17 years after Ed Norton’s Hulk debuted in the MCU, the franchise is basically full of Hulks. The not-so classic Banner-Hulk remains active (and will return for Avengers: Doomsday), but now we’ve also met She-Hulk, Tim Roth’s Abomination and of course Thunderbolt Ross made his bow as Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World. And that’s not to mention Banner’s Son Skaar, the weird variants introduced in What If…? or the embarrassment of incel She-Hulk villain HulkKing. 

An yet, for all the gamma-powered muscle walking around the MCU these days, we still don’t really have the Hulk anymore. At least, not the version Marvel fans once knew and loved. Somewhere between Avengers: Age of Ultron and Endgame, Marvel decided the most interesting thing about Bruce Banner was figuring out how to stop being the Hulk altogether. That’s how we ended up with “Smart Hulk,” a solution to a character problem that never should have been solved.

And while Hulk’s solution was useful for Endgame, it also quite pointedly closed the book on one of the MCU’s most interesting character arcs. The conflict between man and monster, between vulnerability and rage, between wanting to be left alone and a burning need to protect and belong… it was all why Hulk was one of the best original Avengers. And now that Banner is now seemingly content as a gentle giant genius, the MCU has a story vacuum where that irresistibly entertaining conflict used to be.

And that’s exactly why Thunderbolts* was such an important release for MCU fans who like their struggle to be personified. Because, when you think about it, Lewis Pullman’s Sentry is basically the perfect replacement for the original Hulk’s character arc.

Sentry Is The Secret Hulk Replacement You’ve Been Waiting For

On paper, Sentry is Superman with serious mental health issues: a man granted the power of “a million exploding suns” whose very existence is a paradox. He’s a god-level superhero in the soft outer casing of an emotionally unstable, tormented, and perpetually terrified human. And then, of course, there’s The Void – the dark, corrupting heart of Bob’s psyche that manifests as an apocalyptic, unstoppable force of destruction every time he loses control. That conflict of vulnerability and monstrous dark power sounds awfully familiar doesn’t it?

There is, of course, a chance that Bruce Banner’s savage side returns in the future of the MCU, and we get to see more of the conflict between his urge for calm, and the bubbling rage bursting out of him, all green and violent. But if that doesn’t happen, Sentry might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Bob’s arc, in fact, may even go further than Hulk’s ever did. Because Bob’s personality makes the deadly tug of war with the Void all the more poignant. Both characters are cursed by their split existence, but Bob is both a lot nicer and a lot more personally linked to his fellow heroes already.

And of course, Hulk was always still a hero, and the promise that he’d ever go bad was only ever dangled above us as an audience. We’re haunted by the idea of Savage Hulk after seeing a glimpse of him in Age Of Ultron. That was never enough, and even though Hulk was always monstrous, his emotions and his desire to belong despite fear of himself still feels impressively sympathetic. Far more sympathetic, in fact, than a jolly green dork. We’re confronted with the strange idea that in seeking humanity, Banner actually became more alien.

Though the end of Thunderbolts* suggests Bob has things under control, the threat of The Void’s reappearance is part and parcel of who he is. And that internal war, wrapped in a man who could vaporize entire cities on a bad day, is everything the current MCU has been missing since Hulk got all homely and… safe. Excitingly, Sentry isn’t just Hulk 2.0 (or whatever iteration we’re onto now), he’s a horrific upgrade. And hopefully, his popularity might remind us all – and Marvel – why the real Hulk mattered so much.

The post Marvel Finally Has The Hulk Replacement The MCU Has Missed Since Endgame appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A major strength of the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains its ability to endear heroes, villains, and anti-heroes to fans to the same degree. Among all of the franchise’s characters, anti-heroes arguably follow the most interesting arcs. They are deeply flawed, morally ambiguous, and prone to misdirection, but they persevere, refusing to be defined by the hardships that made them that way. The MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and Thunderbolts* are notably led by anti-heroes, as shared trauma, loss, and misdeeds bring both films’ main characters together in a beautifully written found family dynamic. From MCU Phase 1 to Phase 5, anti-heroes permeate the comic book franchise’s best narratives, bringing a much-needed air of complexity to the superhero genre.

Ranked from worst to best, the following 10 MCU characters are the franchise’s most fascinating anti-heroes.

10) Ghost

Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) stands as one of the coolest and most underrated anti-heroes in the MCU. First appearing as the antagonist of Ant-Man and the Wasp before joining the titular team in Thunderbolts*, Ava has the ability to turn herself invisible and intangible due to absorbing a large amount of quantum energy in the accident that killed her parents as a child. Ava worked as an operative for S.H.I.E.L.D and began to suffer from a lack of quantum energy, leading to her clash with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), and Hope van Dyne/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly).

Turning from a tragic villain to an unlikely hero in Thunderbolts*, Ava has followed an intriguing arc that will soon continue in Avengers: Doomsday. The character’s traumatic backstory involving the loss of her parents and a lot of pain brought on by her quantum-induced condition set her on an errant professional path, but Ava fits in perfectly with the Thunderbolts/New Avengers. Also, Ava’s unique stealth capabilities and swift combat style make her a valuable asset to her allies.

9) Moon Knight

The masked vigilante Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac), also known as the alters Marc Spector, Steven Grant, and Jake Lockley, became a fan-favorite MCU anti-hero in just one appearance. Disney+’s Moon Knight series delves into the character’s history, violent acts, and experience with dissociative identity disorder as the avatar of the Egyptian god Khonshu (F. Murray Abraham). Moon Knight’s skill with a variety of weapons makes him a thrill to watch in combat sequences. Additionally, the switching between his white armor and dapper Mr. Knight suit nicely represents Marc and Steven’s personalities.

Yet, it’s the character beneath the mask that makes him so interesting. Moon Knight functions as an intricate character study, addressing themes of childhood trauma and mental health. Marc and Steven’s reconciliation with their past and their effort to protect each other in Moon Knight’s story produce some powerful and emotional moments. Isaac delivers an all-time MCU performance in the role, and hopefully, he gets the chance to bring Moon Knight back to the screen in the future.

8) Gamora

The adopted daughter of Thanos (Josh Brolin), Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) joins the titular band of misfits in Guardians of the Galaxy. Prior to her team-up with Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and friends, Gamora operated as a lethal assassin for Thanos, who had previously wiped out half of her home planet, before betraying him and joining the Guardians. Gamora’s MCU arc was cut short in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos threw her off of Vormir to obtain the Soul Stone, but she remains a powerful example of an individual discovering her place in the universe following a tragic childhood. Determined and loyal to her found family until the end, Gamora proves that she’s more than a ruthless killer. Even the time-altered version of the character in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shows the compassion underneath Gamora’s cold-blooded exterior.

7) The Punisher

Former U.S. Marine Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) returned from war in Iraq and Afghanistan only to watch the slaughter of his family on home soil. Driven by vengeance, Frank became a merciless vigilante who carries out justice as he sees fit. Bernthal’s rendition of the anti-hero first appeared in Netflix’s Daredevil and The Punisher shows before making his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again. Although Frank’s violent methods depicted in the aforementioned shows are far from an ideal way to fix the world’s problems, the Punisher’s commitment to standing up for those neglected by the American justice system makes him easy to root for.

