With multiple Phase 1 characters returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2's Sam Rockwell wants Justin Hammer to join the Thunderbolts movie. The upcoming Phase 5 film was confirmed earlier this year and is expected to be released in July 2024. Thunderbolts will follow the Marvel Comics team of the same name that is made up of antiheroes and reformed villains, similar to DC's Suicide Squad. In the comics, the Thunderbolts see a rotating roster of members but are usually led by General Ross as Red Hulk, who has yet to be confirmed.
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Marvel was hinting at the Thunderbolts for a while before the film was officially confirmed, but the MCU's Thunderbolts team lineup wasn't confirmed until recently. At the D23 Expo, Sebastian Stan introduced the new team, which will be portrayed by stars reprising their MCU roles. Thunderbolts will feature Bucky Barnes (Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Taskmaster, and their leader Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss). Although the Thunderbolts team lineup was unveiled, some Marvel fans theorize that more members are to come, and one Phase 1 actor is ready to join the team.
In a recent episode of The Discourse podcast, Rockwell discusses his iconic role as Tony Stark's rival Justin Hammer and reveals whether he would be open to returning to the MCU. In answer to that question, Rockwell gives an enthusiastic "definitely." Check out Rockwell's response below:
“Yeah, definitely. The Thunderbolt… I would be into that. That sounds cool. What villains would be in that? Yeah! yeah, that’s fun… [Hammer]’s a real Lex Luthor.”
Rockwell's Hammer hasn't appeared in the MCU since his small cameo in All Hail The King in 2014, but the actor seems eager to reprise the role. His character would be a perfect fit for the Thunderbolts as a Lex Luthor-type character who provides money and tech while letting everyone else do the fighting for him. This would place Hammer in a similar role to Tony Stark's among the Avengers, continuing his one-sided rivalry with Iron Man. On the other hand, Rockwell could also appear in another potential cameo that perhaps shows Hammer being rejected from the Thunderbolts. If he appeared, Rockwell's presence in Thunderbolts would be a nostalgic treat for long-time MCU fans.
Of course, Rockwell's enthusiasm for reprising the role won't guarantee Hammer's return. There has been a recent resurgence of Phase 1 actors returning to the MCU, with The Incredible Hulk's Tim Roth appearing in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Tim Blake Nelson's The Leader confirmed as Captain America: New World Order's villain. This makes Rockwell's return to the MCU possible. Still, considering Rockwell wasn't sure which villains would appear in Thunderbolts, it seems unlikely he'll appear in the Phase 5 film.