Thunderbolts: key information
– Releasing in theaters globally on May 2
– Three trailers released so far
– Main cast revealed
– Story synopsis unveiled
– Other cast and plot rumors circulating online
– Unclear how it’ll set up future MCU events
Thunderbolts is the final Marvel movie to be released – on May 2 – as part of the comic giant’s Phase 5 line-up. The highly anticipated flick aims to combine the ragtag, comedy-laced style of Guardians of the Galaxy with the team-up appeal of the Avengers. Based on what I’ve seen and read so far, it seems like it’ll succeed.
Before the next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie arrives, I’ve rounded up the latest news and rumors on Thunderbolts* (more on the asterisks later), including its confirmed cast, story specifics, trailers, and potential impact on the MCU’s future.
Full spoilers follow for various Marvel projects, including Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS), Black Widow, and Ant-Man and the Wasp (AM&TW).
Thunderbolts release date
As mentioned, Thunderbolts – or, to give its official title, Thunderbolts* – will leap onto the big screen on Friday, May 2. That’s the fifth launch date it’s been given since Thunderbolts was first announced by Marvel in June 2022.
Originally, it was going to be released in December 2024. However, the 2023 Hollywood writer and actor strikes led to multiple Marvel movies being delayed, including Thunderbolts*. Its release date was shifted around until its current launch date was settled on.
Filming didn’t begin on Thunderbolts until it had ridden out its creative storm last March, either. Indeed, principal photography only started once some cast issues, including the departure of Steven Yeun and Ayo Edebiri, had been resolved. Thankfully, its shooting schedule only lasted five months and, with the end of its post-production stage in sight, it’s finally set to be released very soon.
Thunderbolts trailer
The official trailer for Thunderbolts was released during Super Bowl LIX. There’s a lot to take in from its humorous, action-packed, and melodramatic two-minute-plus runtime, too, including the revelation that its main villain is someone you probably expected to be a good guy.
That isn’t the first trailer we’ve seen for one of 2025’s new movies. Thunderbolts’ first trailer was released publicly last September following its exclusive debut at D23 Expo 2024 – check it out below:
Two months later at the Brazilian edition of D23 Expo 2024, Marvel unveiled another look at Thunderbolts that suggested it’ll help Marvel Phase 5 end with a bang rather than a whimper, too.
Thunderbolts cast: confirmed and rumored
Potentially big spoilers follow for Thunderbolts. Major spoilers also follow for multiple MCU projects, including Captain America: Brave New World.
Here’s the confirmed cast list for Thunderbolts* so far:
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Sebastian Stan as James ‘Bucky’ Barnes/The Winter Soldier
- David Harbour as Alexei Shoshtakov/The Red Guardian
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
- Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry/The Void
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
Everyone except Pullman’s Bob Reynolds and Viswanathan’s Mel will be familiar to MCU fans. But, if you’re new to the franchise or need a quick refresher on who they are, read on.
Pugh’s Belova, who’s positioned as the movie’s lead, was first introduced in Black Widow. She’s the sister of Natasha Romanoff, who sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame to allow Clint Barton/Hawkeye to retrieve the Soul Stone as part of the titular group’s plan to reverse ‘The Snap’, aka the event that saw half of all life wiped out of the MCU. Belova was last seen in Hawkeye on Disney+ where, suspecting Barton was behind Romanoff’s death, tried to kill him. However, after finding out that he wasn’t responsible for her sibling’s demise, Belova ended her quest for vengeance.
Harbour’s Shoshtakov and Kurylenko’s Dreykov also made their MCU debuts in Black Widow. Shoshtakov is Romanoff and Belova’s father, and he’s also Russia’s answer to Steve Rogers’ iteration of Captain America – i.e. a super-soldier who wields a shield. Meanwhile, Dreykov is also known as Taskmaster, aka an individual who can mimic any person’s combat skills.
Stan’s Barnes needs no introduction. He’s been ever-present in the MCU since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, appearing in nine Marvel properties. Another super-soldier with a vibranium arm, formerly a brainwashed Russian assassin called The Winter Soldier, Barnes will either be running for Congress in Thunderbolts* or have been elected by the start of the movie. This story beat was revealed in Brave New World – read my Captain America 4 ending explained piece for more details on how it sets up events in this flick.
Wyatt’s Walker was an antagonistic figure in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He was enlisted as the new Captain America in that TV show after Rogers gave up the shield, but eventually lost the title to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. He was later hired by Louis-Dreyfus’ duplicitous CIA Director to become a black ops-like version of Cap called US Agent.
Speaking of Fontaine, she first appeared in Black Widow‘s post-credits scene and has since shown up in FATWS and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She’s responsible for sending Belova after Barton, too. Oh, and she’ll be helped by Viswanathan’s Mel, who’s her aide in this flick.
John-Kamen will reprise her role as Starr/Ghost, the primary antagonist of AM&TW whose abilities allow her to phase through solid objects. Like Belova and Walker, it appears Fontaine hires her to conduct secret missions for the CIA.