Frank has a complicated relationship with Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) due to their contrasting worldviews, but the two vigilantes harbor respect for one another and exist as fascinating foils in the Marvel universe. An upcoming Marvel Television special will tell the next chapter of the Punisher’s story, and fans should look forward to seeing where Frank’s shaky morals take him next.

6) Bucky Barnes

Bucky Barnes’s (Sebastian Stan) status as an anti-hero stems from his time spent as the Winter Soldier, an elite assassin brainwashed and controlled by HYDRA. A Super Soldier and World War II veteran, Bucky has left his dark days behind, reconnecting with his best friend Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and establishing strong relationships with Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie), his fellow Thunderbolts members, and more. From his debut in Captain America: The First Avenger to his most recent MCU outing in Thunderbolts*, Bucky proves a model of perseverance.

Severely impacted by the violent acts he was forced to commit as the Winter Soldier, Bucky claws his way back to his true self and decides to use his superhuman abilities for good. Beyond the inner workings of his character, Bucky exudes swagger whenever he graces the screen. His highway rampage in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and motorcycle entrance in Thunderbolts* cement him as a formidable combatant that anyone would want on their side.

5) Rocket

Backstories hardly get more tragic than that of Rocket (Bradley Cooper). Prior to forming the Guardians of the Galaxy, the raccoon spent his early days in the High Evolutionary’s (Chukwudi Iwuji) laboratory, where he and his animal friends were subjected to torturous experiments meant to heighten their abilities. Rocket emerged as the lone survivor of his escape attempt, subsequently leading a life of crime with Groot (Vin Diesel) before meeting Quill, Gamora, and the rest of the Guardians.

Rocket’s traumatic history factors into his aversive personality, but his time with the Guardians shows that he has a big heart. A truly lovable MCU character, Rocket is effortlessly funny, cares about his friends, and isn’t afraid of compromising morals to achieve his goals. Rocket may just be the MCU’s coolest criminal, and his arc from an innocent young raccoon to a witty, trustworthy companion and hard-nosed fighter stands out as a fantastic piece of storytelling.

[RELATED: 10 Most Sympathetic Marvel Cinematic Universe Villains]

4) Loki

The MCU’s original version of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) remains a top-tier character in the franchise. Introduced in Thor as the adopted son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and brother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Loki initially resents and betrays his family and Asgard due to their disfavor of him. Still, the God of Mischief teams up with Thor amid the destruction of their world in Thor: Ragnarok, and Loki met his demise while bravely fighting Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.

Loki’s MCU story is one filled with humor, heartbreak, triumph, and tragedy. He’s evil, charming, and sympathetic all at once, and Hiddleston’s performance greatly enhances the character’s complexity. Loki is so richly layered that it’s hard to decide whether to root for or against him throughout his MCU appearances. The numerous variants portrayed in the Disney+ series Loki offer a unique and captivating exploration of the anti-hero’s identity, as he fulfills his destiny as the God of Stories.

3) Nebula

Nebula (Karen Gillan), the other adopted daughter of Thanos, was trained and used as a weapon alongside Gamora. The Mad Titan horrifically abused Nebula, forcing her to fight her sister and replacing a part of her with machinery each time she lost. Nebula begins as an antagonist in Guardians of the Galaxy and later embarks on a path of redemption, falling in with the team, rekindling her bond with Gamora, and leaving her life as an assassin behind. Although short-tempered and evidently traumatized by her rough childhood, Nebula learns to lean on her fellow Guardians for support and discovers that she can make a difference in the world.

The anti-hero’s pivotal role in the fight against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame represents the culmination of her journey, as she reckons with the past version of herself and rises up against the father she once feared. This all satisfyingly concludes at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 with Nebula becoming the leader of Knowhere, promising to make it the home she never had. Nebula’s outstanding story arc is elevated by Gillan, whose performance radiates Nebula’s harshness, deep-rooted torment, and desire to overcome her morally gray history, all while seamlessly fitting in with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy’s humorous tone. It’s hard to identify an MCU character arc as compelling and fulfilling as Nebula’s, as her story beautifully embodies healing and growth after unimaginable suffering.

2) Yelena Belova

When it comes to MCU anti-heroes, Yelena Belova’s (Florence Pugh) arc is almost unrivaled. The younger adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) grew up in America with a makeshift family of Russian spies and, at the age of six, was sent to General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) Red Room to be chemically brainwashed and trained as an assassin. Yelena’s new dawn arrives in Black Widow when a fellow widow liberates her using a counteragent. Free to live on her own terms, Yelena reconnects with Natasha and their parents, destroys Dreykov’s Red Room, and sets off to free the remaining mind-controlled assassins across the globe. A dark cloud hangs over Yelena in the wake of Natasha’s death as she leads a solitary life as a gun for hire before converging with the Thunderbolts.

Yelena’s arc in Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thunderbolts* cements her as the perfect successor to Johansson’s Black Widow, and this time, the MCU gets the character right. Far more than a prolific killer, Yelena is a three-dimensional being whose excitement to live freely devolves into grief, depression, and loneliness. Despite the pain of her past and dissatisfaction with her place in the world, Yelena never abandons her genuine compassion for others, and by the end of Thunderbolts*, she finds a group of similar anti-heroes she can both rely on. Pugh elevates Yelena’s extraordinary character development, impeccably combining humor, anguish, viciousness, and humanity.

1) Wanda Maximoff

The MCU’s best anti-hero arc belongs to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), otherwise known as the Scarlet Witch. Wanda’s tragic story begins in her childhood when the bombing of her home in Sokovia killed her parents. Since then, she suffers the loss of her twin brother Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in Avengers: Age of Ultron and romantic partner Vision (Paul Bettany) in Avengers: Infinity War. Even after creating a false reality in which she and Vision start a family together in WandaVision, Wanda endures heartbreak when she must tear it all down to free the people of Westview. Wanda’s unprocessed trauma and grief factor into her villainous turn in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Often vilified for her immense power, Wanda defies her morally gray history to become an Avenger and fulfill her destiny as the Scarlet Witch. Wanda hasn’t always made the best choices, but she continuously proves redeemable and willing to right her wrongs. Additionally, Olsen is magnetic as Wanda, authentically radiating layers of sorrow, resolve, and fury over the course of her appearances. The MCU wonderfully fleshes out Wanda as an intensely relatable anti-hero who one can’t help but support in spite of her flaws. Ranking among the franchise’s most compelling characters overall, Wanda stands out as the MCU’s most complex and fascinating anti-hero story.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

The post 10 Best MCU Anti-Heroes, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova has quickly risen from a newcomer to a formidable face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over three franchise appearances. A former Red Room assassin and the younger adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Yelena follows an arc that equally emphasizes her lethal combat skills and deep-rooted humanity, harmonizing to forge a fascinating three-dimensional anti-hero. Boasting some of the most hilarious and heart-wrenching scenes in the MCU, Yelena brings so much life to the franchise. The character’s arc plays perfectly to Pugh’s strengths, as the Oscar nominee impressively delivers humor and emotional depth as Yelena.

