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Marvel's Thunderbolts team line-up has been revealed. The MCU team-up film is set to be directed by Jake Schreier (Robot & Frank) with a script by Black Widow's Eric Pearson. The Thunderbolts have had a wide array of rotating characters throughout the comics, which is frequently led by General Thunderbolt Ross aka Red Hulk. While the roster is ever-changing, the name always sticks, serving as a temporary team for reformed villains and anti-heroes to take on missions that require their unique blend of talents.
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The Thunderbolts film was initially announced at Comic-Con, dating the film for July 26, 2024. No casting or specific team members were named at that time, with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige promising more information would soon follow. Now, the full roster of the team has been revealed, which pulls from all corners of the MCU, including films and series like Ant-Man and The Wasp, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Widow.
At D23, Feige announced the full line-up for the Thunderbolts team, which includes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster, all led by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss). In a piece of concept art shown to promote the team, all members appear, looking similarly costumed from prior appearances, with Red Guardian having the most updated look of them all. Check out the cast photo and concept art below:
While on stage at D23, the actors in attendance commented on the upcoming film, which begins filming in 2023, with Stan saying, “These look like a good, troubled bunch and Bucky knows a thing about that." Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier was last seen in the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, which left him finding redemption for his past life as an assassin, while The Falcon moved on to the role of Captain America. US Agent/John Walker also made his first appearance in that series, while Yelena was last seen in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. Both Red Guardian and Taskmaster have only appeared in the Black Widow solo film thus far, making Thunderbolts their first appearance since.
The Thunderbolts have always shared a similar vibe to that of DC's Suicide Squad, although fans shouldn't expect an R-rated take within the MCU of these characters. Still, Thunderbolts are meant to be edgier than the heroic Avengers teams, taking on missions that are a bit out of the realm of the standard superhero world. While General Ross isn't shown (William Hurt, who portrayed him in the MCU, passed away earlier this year), it's still possible that Red Hulk could appear in some way, either by recasting or some other means. No villain or threat was announced, so there's still more to be revealed, but fans can now get excited about seeing some of their favorite characters unite under the Thunderbolts banner.