Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Are the Anti-Avengers: “We’re Not the Good Guys”

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As a long-time fan of Marvel movies, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I heard about the upcoming Thunderbolts film. Ever since I saw the first Avengers movie, I’ve been hooked on the MCU, and the idea of seeing some of my favorite characters from Black Widow, Falcon and Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Captain America, and more come together in a new team is nothing short of thrilling.

1. At Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios debuted the initial clips of Thunderbolts with a caution: “Be mindful when gathering allies.” Kevin Feige unveiled this thrilling preview during a panel brimming with stars like Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, and David Harbour (dressed in his latest Red Guardian attire). The team was there to offer tantalizing glimpses of the Jake Schreier-directed film that will mark the conclusion of Phase Five in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Louis-Dreyfus’ character, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, in a group footage featuring characters from Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Captain America films, stated, “There are those who do good, and you fall into the category of not so good. However, there are even worse individuals out there.”

I, as a fan of Harbour’s character in the Thunderbolts team, would describe it this way: “In a post-panel interview, when asked about the comparison between the Thunderbolts and the Avengers, I, along with my teammates, wouldn’t claim to be the good guys. Our abilities may not be up to par with the Avengers, especially Captain America. We don’t have his level of responsibility or reliability. Being punctual is just not something we excel at.”

Stan inserted the term “impulsivity” into the conversation, while Russell opted for “reactivity.” In the video, Harbour’s Red Guardian expressed to his teammates that they had the potential to become a team worthy of greatness and acclaim, as they were the potential superheroes on the Wheaties cereal box. However, unlike most other superhero teams, the rule-breaking “Bolts” were far from typical.

“Harbour remarked, ‘I believe we represent an entirely fresh type of hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.’ As of now, we haven’t made our debut. Perhaps we signify a new phase or advancement. Time will tell if this is beneficial or detrimental, but one thing is certain – we are unlike anything that has come before.'”

Harbour hinted to ComicBook that “Thunderbolts” brings a significant development to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He tried to explain further without revealing spoilers. “Robert Downey Jr. makes an appearance in the film,” Harbour said, then chuckled, alluding to the recent announcement of Downey’s role as Doctor Doom in “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”

Harbour replied with a laugh, “Nope, just joking! But to clarify, our storyline takes an unexpected turn when our characters encounter something we don’t fully comprehend. This discovery significantly alters the plot’s development, and that’s all I can reveal for now. I have some important calls to make tomorrow.”

In the Marvel Studios film set to release on May 2, 2025, Thunderbolts* brings together Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Stan), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (John-Kamen), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (Harbour), and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Pullman).

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2024-07-29 22:43