From reuniting with Natasha and their adoptive parents in Black Widow to pursuing Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) in Hawkeye to forming an unlikely team with fellow anti-heroes in Thunderbolts*, Yelena’s story has generated plenty of standout moments that prove she is one of the new faces of the MCU.

1) Yelena Proudly Shows Natasha Her Vest

After the estranged sisters reunite in Black Widow, Yelena shows her green tactical vest to Natasha, raving about its handy pockets. Natasha initially isn’t impressed by the garment, but eventually admits to Yelena that she likes it. This wholesome exchange illustrates Yelena’s adaptation to living life on her own terms after being freed from the Red Room, as she reveals that the vest is the first piece of clothing she has ever bought herself. Yelena’s vest takes on an even bigger meaning when she gives it to Natasha as a parting gift at the end of Black Widow, adding a heartwarming piece of backstory to the vest Natasha wears at different points in Avengers: infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. A symbol of Yelena’s newfound independence, the vest begins as a delightful joke and ends as a poignant representation of sisterhood.

2) Yelena Mocks Black Widow’s Pose (Twice)

Among Black Widow‘s funniest moments are the two instances when Yelena hilariously mocks Natasha’s superhero pose. While picking up supplies at a gas station in Budapest, Yelena asks Natasha why she always does the “Thing that you do when you whip your hair when you’re fighting, with the arm and the air,” and jokingly imitates the stance. Later, while infiltrating the Red Room, Yelena jumps down from a ceiling duct and ironically lands in Natasha’s pose, shaking in disgust afterward. Yelena’s mockery of her sister for being a “total poser,” is a brilliant comedic moment that pokes fun at Marvel’s longstanding attachment to Natasha’s stylish superhero move — even though it isn’t at all practical. Beyond its obvious humor, Yelena’s replication of the iconic Black Widow pose signals her own evolution into a superhero as she follows in her sister’s footsteps.

3) “It Was Real to Me”

Before tearing down General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) Red Room, Yelena, Natasha, and Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) descend upon Melina Vostokoff’s (Rachel Weisz) homestead outside of St. Petersburg. There, they sit down for a meal together as they reflect on their time posing as an American family in Ohio and the years that have passed since they last saw one another. At one point during the conversation, Natasha bitterly claims their family wasn’t real. Dismayed, Yelena tearfully opens up to the group, delivering the famous line, “It was real to me,” and declaring that their family was all she ever had and loved as a child.

In Black Widow‘s most heart-wrenching scene, Yelena’s unprocessed trauma resurfaces, and she vents her agony before those who didn’t intervene when she was kidnapped and turned into a mind-controlled assassin. A moment of such raw vulnerability rarely occurs in the MCU, and Pugh superbly communicates Yelena’s pain.

4) Yelena Frees Dreykov’s Widows and Destroys the Red Room

Black Widow‘s third act revolves around the family’s mission to take down Dreykov and the Red Room. Once inside, Yelena is tasked with liberating the Widows using an antidote for their chemical mind control. She attaches the vials to a grenade and tosses it in the air, dispersing the counteragent and freeing the Widows. The sequence of events, which ends with Dreykov dead and the Red Room in ruins, serves as the culmination of Yelena’s initial journey as a freed Widow in search of a purpose.

As the catalyst for their family’s reconnection and effort to destroy the Red Room, Yelena cements herself as a determined and compassionate individual. Yelena could have easily gone off on her own after defecting from the Red Room, but her choice to grant the same independence to all of her fellow Widows — at the Red Room and around the world — proves that she’s far greater than a typical trained killer.

5) Yelena Surprises Kate Bishop in Her Apartment

Returning in Hawkeye on a mission to kill Clint, Yelena sneaks into Kate Bishop’s (Hailee Steinfeld) apartment and awaits her arrival with a pot of boxed mac and cheese. Although Kate appears uneasy at the presence of a “bloodthirsty vigilante,” in her home, Yelena keeps her cool and chats about Christmas and the best sights in New York City while eating the mac and cheese. Yelena eventually discloses her identity to Kate and shares that she’s there to kill Clint.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Cements Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova as the Better Black Widow]

The conversation quickly turns from charming and funny to fiery and tense. Pugh once again demonstrates her flawless comedic delivery, then seamlessly summons Yelena’s vicious side as the character condemns Clint and the Avengers for Natasha’s death. It’s an excellent illustration of the silliness, conviction, and anguish Yelena exhibits in new life following the Blip and the death of her sister. An acting masterclass and a top-notch piece of character development, this Hawkeye scene is worth watching over and over again.

6) Yelena Fights Clint and Learns the Truth About Natasha’s Death

In Hawkeye‘s finale, Yelena surprise-attacks Clint near the Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree. Yelena asks Clint how Natasha’s death happened, but doesn’t buy Clint’s insistence that the late Black Widow sacrificed herself. Furious, Yelena tells Clint that he “should have fought harder” to save Natasha, and attacks him, only stopping when Clint replicates the two-tone whistles she and Natasha used to exchange. Clint elicits an emotional reaction from his assassin by recounting Natasha’s stories about Yelena and their childhood, and the two tearfully express their love for the fallen hero. The range of emotions Pugh conjures in this sequence is nothing short of remarkable, as Yelena experiences all of the phases of grief during her confrontation with Clint. Yelena’s denial of Clint’s account turns to anger at him for failing to save Natasha, and she breaks down in tears before helping Clint up and leaving the scene.

Pugh’s talent is on full display here, and it acts as a captivating display of heartache, resentment, and acceptance. Moreover, Yelena’s pursuit of Clint powerfully embodies the visceral humanity the MCU has granted Pugh’s character. In Hawkeye, she’s flawed, susceptible to misdirection, and blames the wrong people for her despair, but in the end, Yelena has a genuine heart. Even in her darkest moments, Yelena proves capable of rising above her faults. This uncanny combination of moral grayness resilience immensely factors into Yelena’s status as one of the MCU’s most fascinating characters.

7) Yelena Leaps From a Skyscraper in the Opening Scene of Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* produces an all-time great MCU movie opening. Yelena stands at the edge of a skyscraper, narrating in the background, “There’s something wrong with me. An emptiness. I thought it started when my sister died, but now it feels like something bigger. Just a void,” before stepping off the building. Tasked with destroying an O.X.E laboratory, Yelena parachutes down, enters the building, and swiftly eliminates her targets. A breathtaking introduction to the plot of Thunderbolts*, the movie’s opening sequence spotlights Yelena’s depressive state of mind and immersion in her work to keep her sadness at bay. At Pugh’s insistence to perform the stunt, she jumped off of the second-tallest building in the world, the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The heavy atmosphere, the closeup on Yelena’s vacant expression, and her stunning plummet from the skyscraper are fantastically executed in this scene.

