Thunderbolts* is set to be the next major film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I’m already so excited to see how many of the film’s teased scenes play out. With an incredible Thunderbolts* cast, the new film puts together a handful of heroes and villains from the past few years of Marvel, forming a team to take on the Sentry. With a darker edge, and some story and style details that seem to resemble James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, the new film promises a unique Marvel experience.
The MCU has been changing up their team dynamics in recent years. While previously Marvel only focused on Avengers team, there are now many MCU superhero teams that could continue on in the universe. From the Young Avengers to the X-Men, this new setup of teams is an exciting path for the franchise to follow, and the Thunderbolts team may be the most exciting of all of these, especially based on what’s been teased for it thus far. These teased scenes hint at where the team may be headed in the new film, and perhaps even what the Thunderbolts* asterisk might mean.
10
Sentry Destroys New York
Bob Appears To Make New York City Unlivable
With all of the destruction cities like New York have faced in the MCU, it is hard not to think that the Avengers may have failed. However, the unsettling teases of the movie’s villain wreaking havoc in New York appear to be unusual even by the MCU’s standards, seeing the shadowy form of the Sentry and his alter ego Void harming the city’s inhabitants and wreathing parts of the location in shadow. Bob’s powers are some of the most terrifying in Marvel Comics, and the images from this scene appear to be an inciting incident for the film.
Sentry is overwhelmingly powerful, and the prospect of the Thunderbolts team taking him on is a scary one. Especially after seeing Sentry spread devastation across one of the most populous cities in America, it is difficult to imagine how the team will be able to take this foe down. This event will likely be the first look at Bob’s powers, and promises to be dark, intense, and full of unique imagery.
9
Bucky Attacks The Thunderbolts* Van
Some Kind Of Conflict Occurs Between The Team Members
The Thunderbolts* trailers have shown John Walker, Yelena Belova, and Red Guardian driving together in a van, which is then attacked and flipped over by Bucky. The idea of this is somewhat confusing, since most of the promotion for the film suggests that Bucky will be working alongside the Thunderbolts team, although this implies that the film may begin with a conflict between the characters. Whatever the case may turn out to be, this promises to be an interesting and illuminating scene for the story, especially given how much is currently unclear about it.
Some Thunderbolts* theories have suggested that Bucky may once again be becoming the Winter Soldier in the film. This is definitely a possibility – however, that may be too much story to tell in an already jam-packed superhero film, especially with Bucky having been elected to US Congress. Whatever the case, understanding the conflict between Bucky and the rest of the team is an enticing promise that suggests a powerful scene is on the way.
8
“We Can’t Call Ourselves That”
The Film Will Need To Explain The Team’s Name And The Asterisk
The Thunderbolts team has had many iterations in the comics – however, they have generally not been good guys. With this in mind, many Thunderbolts* theories suggest other names that the team could take on by the end of the film. This would explain the asterisk in the тιтle, indicating that Thunderbolts is a placeholder name that would eventually be replaced with something like the Dark Avengers or the Secret Avengers.
Whether or not the name changes, this teased scene indicates that there will certainly be discussions of this, and they will likely provide the explanation for the asterisk. In the trailer, this is shown in a relatively brief moment wherein Red Guardian gets excited about being the Thunderbolts, before the team groans, saying that they can’t use that name. With links to the now-imprisoned Thaddeus Ross after the ending of Captain America: Brave New World, it makes sense that they are uncomfortable with the name, and this moment will hopefully provide greater insight into the team’s future in the MCU.
7
The Elevator Scene
The First Images From The Film Suggest Discord Within The Team
One of the first images shared from the production of Thunderbolts* saw the team gathered in an elevator, looking serious. The image suggests a very different team within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where each of the members looks tense, downtrodden, and generally unhappy. Notably, the moment does not feature Taskmaster, also contributing to theories that her death could happen in Thunderbolts*.
After so much time following the development of the MCU film, this excellent image has remained one of the release’s most striking thus far. Seeing the context of it within the film promises to feel like a kind of fulfillment of Marvel’s promise, going all the way back to when this film was announced. Given the image teases a scene that captures the essence of the film in miniature – showing an unusual team fighting their own demons while working together – it should be decidedly exciting to see it unfold in the movie itself.
6
“The Avengers Are Not Coming”
Val Appears In Court To Advocate For The Thunderbolts Initiative
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has become an increasingly important character in the MCU, and it is almost time to see all of that pay off. After buying the Avengers Tower, and making short appearances in a handful of films, this new scene shows how deeply she is entrenched in the US government, and how she plans to use that to her own ends. The scene seems likely to lead to the ᴀssembly of the Thunderbolts team.
