When Marvel Studios first introduced Thunderbolts* at 2022’s San Diego Comedian-Con as a part of its formidable lineup for Part 5 and 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, the film didn’t but have that odd asterisk within the title. It didn’t include many particulars, both, aside from a July 26, 2024 launch date that shifted together with many different MCU initiatives within the wake of the 2023 WGA strike.
Within the wake of the Thunderbolts* phase of 2024’s San Diego Comedian-Con, we don’t know far more! The asterisk continues to be a thriller: Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige mentioned at a CinemaCon look, “we received’t speak extra about that till after the film comes out,” and confirmed it once more at Comedian-Con.
However because the core forged of Thunderbolts* took the stage, the Corridor H viewers was handled to a teaser wherein all their characters got here beneath hearth from a mysterious foe who, in keeping with Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, needs all of them lifeless.
Historically in Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts are a team-up of second-string villains or anti-heroes, although their membership and motives differ considerably relying which iteration you’re speaking about. The MCU crew is constructed of not-exactly-always-good characters launched in earlier movies within the franchise: Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen, of Ant-Man and the Wasp), Crimson Guardian (David Harbour, Black Widow), the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan, the Captain America films), U.S. Agent, aka John Walker (Wyatt Russell, Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko, Black Widow). Pugh’s Yelena, from Black Widow and Hawkeye, leads the crew, with slimy mastermind Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Falcon and the Winter Soldier) behind the scenes.
Who would possibly need all these people lifeless? What would possibly these people do to remain alive? And what the heck is that asterisk about in spite of everything? We’ll have to attend for the theatrical debut of Thunderbolts* on Might 2, 2025, as the ultimate film within the MCU’s Part 5.
You will discover all Polygon’s protection of SDCC 2024 information, trailers, and extra right here.