8) Yelena Has a Heart-to-Heart With Alexei

After the Thunderbolts get beat up by the Bob Reynolds/the Sentry (Lewis Pullman), they wander the streets of New York with ill tempers. In one moment, Yelena lashes out at Alexei for not contacting her for an entire year. Through tears, she stresses to her dad that she’s so lonely and that all she does is work, drink, and think about all of the terrible things she’s done. “If you cared, you would have called,” she tells him. “I lost my sister again, but forever, and you disappeared.” Alexei’s foolishness subsides, and he encourages Yelena by reminiscing about how special she was as a child and reminding her that she wanted to be the goalie of her childhood soccer team so she could be the one everyone can rely on if they make a mistake.

Similar to her Black Widow scene, Yelena pours out her emotions and bares her deepest inner turmoil. Thunderbolts* brings the human side of its central anti-heroes to the forefront of the story, and its focus on Yelena’s struggle to find meaning in what she does and lack of a support system strengthens her characterization as a prolific, yet embattled, killer. Pugh delivers yet another MCU highlight in this Thunderbolts* scene, capturing Yelena’s profound sadness and longing for the comfort of a loved one.

9) Yelena Enters the Void

While her fellow Thunderbolts stand around without an answer for the Void’s takeover of Manhattan, Yelena takes it upon herself to do what no one else would. She steps into the Void’s menacing shadow hoping to find and rescue Bob, though unaware of what will happen to her. Yelena traverses a series of rooms containing traumatic memories of her Red Room training, as well as her current self in a depressed, alcohol-addicted state. Eventually, Yelena encounters Bob and offers him the comfort he needs. Yelena’s willingness to take giant risk to save a friend epitomizes her kindness toward those she can relate to. Lost and unhappy at the beginning of Thunderbolts* sees her struggle mirrored in Bob, prompting their strong bond. During the movie’s climactic sequence in the Void, Yelena discovers that she can both help and be helped by those around her.

10) Yelena Initiates the Group Hug That Defeats the Void

Yelena’s Thunderbolts* journey reaches its culmination she and the rest of the team are trapped in the laboratory room of the Void. As Bob repeatedly punches the Void to no avail, Yelena breaks free from her restraints, runs to him, puts her arms around him, and says, “I’m here. You’re not alone.” The other Thunderbolts follow suit, and their group makes the Void disappear. Yelena’s embrace of Bob in a grueling moment is staggeringly beautiful, packing the perfect emotional punch to complete the movie’s mental health-centric message. Ultimately, Thunderbolts* proves that each of its morally-gray characters has a heart, and in Yelena’s case, her relentless killing doesn’t obscure her relatable struggles and need for a support system. In one heartwarming moment, Thunderbolts* establishes Yelena as a force of a human, not just a hero.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

The post 10 Yelena Belova Moments That Prove She’s the Best MCU Character Post-Avengers: Endgame appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… Sentry?! Marvel’s answer to Superman made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Thunderbolts*, with Top Gun: Maverick actor Lewis Pullman portraying Bob Reynolds/Sentry and his villainous alter-ego, the Void. (Like his comic counterpart introduced in 2000’s Sentry #1, a secret formula gave Robert “Bob” Reynolds the power of a million exploding suns as the Golden Guardian of Good — with a dark side.)

Unlike DC’s Man of Steel, however, Bob’s super-man Sentry became a supervillain as the shadowy Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) unwittingly unleashed Bob’s Void persona when she sicced her blonde-haired, gold-clad caped crusader on the team of “disposable” do-gooders: Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).

On Instagram, Marvel Studios senior illustrator John Staub shared official concept art of Pullman’s superhero suit as it appears in Thunderbolts*, offering a closer look at the comic-accurate costume’s MCU flourishes (like golden piping and “S”-shaped golden belt buckle).

RELATED: Thunderbolts*: Yelena’s Alternate Black Widow Costumes Reveal an Avengers Callback

In the comics, Sentry harkened back to the classic superheroes of the Silver Age. Created by writer Paul Jenkins and artist Jae Lee as “the greatest hero of them all” and a “Golden Guardian of Good” (in alliterational, hyperbolic Stan Lee style). A Jack Kirby-esque comic-book-within-a-comic, titled Startling Stories featuring The Sentry, revealed the old-school secret origin of “Robby” Reynolds (who, as it turned out, had a modern backstory apropos of 2000s Marvel).

Pullman previously told Men’s Health that the hardest part of playing this golden god was “finding a body type that worked for both Bob and for Sentry.”

“They’re very different people, and they have very different purposes within the story. To make that transition both believable and shocking within a very short amount of time was very challenging,” Pullman said of Bob’s transformation into the Sentry, the sole survivor of Val’s Sentry Project. “But I was lucky to be in the hands of this awesome trainer, Brendan Johnston, who just said, ‘We’re not trying to build a lot of mass.’ We were trying to build definition, and all those small, intricate, sinewy muscles that will pull the light. That was done a lot with boxing, which I hadn’t done much of but that I really loved.”

He continued, “I’ve continued to do it since we wrapped production, because I don’t like cardio. I don’t like feeling like I want to die when I work out, because then I’m not going to get back in the gym. I have to make it fun for myself so that I can continue incentivizing getting my butt out of bed and into the gym. Boxing was a great way to do that, because you forget that you’re exerting yourself as much as you are, and you’re working so many parts of your body. You’re recruiting all these muscles that are normally kind of dormant.”

In another difference from the authentic Superman, Val designed Sentry to resemble what she called a “classic hero.” That meant dyeing Bob’s hair golden blonde and outfitting him with the kind of cape that Thor or Vision wear. This manufactured superhero-by-committee was to be “all-powerful, invincible, stronger than all the Avengers combined into one, and soon to be known as Earth’s mightiest hero.”

“That was a wig. Lane Friedman was our incredible wig master, and she designed it in a way that felt like it was just a little off-putting,” Pullman said. “It’s not supposed to look like our ideal version of a superhero; it’s supposed to be a little off-kilter. It’s supposed to make you think, There’s something wrong here, and I can’t quite put a finger on it. And so there’s something a little creepy about it. It’s not as glorious as Thor’s hair! I felt weird with blond hair—it’s probably not something I would do in my day-to-day life!”

Pullman’s Bob will return in the just-delayed Avengers: Doomsday, dated for December 2026. Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, AKA The New Avengers, is now playing only in theaters.

The post Marvel’s Sentry Looks Like Superman in Thunderbolts* Concept Art appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Avengers are never really on the same page in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When they first assemble in The Avengers, the heroes have plenty of reasons to dislike one another, and things only get better for a time before they are at each other’s throats again. The group officially calls it quits in Captain America: Civil War, and without a united front to protect Earth in Avengers: Infinity War, almost all is lost. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes know they have to assemble one last time in Avengers: Endgame to make up for their mistakes, but once the battle is over, most of them go their separate ways, leaving a massive void.

Without a group of allies to fall back on, many MCU heroes, such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, have had to deal with Avengers-level threats on their own. Only at the end of Captain America: Brave New World does someone get their butt into gear and starting getting a team together. However, Sam Wilson doesn’t get all the pieces in place before Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announces to the world that the New Avengers are here. Now, the two sides are at odds, and another character may be waiting in the shadows to take advantage.

