Thunderbolts Not a Black Widow Sequel Despite Yelena’s Return

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The final film of Phase Five in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, titled “*“, brings together a band of underdogs, featuring characters from various movies, who strive for redemption due to their past mistakes. While characters from “Black Widow” carry over their narratives into “Thunderbolts“, its director emphasizes that it’s not a direct follow-up to the previous film.

In an interview with SFX Magazine, director Jake Schreier clarified that although the characters Florence Pugh plays (Yelena Belova), David Harbour (Alexei aka Red Guardian), and Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster) are present in his upcoming superhero film, Thunderbolts, it is not a continuation of the story started in Black Widow. While Black Widow is indeed part of the narrative in Thunderbolts, Schreier emphasized that it doesn’t serve as the main driving force behind the film’s plot.

In simpler terms, Schreier expressed that instead of being just a follow-up to Black Widow’s story, the movie seems more like a blend of characters from various parts of the universe. While it is part of our overall narrative, it isn’t the main focus guiding this film.

Schreier has verified that the upcoming film, Thunderbolts, will delve deeper into the subject following the revelations made in Black Widow. As per Schreier, this movie aims to “uphold the tradition” of Black Widow and its characters. In his words, “There’s a significant connection between what David [Harbour] and Florence [Pugh] are handling in this film and their past relationship from that movie. This connection resonates, so it is crucial for everyone to maintain the legacy of something that touched people emotionally so deeply, and ensure that we reference it appropriately, protect it, and make sure it holds meaning.

*Thunderbolts encounters Yelena, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster forming an alliance with John Walker/U.S. Agent and Ava Starr/Ghost (portrayed by Hannah John-Kamen), following a perilous predicament orchestrated by the cunning CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The team, under the unofficial command of Bucky Barnes (played by Sebastian Stan), embarks on a risky operation to seek redemption for their past transgressions.

Previously, Schreier mentioned that the movie delves into the character’s trust issues and emotional turmoil after Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow’s death in Avengers: Endgame. Moreover, Schreier drew inspiration from Pixar’s film to emphasize the complex trust relationships among the Thunderbolts and their emotional depth.

Thunderbolts* Early Reactions Are Positive

Initial responses towards “Thunderbolts*” have been favorable, predicting that it will surpass the $70 million threshold in its debut weekend, indicating a strong box office performance.

Thunderbolts* opens in theaters across North America on May 2.

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2025-04-23 23:06