The next Marvel Cinematic Universe villainous squad is put together by Harrison Ford in a new Thunderbolts fan film. With its next Phase beginning in 2023, Marvel Studios is continuing the Multiverse Saga. New teams are emerging in the MCU but variations and alternative worlds have remained a major emphasis. After years of hints, the Thunderbolts are finally getting their own MCU film, but it will focus on a completely different squad. Although Thunderbolts won’t debut until the conclusion of Phase Five, the announcement that the film had been approved was one of the more significant developments for Marvel Studios in 2022.
Even though production hasn’t begun, fans have already begun to envision how the Thunderbolts will be portrayed in the MCU. Screen Culture has created a new Thunderbolts fan video to provide a clearer visual representation of what the team-up would look like in the MCU. Although the Thunderbolts fan teaser certainly includes archival material from other MCU projects, it serves more as a proof of concept for the group. View the complete trailer below:
What Can Be Expected From MCU’s Thunderbolts Movie
Like other MCU movies, the Thunderbolts movie’s specifics are being kept tightly under wraps. The cast of the ensemble film has been announced by Marvel Studios, though. In keeping with her storyline from earlier appearances, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will play a significant part in the Thunderbolts squad. As the team’s morally dubious heroes, Bucky Barnes, David Harbour, and Florence Pugh will all appear in Thunderbolts as Yelena Belova, Yelena Belova, and Red Guardian, respectively. Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Wyatt Russell as a U.S. Agent, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster are three former villains who have also joined the cast of the movie.
Ford is replacing the late William Hurt as the new Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: New World Order, recasting a significant MCU character. He will initially make an appearance in the Anthony Mackie-starring movie before making a swift comeback in Thunderbolts two months later. Ross has significant connections to the team in the comics, and there has been speculation that he may ultimately become his Red Hulk form in the film. But it’s still unclear if that will actually happen. It’s unclear at this time whether additional MCU villains or antiheroes will make an appearance in Thunderbolts.
Due to its ability to explore darker themes, Thunderbolts is being viewed as the MCU’s own take on the Suicide Squad. Eric Pearson, who wrote the script for Black Widow, is directing while Jake Schreier is writing the screenplay. Because Pearson is involved, Thunderbolts probably has a vibe somewhat reminiscent of Black Widow. It will be interesting to see how the MCU approaches this specific squad and how they function given the deeper issues associated with the Thunderbolts. It will be interesting to discover more once Thunderbolts begins shooting given the hint that it will significantly influence the MCU.