Sam Wilson’s Team and the New Avengers May Have Some Competition in the MCU

The end of Thunderbolts* sees the New Avengers accept their role as Earth’s protectors, and for at least a year, they do a pretty good job. They enter the film’s post-credits scene with new suits and look ready to face the threats ahead of them. However, there’s a nasty case of impostor syndrome going around because, as soon as they get word that Sam is looking to trademark the name “Avengers,” they don’t seem as confident. Bucky is especially upset because his conversations with Sam about the subject aren’t going well, so much so that it doesn’t seem like they’re really friends anymore.

Sam, on the other hand, seems really sure of himself as he looks to get the Avengers back on track. He asks his wingman, Joaquin Torres, to be his first recruit, and while the rest of his team is a mystery at this point, he knows enough heavy hitters to fill out an impressive roster. However, no connection can prepare Sam to face off against another MCU character who believes he has what it takes to lead Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: Ikaris.

The leader of the titular group of ancient beings in Eternals, Ikaris has incredible strength and speed, and he’s a lot more durable than a super-soldier. He also talks a big game, such as when he tells Sprite he believes he can lead the Avengers. The rest of the Eternals laugh at Ikaris when he reveals his goal, but underestimating him is what lands them in trouble. He turns on his allies and tries to help a Celestial to destroy the Earth. While Ikaris sees the errors of his ways and flies into the sun, it seems like something he can survive, and if he’s still out there, he’s a massive threat.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Shock Ending Changed The MCU In 3 Major Ways]

The Avengers Could Use an Eternal on Their Side in Doomsday

Whether Ikaris puts his own team together or tries to take control of one of the active ones in Avengers: Doomsday, he’s going to be a challenge. Sam’s team and the New Avengers would likely have to squash their beef to avoid being taken out by the Eternal. If someone gets through to him before he does too much damage, though, he could prove to be an invaluable pickup. After all, Sentry is out of commission at the end of the Thunderbolts*, and Ikaris is one of the few characters in the MCU that can even hold a candle to Bob’s alter-ego. Doctor Doom’s unlikely to stand a chance with that kind of firepower available.

The Avengers do run the risk of rubbing Ikaris the wrong way and sending him running to Doom’s side, but it’s not like they have a ton of options. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark aren’t walking through the front door, which means no one can sit out the fight that’s on the way in the next couple of Avengers movies.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Do you think Ikaris could become a factor in the Avengers vs. New Avengers conflict? Whose side do you think he could be on? Let us know in the comments below!

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A New Avenger requires a new costume. Official concept art for Marvel’s Thunderbolts* shows alternate designs for the suit worn by Red Room-raised mercenary and assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who made her debut alongside adoptive sister Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in 2021’s Black Widow. That film had the Widows trade their black tactical suits for all-white spy wear, a nod to Yelena’s “White Widow” alter-ego from the comics.

Black Widow also had Yelena don a forest green vest —with handy pockets! — that she gave her sister as a parting gift. A blonde-haired Natasha would go on to wear the vest over her black suit in Avengers: Infinity War, retroactively revealed to be a link to her sister.

In the unused designs shared by artist Ji Hye Lee, a senior illustrator at Marvel Studios, Yelena’s wardrobe pays homage to the now-iconic green vest from Infinity War and Black Widow with a collared look that you can see in the gallery below.

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Writer Reveals New Avengers Twist Was Kevin Feige’s Idea

Other designs incorporate the Black Widow symbol belt buckle that appeared on most of Natasha’s suits since her first appearance in 2010’s Iron Man 2, while a fur-collared design appears to be a homage to Natasha’s “Madame” look from her first appearance in Tales of Suspense #52 in 1964.

“I was honored to work with so many amazing artists under the supervision of [Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development Andy Park],” Lee captioned the Instagram post. Lee’s Yelena designs, along with concept art for other characters like Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), will be included in the Thunderbolts: The Art of the Movie book slated for release on August 26.

By the end of Thunderbolts*, after CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has rechristened the team of “disposable delinquents” to be the New Avengers, Yelena’s dirty blonde hair has been slicked back, and she has a more official-looking jump suit to go along with her public-facing role as co-leader of the New Avengers.

The team, which includes Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman), is based out of New York City’s Watchtower (formerly Avengers Tower) and will return in Avengers: Doomsday. The Anthony and Joe Russo-directed superhero ensemble is slated to open in theaters on May 1, 2026.

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* — starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, with Wendell Edward Pierce — is now playing only in theaters.

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WARNING: There are Thunderbolts* spoilers ahead! A new preview image from The Fantastic Four: First Steps released on Wednesday shows Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) in space, perhaps answering a question left hanging at the end of Thunderbolts*. The photo — published by Fandango — shows the two in spacesuits with the Fantastic Four logo on them, and a larger emblem on the wall behind them. This likely means the team is heading to space after they have their powers and are established as superheroes. This could be the very same ship that we saw heading towards Earth-616 in the post-credit scene, and hopefully, it has the Fantastic Four on board.

It’s no surprise to see Reed, Johnny, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) in space. The group’s origin story is an experimental space flight where they were bombarded with cosmic rays, leaving them each with unique superpowers. However, we know that First Steps is not an origin story movie, and the team would not have its logo at the time of their origins anyway. Whatever this scene is, it takes place after the Fantastic Four are established as a team.

This confirms that the Fantastic Four already have the resources to return to space at the time of this story. From there, it’s reasonable to speculate that they may be in the very spaceship we see in the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*. Hopefully, this means it’s the Fantastic Four themselves heading towards the MCU’s primary earth setting, though it could still be their ship with someone else on board — perhaps Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).

[RELATED: I Think the MCU Needs Its Veteran Directors To Bring the Franchise Back]

The set-up at the end of Thunderbolts* seems to be intentionally mysterious. We’re told explicitly that the scene takes place 14 months after Val declares the team the “New Avengers,” but we’re also told that they’re still at odds with Sam Wilson’s team. We then see a satellite image of a ship heading towards earth with the Fantastic Four logo painted on the side. The Avengers are not sure whether to regard it as a threat, and they’re watching closely. They have confirmation that the ship came from an alternate dimension, not just elsewhere in space.

First Steps takes place in a separate timeline from the rest of the MCU, and there are plenty of ways it could crossover into the main reality of Earth-616. The logo is a good hint that the Fantastic Four developed the interdimensional travel themselves, but it’s not clear why, nor why they’re targeting Earth-616. It’s also possible that the team developed this technology only to have it stolen by Doom, who might have some nefarious reason of his own to shift timelines.

It’s a mystery that’s likely to go unsolved until The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th. Thunderbolts* is still playing in theaters around the U.S.

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Time for another group hug. Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is heading back inside the Void, the setting of the movie’s climactic third act and the battle between Bob Reynolds’ (Lewis Pullman) light and dark sides. When shadowy CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has the mentally ill meth addict step out as the Sentry — the “Golden Guardian of Good” and the sole surviving test subject of Project Sentry — Bob handily defeats the titular group of “disposable delinquents” accidentally assembled by Val.

