behalf of the government.
In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, would-be Captain America John Walker is recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and rebranded as US Agent. This explains Walker’s return under this new moniker in Thunderbolts.
Similarly, 2021’s Black Widow includes a scene in which Valentina is shown acting as Yelena Belova/Black Widow’s handler. Val will play a pivotal role in forming the Thunderbolts, something Harbour more or less confirmed in an interview with Collider.
Harbour also talked up Thunderbolts’ character-driven story, including the relationship between him and his on-screen daughter, Pugh. “One of the things you’ll probably know is that the ‘me and Florence’ dynamic will be in there and explored in a way that’s really cool,” he said.
“But all these guys, Sebastian’s character, Wyatt’s character, I just love this mercenary element in the MCU,” Harbour continued. “And I like these guys who are a bunch of losers or a bunch of guys who can’t quite get it right.”
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The Bear showrunner Joanna Calo penned the script, so the film is sure to be an intense roller coaster with a lot of heart, even if it’s filled with bad guys.
Is there a Thunderbolts trailer?
There’s no Thunderbolts trailer yet. We should get one in early 2025.
Thunderbolts explained
The Thunderbolts are Marvel’s answer to DC’s Suicide Squad: a team of villains and antiheroes fighting on the side of the good guys.
The original Thunderbolts line-up made its comics debut in a 1997 issue of The Incredible Hulk and went on to headline their own, self-titled series. This incarnation of the team was actually the Masters of Evil operating under superhero aliases, as part of one of Baron Zemo’s evil schemes.
However, the baddies soon discovered they enjoyed being heroes and revolted against Zemo. And while the team’s roster has changed over the past 20-plus years, the Thunderbolts’ status as a home for reformed baddies remains a constant.
The team started with the following members:
- Baron Zemo
- Beetle
- Fixer
- Goliath
- Moonstone
- Screaming Mimi
Other characters who’ve led the Thunderbolts include:
- Clint Barton/Hawkeye
- Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin
- Luke Cage
- Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier
- Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin
- Thunderbolt Ross
In terms of members, the following villains have been associated with the Thunderbolts:
- Taskmaster
- Venom
- Ghost
- Crossbones
- Juggernaut
- Doctor Octopus
- Abomination.
Several superheroes, including the Punisher, US Agent, Elektra, Nighthawk, Deadpool, Ghost Rider, and Ant-Man (Eric O’Grady) have ties to the team, as well.
Thunderbolts leaks and theories
Thunderbolts leaks claim the film is basically Marvel’s suicide squad.
DanielRPK claimed the plot sees “Yelena, US Agent, Ghost, and Taskmaster sent by Val to kill someone in a vault. They realize they’ve been set up and were meant to die on this mission. So they team up against their boss to take her down.”
Sounds legit. We don’t imagine Val will have many allies by the end, whatever happens.
How to watch
Thunderbolts will be a theatrical exclusive before eventually coming to Disney+ several months later.
This follows the same pattern as all upcoming Marvel movies. How long it takes to land on streaming is affected by how strong the box office is and digital sales.
Stick with us to learn about Avengers Secret Wars, Avengers Doomsday, and Captain America 4.
