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The highly anticipated Thunderbolts movie is set to make its debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025. In Marvel comics, the Thunderbolts are depicted as a team of anti-heroes or reformed villains operating under government directives. Marvel confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022 the official development of a Thunderbolts film. This forthcoming movie boasts a star-studded ensemble and forms part of Phase Five of the MCU. Recent trailers have given fans an exciting glimpse of what to expect.
Production experienced delays due to the Hollywood strikes in 2023, leading to multiple postponements of the release date. These production changes have resulted in some casting adjustments. Hollywood Life provides comprehensive details on Thunderbolts. Continue reading to discover more about the latest cast additions, the revised release schedule, and other updates concerning the Thunderbolts movie!
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Thunderbolts Movie: Release Date
Thunderbolts is now scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 2, 2025. Marvel adjusted the premiere date by a year due to schedule complications arising from the SAG-AFTRA and writers’ strikes.
Originally, the film was slated for release on July 26, 2024, a date initially announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022. Filming was initially set to commence in June 2023; however, the crew received notice that production would be deferred until the conclusion of the strike, as reported by Deadline.
This film will now be the penultimate release in Phase Five, preceding Blade, featuring Mahershala Ali. Earlier MCU Phase 5 releases include Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels, and Captain America: New World Order. Marvel has also launched several Phase 5 TV series on Disney+, such as Secret Invasion, Loki season 2, and Echo. The upcoming series include Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again.
Thunderbolts Cast and Crew
The initial lineup for the Thunderbolts cast was revealed at Disney’s D23 Expo in September 2022. Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, introduced the cast members to the audience on stage. The complete cast includes:
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier: Stan debuted in the MCU with 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and has since appeared in six additional films and the miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. At the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Stan shared an update about Thunderbolts, stating, “I’m excited. I’m going to go back basically in a month or so… It’s a great cast,” according to Variety.
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker: In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Walker is appointed as Captain America’s successor by the U.S. Government.
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: Fontaine heads the CIA and initiates the formation of the Thunderbolts in a post-credits scene in Black Widow. She also appears in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova: Belova, the adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, is recruited by Valentina to seek revenge on Clint Barton for her sister’s death, a plotline explored in the Hawkeye series.
- David Harbour as Red Guardian: The father figure to Natasha and Yelena who is featured in Black Widow.
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster: Dreykov is brainwashed by her father in Black Widow.
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost: Starr, who possess powers of invisibility and intangibility, appears in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Ayo Edebiri was initially cast in Thunderbolts; however, she withdrew due to scheduling conflicts. Geraldine Viswanathan, known for her role in Blockers, will replace The Bear star in the Thunderbolts movie. Marvel has not disclosed the character Edebiri (and subsequently Viswanathan) will portray in the film.
Edebiri’s departure followed Steven Yeun‘s exit from an undisclosed role in Thunderbolts. “I think for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it,” Yeun told Variety, adding, “But Jake [Schreier], I know, is going to do an incredible job… I wanna do a Marvel movie.”
Lewis Pullman has stepped in to replace Steven Yeun in Thunderbolts. Pullman has garnered acclaim for his recent performance in Lessons in Chemistry, alongside Brie Larson. Pullman, son of Bill Pullman, also played Bob in Top Gun: Maverick.
Jake Schreier is directing Thunderbolts, marking his first involvement in an MCU project. He is best known for directing 2015’s Paper Towns. The screenplay is written by Eric Pearson, who previously wrote for Thor: Ragnarok and Black Widow.
What to Expect: The Plot of ‘Thunderbolts’
Upon announcing Thunderbolts, Marvel shared a brief synopsis: “A group of antiheroes undertakes missions for the government.” This aligns with the storyline of the Thunderbolts in Marvel comic books. While Helmut Zemo assembles the Thunderbolts in the comics, Daniel Bruhl is not expected to reprise his role as Zemo in the film, suggesting a different direction for the MCU adaptation.
David Harbour provided insights into Thunderbolts during an interview on the Phase Zero podcast. “We’re like losers, which I like. And I think it’s fun to watch us just mess everything up,” Harbour stated. He added, “I think that’s the spectrum. I think it’s very funny, but there’s also a lot of pathos in that.”
Harbour elaborated, “There’s a lot of drama in a bunch of people who just keep getting their lives wrong — because of character flaws, keep messing things up. And nobody giving them the respect that they do to Captain America and Iron Man — very capable people. So there’s a lot to draw on there. I think there’s a lot of movie there that’ll be fun.”