As Bob’s alter-ego, the villainous Void, turns New York’s citizens into shadows, the so-called Thunderbolts — Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) — band together outside the Watchtower (formerly Avengers Tower). They’re not alone anymore.

RELATED: Thunderbolts* / *The New Avengers: Alternate Fantastic Four Post-Credits Scene Revealed

When Yelena follows Bob inside the Void, she finds herself in a maze of her most shameful memories, including her role in the death of her childhood friend Anya (Alexa Swinton). As she helps Bob process his traumatic memories, Bucky, Alexei, Ava, and John follow them into the Void, confront their own pasts, and overcome Bob’s dark side with a therapeutic group hug.

“You can’t stop it. You can’t contain it all by yourself. Nobody can,” Yelena tells Bob. “We have to let it out. We have to spend time together. And even if it doesn’t make the void go away, I promise you it will feel lighter.”

“It’s an interesting thing to try and explain the Void,” Pullman says in a new behind-the-scenes video. “It’s this thing that Bob doesn’t have control over, and once he loses control over it, it becomes this all-powerful, kind of wormhole-esque thing. And when you get taken into it, it’s essentially an interwebed series of endless rooms, of places that you’ve experienced the most shame or grief in your life.”

Adds production designer Grace Yun, “We wanted the spaces to feel realistic. So when you first see it, you’re not quite sure if it’s a flashback or you’re trapped in a memory, and later on you discover it’s the Void spaces. It’s a deliberate design to make it feel boxed in, as if they’re trapped. Each character is trapped in their trauma memory.”

Pullman likened the Void spaces to an amalgamation of Michel Gondry’s psychological drama Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind and the surreal, Charlie Kaufman-directed psycho-drama Synecdoche, New York, with director Jake Schreier citing another influence in 1999’s Being John Malkovich.

Schreier wanted to “do something different, like [filmmakers] Spike Jonze and Jonathan Glazer.” Referencing Glazer’s 2002 “Odyssey” commercial for Levi’s jeans (which you can watch above), Schreier took inspiration from “them bursting through walls, and there’s explosions as they do that, and then the sequence from Being John Malkovich of going into John Malkovich’s subconscious.”

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* — AKA *The New Avengers — is now playing only in theaters.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Thunderbolts* assembles an exciting new team of antiheroes, but one notable absence prompts the need for a future reunion of estranged family members. In Thunderbolts*, established morally gray characters Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) converge amid the discovery of an immensely powerful being known as the Sentry (Lewis Pullman). Two of the Thunderbolts, Yelena and Alexei, were introduced in 2021’s Black Widow as the adoptive younger sister and father of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Following their reconnection in Black Widow and Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame, Yelena and Alexei once again reunite after years without contact. Noticeably, Thunderbolts* omits the only other living member of their family.

Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz), the adoptive mother of Natasha and Yelena and former arranged partner of Alexei, neither appears, nor is mentioned, in Thunderbolts*. One can infer that the trio had gone their separate ways after regrouping to take down General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) Red Room in Black Widow, as Alexei is shown living a disheveled life by himself at the start of Thunderbolts*. Even though Melina’s involvement in Thunderbolts* was never an absolute necessity, the lack of any acknowledgement of her from Yelena and Alexei seems like a misstep. But, there’s still hope that a long-awaited family reunion could materialize in the future.

[RELATED – Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Asterisk Explained: What’s the Team’s Real Name?]

Melina Vostokoff’s Absence From Thunderbolts* Means a Family Reunion Needs to Happen

Melina’s absence from Thunderbolts* doesn’t hurt the movie, but it does indicate that a Black Widow family reunion (sans Natasha, of course) is long overdue. Melina’s nonappearance could arguably stem from the already high number of main characters in Thunderbolts*, with three of them already originating from Black Widow. Plus, the MCU’s quintessential need for comedic relief flows much more easily through Red Guardian than it would Melina or any Thunderbolts* character. Given Thunderbolts*‘ revelation that Yelena and Alexei hadn’t spoken in the years since the events of Black Widow, it’s difficult to guess what Melina has been up to over the last decade or so. Perhaps Alexei and Melina shared some contact in the aftermath of their reconnection, or maybe, Natasha’s sacrificial death drove them apart. Either way, it’s impossible to know because Thunderbolts* completely neglects what could have been an intriguing point of conversation between Yelena and Alexei when they first meet in the film.

The resuscitation of Yelena’s bond with her estranged father in Thunderbolts* is beautifully heartwarming, but it also calls into question whether a similar development between her and Melina might also be in store at some point. So, after further fleshing out Yelena and Alexei’s arcs in Thunderbolts*, it would make a ton of sense for them to reunite with their only other living family member in the MCU’s near future.

Will the MCU Bring Melina Back for a Reunion With Yelena and Alexei?

As of now, it’s not known if or when Melina will return in the MCU. Yelena, Alexei, and the rest of the surviving Thunderbolts team members will take part in Avengers: Doomsday‘s story, though it’s hard to imagine there’s room for an addition to their ranks among Doomsday‘s enormous cast. Despite the lack of a clear opportunity to reunite the MCU’s Black Widow family, there is reason for optimism, as Pugh and Harbour recently addressed Melina’s Thunderbolts* absence and the possibility of her return in the future.

“We don’t know what happened to Melina,” Pugh told The Hollywood Reporter. Harbour echoed the same sentiment, but offered a glimmer of hope for Black Widow fans.

“I’ve talked to [Marvel] people about Melina, and I think there’s still very much potential for Melina,” Harbour said. “I do think that there’s potential for Melina’s reemergence in some kind of interesting way, and I would love to have her back in Alexei’s life. She would add such an interesting complexity.”

It’s true that the direction of Alexei and Yelena’s MCU stories would take an interesting turn with the reintroduction of Melina into their lives. As the de facto lead character of Thunderbolts*, Yelena’s arc has taken on a greater emotional depth, as the movie emphasizes the loneliness and emptiness she feels in the wake of losing Natasha. After gaining some support from Alexei, a revival of her relationship with her mother figure would add another fascinating layer to one of the MCU’s best characters.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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There are countless stories of actors missing out on superhero roles. Sometimes, a big star passes on a part because it’s not right for them, such as Amanda Seyfried turning down the chance to play Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But more times than not, a lesser-known actor just can’t get over the hump. Asa Butterfield certainly fits into that category, as he was up for Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War. Fortunately, Butterfield went on to have a great career, and there are several other instances of actors losing out on a comic book role and still finding success elsewhere.

However, losing out on a major part in the MCU hasn’t discouraged every actor from getting back on the horse (or, in this case, putting on a different suit). For example, Sebastian Stan auditioned to play a hero in the franchise’s early days, and while he didn’t get the job, it led him to the role of a lifetime.

Sebastian Stan Was Nearly the Hero Instead of the Sidekick in Captain America: The First Avenger

In the late 2000s, following the success of Iron Man and the positive reception to its post-credits scene, Marvel Studios was looking to build the rest of its Avengers roster. Of course, Robert Downey Jr. was already on board, but the rest of the team still needed to be cast. The powers that be eventually settled on relatively unknown actor Chris Hemsworth for the role of Thor, leaving Captain America as the big boots to fill. Marvel considered several future stars, including Chris Pratt and John Krasinski. Stan also found himself in the mix, but he was told he wasn’t right for the part, and it eventually went to Fantastic Four star Chris Evans.