Rounding out the main cast is MCU newcomer Pullman, who’ll portray Bob Reynolds. In the comics, he’s an amnesiac middle-aged man who doesn’t know he’s one of the world’s most powerful superheroes and goes by the pseudonym Sentry. However, Reynolds harbors a dark secret. Due to the super-soldier serum he receives, he also possesses a demonic persona called The Void. If it manages to mentally overpower Reynolds and Sentry, it uses its abilities to cause wanton destruction. We catch a very brief glimpse of The Void in action in the final trailer for Thunderbolts*, so don’t be shocked if Reynolds ends up being its Big Bad.
Want even more details on these characters and their comic book backstories? Check out our exclusive deal with Marvel Unlimited, the online service that grants you access to over 30,000 Marvel comics – but, be quick! The offer expires on March 4.
Thunderbolts story synopsis and speculation
Possible spoilers follow for Thunderbolts.
Here’s the movie’s official story synopsis: In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes – Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
The “death trap” aspect of that plot brief won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s seen the trailers. Indeed, the footage we’ve seen so far suggests Fontaine sends Walker, Starr, Dreykov, and Belova on a mission to eradicate Reynolds. Of course, the quartet doesn’t know about Reynolds’ abilities or dark side, so they wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
The big question on everyone’s minds is why Fontaine is sending these mercenaries to their apparent deaths. Is she simply trying to tie up some loose ends as Director of the CIA? In my view, that’s the most likely explanation. Unfortunately, the trailers reveal that Fontaine’s plan goes awry, the group escapes alongside Reynolds and, after teaming up with Barnes and Shoshtakov, confronts Fontaine at her new headquarters in the building formerly known as Avengers Tower. Yes, that’s the same skyscraper that Tony Stark owned until his death in Avengers: Endgame. How and why Fontaine has acquired it is another of Thunderbolts‘ big mysteries.
Anyway, away from that, each team member will be dealing with their own insecurities throughout this Marvel Phase 5 film. The trailer shows a disenchanted Belova going through the motions before she seeks out Shoshtakov for emotional support. Unfortunately, the wisecracking super-soldier appears ill-equipped to help as he struggles with his own demons of being a dead-beat dad and yearning for new adventures despite his aging body.
Walker will be grappling with his dark past and raising his son alone after his wife’s death in FATWS, while Barnes will likely need to face up to his own murder-laden history and attempts to make a difference as a newly-elected Congressman. Then there’s Reynolds who, as I discussed in the cast section, has a huge, supervillain-esque internal issue to continually quell.
Thunderbolts won’t be a wholly melancholy affair. There’ll be plenty of trademark MCU humor to enjoy, especially once this group of oddball heroes and anti-heroes join forces for the greater good. Per Variety, Stan has even likened it to the iconic 1985 teen movie The Breakfast Club, which featured a similarly eccentric group of misfits who realize they have more in common during a Saturday detention.
But back to something I mentioned at the start of this article: what could the film title’s asterisk be alluding to? Some fans have suggested it’s a placeholder for a subtitle, which will be revealed in its third act or just before the credits roll. Right now, fans have two suggestions for what it’ll be: Dark Avengers or New Avengers. The former would befit this team of not-so-morally upstanding individuals. However, the latter appears more likely, especially in light of Fontaine claiming that the world needs a new Avengers-like team in Thunderbolts‘ latest trailer. We’ll see if either of those theories is correct soon enough.
What Marvel movies and shows do I need to watch before Thunderbolts?
I’ve already hinted at the MCU movies and TV shows that you’ll need to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world’s best streaming services before the final Phase 5 film is released.
However, if you scrolled past this guide’s cast and plot sections, here’s a quick round-up of what you’ll want to stream before Thunderbolts* arrives (NB: you can read more about each one in my Marvel movies in order guide, too):
- Ant-Man and the Wasp – introduction of Ava Starr/Ghost
- Falcon and the Winter Soldier – introduction of John Walker/US Agent
- Black Widow – introductions of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster
- Hawkeye – progression of Belova’s MCU journey
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – more details on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s history and CIA role
- Captain America: Brave New World – details on Barnes’ campaign to become a Congressman
How will Thunderbolts impact the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
The short answer is: I don’t know, but that won’t stop me from speculating.
If Belova and company are installed as the newest version of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, I wouldn’t be shocked if some of them appear in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. The pair, which are currently set to release in theaters in May 2026 and May 2027, are expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga. And, aside from Robert Downey Jr’s shock casting as the villain in both films, plus the inclusion of Mackie’s Wilson/Cap 2.0 and The Fantastic Four, there’s no word on which other heroes will appear.
It’s possible, then, that the likes of Belova and Barnes (at the very least) will feature in these Marvel Phase 6 projects. Stan was in the last two Avengers flicks, while Pugh is one of the most popular actors on the planet right now so, in my opinion, she’s a shoo-in to appear. I’m not so sure if Russell, Harbour, or any other Thunderbolts* cast members will show up, though.
As for whether this movie will set up any story threads for Avengers 5 and Avengers 6, I don’t think that’s likely. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the final MCU film that’ll land in theaters before Doomsday, so I’d expect it to do most of the heavy lifting (from a plot perspective) for that duo. We’ll see if I’m right in early May.
For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on the best Marvel movies, Daredevil: Born Again, and Spider-Man 4.
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