Understanding the political context of Valentina’s comments about the Avengers – and seeing how the state of the world is in the MCU after President Ross was ousted from office and put on the Raft – makes the promise of this scene feel particularly enormous. The world in the MCU continues to change and evolve, and this moment in the film promises to help provide more info about its changing landscape, showing how the world is dealing without the seemingly absent Avengers. Any details concerning world events or the state of the Avengers team will hopefully be shared here.
5
Yelena On A Mission
Whether Alone Or Part Of A Team, Yelena Will Get Some Great Action
Trailers for the new film show an intense-looking scene where Yelena leaps from the top of a tower. This image feels like it has been taken straight out of a Mission: Impossible film, and seems to tease at some of the great action that Thunderbolts* will feature. Whether this is before the team is formed, or as a part of their new mission, it appears that audiences will get to see Yelena in some spectacular situations in the new film.
Thunderbolts* promises a unique take on the MCU, with much more brutal and dynamic action scenes. Rather than seeing great powers face off against one another, a group of mostly grounded heroes have been gathered to fight against a terrifying and incredible force. This scene suggests how that kind of action will be captured visually throughout the film, which looks to have a very different style and execution than most of the MCU.
4
Ghost Gets A New Introduction
Ava Starr Last Appeared In Ant-Man And The Wasp
One of the most interesting returning characters in the upcoming film is Ghost, played by Hannah John-Kamen. Possessing some of the most extraordinary powers on the team, Ava Starr was previously able to phase in and out of physical space through quantum energy, though it’s unclear if these abilities remain quite the same after the events of Ant-Man & The Wasp. In the movie, Ava wore a suit in order to control this, and went into hiding with Bill Foster at the end of film after Janet Van Dyne uses some of her built-up quantum energy to try and help her, leaving a great deal to catch up on with the character.
Previously a wasted Phase 3 villain, and now working alongside the Thunderbolts team, Ghost is an interesting addition to the cast of the film. She is shown to have a new suit in the trailers, and understanding how she came to be a part of this team is an exciting prospect. Seeing the evolution of her powers, and how they will contribute to the new film, teases one of the most interesting character returns in Thunderbolts*.
3
Fall Of A Hero
The John Walker Story
Along the same lines as Ghost, John Walker, or US Agent, last appeared in a less-than-heroic role as the new Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Disgraced after being seen carrying out some heinous acts, Walker’s perception in the public eye has fallen significantly, as was teased in trailers for Thunderbolts*. Seeing where he is, and the traumas that have plagued him since those events, is a compelling prospect.
Wyatt Russell is an incredibly compelling performer, and it is hard not to feel a little sympathy for Walker, though he is the architect of his own downfall. While he did some terrible things, and while those cannot be forgotten, it is exciting to see how he may redeem himself in Thunderbolts*. The film seems to account for his past – seeing Walker read an article on his dark history – and the promise of what lies ahead, which has already proven many John Walker theories wrong, is too interesting not to list.
2
The Warehouse Fight
May See The Thunderbolts Lose A Team Member
The first trailer for Thunderbolts* saw the team coming across one another in a warehouse. Several different members of the group seemed to be working independently from each other, causing many to believe that this scene will be the first one where the team meets. Featuring Yelena, Walker, Ghost, and more, seeing the team also meet “Bob” promises that the scene will have major implications for the story whatever happens, and promises some exciting action as well.
This scene appears to be the only one in the marketing that shows Taskmaster in action, which has led to speculation that she may die during this scene. That may happen, as she has been absent from much of the film’s promotion. Whether or not it does, it seems that this warehouse fight will be instrumental in setting up the stakes, tone, and perhaps even the team of the new film.
1
Sentry Fights The Thunderbolts
A Clash Between The Team And The Void In The Film Is Inevitable
The ultimate role that Sentry plays in the film is not entirely clear, but the character is an incredibly complex one in the comics. Many anticipate seeing a physical clash between the Thunderbolts and the Sentry. While the trailers do not appear to fully give this away, it seems likely to occur in the film after the devastation he clearly inflicts on New York City, with the team having to combat against his dark side, the Void, and save the world.
With Val and the team’s twisted comic book origins, however, it seems likely that the real villain of the film may be someone else altogether. Whether Val, or someone else entirely, it is almost certain that there will be a darker and more structural villain of the film. There is potential for Sentry to even join the Thunderbolts* team by the time the credits roll. Whatever way it plays out, seeing fights between Sentry and the team is one of the most exciting promises of the new upcoming movie.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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MCU Spider-Man 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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