While getting so close to a role as big as Captain America probably stung, Stan didn’t let failure deter him. Marvel offered him the role of Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers’ childhood friend who becomes his sidekick during World War II, and he ran with it, delivering a great performance in The First Avenger before returning as the titular villain in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. However, while Marvel is surely happy with its decision, there’s a chance that Stan would’ve taken Cap to new heights.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Nearly Included Zemo and Goliath — With Red Hulk as the Villain (Exclusive)]

Would Sebastian Stan Have Been a Better Captain America in the Long Run?

After landing the Captain America role, Evans quickly proved that he was up for the task, becoming one of the faces of the MCU alongside Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Hemsworth’s Thor. However, by playing Monday morning quarterback, it’s easy to see that Stan had the potential to lead his own franchise as well. The actor earned an Oscar nomination for his turn as Donald Trump in The Apprentice and appeared in several critically acclaimed movies that show off his range, playing a psychotic boyfriend in I, Tonya and a brave astronaut in The Martian. Evans also has some impressive projects on his résumé, including Bong Joon Ho’s Snowpiercer, but he’s seen more as an action star than an Oscar-caliber actor. That doesn’t mean the two actors ended up in the wrong places, though.

If Stan had landed the role and The First Avenger went off without a hitch, he probably would’ve done a good job and helped make Captain America a household name. However, one aspect of the movie would’ve suffered: Bucky. Stan fits the Bucky role so well that he’s stuck around for well over a decade, being one of only two actors to appear in every MCU phase. It’s unlikely that anyone else would’ve turned Bucky into such a success story, and Stan may not have benefited that much from the arrangement, either, as Cap called it quits and gave up his shield to Sam Wilson at the end of Avengers: Endgame. While Stan may have enjoyed being one of the faces of the MCU for a short time, his settling for the sidekick role was the best decision he ever made, as both he and the MCU are still benefiting from it to this day.

Did you know that Sebastian Stan auditioned to play Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger? How would he have changed Cap’s role in the franchise? Let us know in the comments below!

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Marvel Studios is making some big moves on the small screen, pivoting towards a “less is more” approach that aims to produce fewer series but with a stronger emphasis on multi-season narratives. This shift also means changing how we’ll see some of the MCU’s heaviest hitters. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television and Animation, clarified that while major Avengers characters won’t be headlining their own shows moving forward, the door remains wide open for them to make significant appearances in other characters’ series. This strategic adjustment looks to ease audience “homework” fatigue while still allowing for exciting crossovers and a deeply interconnected universe, focusing on character-driven stories that can hold on their own.

The Avengers have certainly made their presence felt on Disney+ already. We saw Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, play a pivotal role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Don Cheadle’s War Machine was central to the intrigue of Secret Invasion. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) even got their own titular series with WandaVision and Hawkeye, respectively. And with Thunderbolts* rebranding the team as the New Avengers, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) have cemented their status, retroactively making their substantial roles in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye even more integral to the broader Avengers narrative. Still, with this new framework for TV, there’s a whole roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes who could lend their star power and unique abilities to the expanding television corner of the MCU.

Here are five Avengers we’d be thrilled to see pop up in MCU TV shows.

1) Spider-Man

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, with his intrinsic ties to New York City, presents a compelling candidate for integration into the MCU’s street-level television narratives. The MCU’s increasing development of grounded storytelling, notably with the ongoing Daredevil: Born Again series starring Charlie Cox, creates a logical context for a potential crossover. Even a brief team-up could effectively explore the dynamic between Spider-Man’s characteristic youthful energy and Daredevil’s more hardened approach to justice, thereby enriching this specific corner of the MCU.

The primary hurdle for such an appearance is the complex rights agreement between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures regarding the live-action Spider-Man. While Marvel Studios can develop animated series like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, integrating Holland’s iteration into a Disney+ live-action series would require Sony’s legal approval. Still, if Sony allowed, a one or two-episode arc in Daredevil: Born Again, or a similar NYC-based show, it could be a perfect way to leverage Spider-Man’s immense popularity and street-level relatability, providing a thrilling treat for fans.

2) Red Guardian

With the New Avengers, including David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, now officially operating from their New York City headquarters following the events of Thunderbolts*, the stage is set for some of these team members to get entangled in local issues. Red Guardian, with his booming personality, tragicomic backstory, and scene-stealing sense of humor, is an ideal candidate for a memorable cameo appearance in one of the MCU’s New York-set television series. His particular brand of misguided bravado and surprising heart could inject a unique energy into virtually any street-level storyline.

[RELATED: Marvel Fan Finds Surprising Trend About MCU Movie Ratings (But Fantastic Four Might Break It)]

The Red Guardian, perhaps on a day off or a minor mission, blundering into a situation being handled by characters like Daredevil, offers the perfect setup for a uniquely entertaining interaction. His appearance does not need to be central to the season’s overarching plot, but would provide a self-contained comedic and action-packed sequence. Such a cameo aligns perfectly with Marvel’s new TV strategy, allowing an Avenger to make a significant impact without the need for a dedicated series, further weaving the New Avengers into the fabric of the MCU and giving fans more of a beloved character.

3) Thor

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor remains one of the MCU’s premier powerhouses, a factor that naturally makes any appearance expensive for Marvel Studios. Following Thor: Love and Thunder, the God of Thunder embarked on a more personal journey, embracing cosmic fatherhood with Love (India Rose Hemsworth) and operating in a relatively isolated corner of the universe. This current path contrasts with his deep-seated integration throughout the Infinity Saga and presents a Thor who, while confirmed for the universe-shaking Avengers: Doomsday, has been somewhat decoupled from the central narrative threads of the Multiverse Saga.

A brief TV appearance offers an excellent avenue to bridge this gap and reintegrate Thor more visibly into the active MCU moving forward. Whether it’s a compelling cameo in a cosmic-centric Disney+ series or even a justified drop-in on an Earth-based show, such a spot would powerfully reinforce his enduring presence and importance to the MCU. It would also be something of a redemption for Hemsworth, whose Thor character was once shamelessly spliced into an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

4) Falcon (Joaquin Torres)

Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres officially took flight as the new Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World, and he’s quickly become a fan-favorite addition to the MCU. However, despite strong showings in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) ally and his recent cinematic debut as a winged Avenger, Torres has primarily served in a supporting capacity. Giving him opportunities to appear in other MCU television series could be a fantastic way to build out his character, offer him more chances to shine independently of Sam, and strengthen the connective tissue between the Avengers and the TV landscape.

Sam Wilson had his own standout moments in other heroes’ projects that helped solidify his place, like that memorable clash with Ant-Man (Paul Rudd). Joaquin Torres deserves similar opportunities to spread his wings, offering his perspective as a newer hero and showcasing his skills as the new Falcon.

5) Rocket Raccoon

As one of the galaxy’s most brilliant minds and now the leader of the current iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is a key player on the cosmic side of the MCU. He’s also an honorary Avenger, having fought alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and played a crucial role in keeping hope alive during the Blip, operating under the command of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). This established connection to the Avengers makes him an excellent candidate for weaving cosmic threads into the MCU television shows.

Given Marvel’s new TV strategy, a full Rocket-centric series is off the table. Still, a guest spot where his skills are needed, consulting on alien tech for S.W.O.R.D., for instance, would reinforce his MCU importance. Such a cameo would underline his connection to Earth’s heroes while reminding fans of the vast galaxy beyond and the vital role the Guardians, and specifically Rocket, play within it.

Which Avenger, not headlining their own show, would you most like to see make an appearance on an MCU Disney+ series? Let us know in the comments!

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The ending of Thunderbolts* sets up an epic Avengers conflict in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though this rivalry would be best explored in its own movie. Comprised of notorious MCU anti-heroes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and newcomer Bob Reynolds/the Sentry (Lewis Pullman), the Thunderbolts are publicly introduced as the New Avengers by CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in the film’s closing moments. Thunderbolts*‘s post-credits scene reveals that Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) has filed to copyright the Avengers’ name, foreshadowing what’s to come in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday.

This intriguing conflict between the Thunderbolts/New Avengers and Sam’s yet-to-be-assembled Avengers could easily serve as the main plot of a movie, but Avengers: Doomsday seemingly has other plans. In addition to the Thunderbolts, Sam, and several Avengers like Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) , and Shuri/Black Panther (Letitia Wright), the movie’s cast features numerous Fox X-Men, the MCU’s Fantastic Four, and of course, Doomsday‘s villain, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). As a result of the upcoming film’s enormous cast and high-stakes storyline incorporating the multiverse, it appears unlikely that the Thunderbolts and Avengers’ dispute will get the attention it deserves.

[RELATED: The MCU Is Making This Major Mistake With Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars]

Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Is a Great, But Avengers: Doomsday Doesn’t Have Room for It.

Following Thunderbolts*, the MCU has the opportunity to do something exciting and different with the Thunderbolts and Avengers. The question of which team serves as the real Avengers needs to be fleshed-out thoroughly, and much about the conflict could act as a springboard for engrossing character examinations. Yelena’s place among the New Avengers in the context of her sister’s legacy as one of the Avengers’ original members makes for an superb continuation to her arc, while Walker’s position as a discarded Captain America now belonging to a team and Bucky’s switch from the Avengers to the Thunderbolts are also interesting.

Furthermore, the Thunderbolts and Avengers exhibit such different qualities in their backstories and identities. The Thunderbolts came together under improbable circumstances, converging in a death trap and bonding over their shared hardships. To one another, the Thunderbolts are the support they never wanted, but desperately needed. On the other hand, the Avengers have always functioned as a collective aimed at defending the universe from major threats. The compatibility of their personalities matters little because they are professionals doing a job before anything else. Put simply, the Avengers exist out of necessity rather than out of a genuine desire to work together.

As Doomsday approaches, the Avengers have been on a hiatus in the MCU for years now, and this unexpected replacement team presents an identity crisis for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The deaths of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) have left the Avengers in need of new leadership. As Sam takes up the mantle as the head of the team, he must also put together a group of heroes that can defeat any enemy, whether from Earth-616 or another reality. Thus, contending with both the logistics of building a formidable squad and the emergence of a government-led team of rogue agents presents a significant dilemma for Sam and the Avengers.

Avengers: Doomsday will undoubtedly address this clash of superhero squads, but it’s hard to imagine the movie will explore such a fascinating and exciting conflict with adequate depth. It’s plausible that the Thunderbolts vs. Avengers will serve as an exposition point in Doomsday as Sam assembles his team, only to hastily wrap itself up to make room for Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and whatever or whoever else the multiverse throws into the mix.

The MCU Famously Explored a Conflict Between Superhero Teams Before

Although it’s too late for the MCU to remedy its disjointed buildup to Avengers: Doomsday, a Thunderbolts vs. Avengers movie ahead of the franchise’s next big event could have been the missing piece. A lower-stakes Avengers film could have functioned similarly to Captain America: Civil War by pitting two camps with contrasting identities against one another. The aforementioned MCU Phase 3 title garnered tons of praise, and the Thunderbolts and Avengers’ vastly different dynamic compared to Iron Man and Steve Rogers’ ideological camps in Captain America: Civil War would make the storylines far from identical.

The MCU should have prefaced Avengers: Doomsday with a smaller team-up movie that could fully take advantage of Thunderbolts*‘s fantastic ending twist. A Thunderbolts and Avengers-focused movie would additionally provide some much-needed development for the main heroes before the multiverse and next big bad come into play. Whether MCU fans like it or not, Avengers: Doomsday will see the Thunderbolts and Sam Wilson-helmed Avengers make their next appearance, and one can only the MCU does this amazing conflict justice.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.

The post The MCU’s Thunderbolts vs. Avengers Conflict Is So Good, It Deserves Its Own Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s fair to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t brought its A-game lately. The Multiverse Saga has been a mixed bag for Marvel Studios, and through no fault of its own, it had to swap Big Bads before one of the most ambitious comic book movies ever, Avengers: Doomsday, went into production. So, the MCU needs a win sooner rather than later, and it’s putting a lot of the pressure on a group of screw-ups, the Thunderbolts. And to the surprise of nearly everyone, they pull it off, shining in a heartfelt superhero movie with a lot to say about pushing forward during the rough times.

Pretty early on in Thunderbolts*, it becomes clear that one of the core themes is found family. No one chooses how they come into the world, but they do decide how they live in it and who they go on their journey with. Finding purpose in saving one another pushes the Thunderbolts to band together and stop Sentry from destroying New York in a climax that resembles one of the MCU’s most controversial.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

The Thunderbolts Save Each Other When Things Get Tough

Thunderbolts* isn’t the first movie about bad guys teaming, so there are familiar moments. Initially, Yelena, Walker, and Ghost can’t stand each other, and once they escape Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s trap, they plan never to cross paths again. However, with the help of their new ally Bob, they start to open up little by little and learn they have a lot in common. Yelena especially takes a liking to Bob after they bond over feeling like they’re going nowhere in life and are all alone. So, when Bob lands himself in some trouble, Yelena and the rest waste little time coming to his aid.

When the newly formed Thunderbolts arrive in New York to save Bob from Valentina, they hit a bit of a roadblock in the form of Sentry, Bob’s new hero alter-ego. Valentina got inside Bob’s head, and he believes he’s above his former allies. The team loses confidence pretty quickly, but once Yelena sees Bob embrace the darkness, she risks her life to save him by going inside The Void. While the rest of the group doesn’t understand at first, they eventually follow Yelena inside and unite to bring Bob back. It takes a lot of work as the group travels through Bob’s worst memories, and it looks like all is lost when Bob loses control and starts attacking his dark side. Fortunately, the rest of the team reassures him that he’s not alone, and everyone embraces in an emotional scene. But while it tugs at the heartstrings, it’s not all that different from another MCU ending that caught its fair share of flak.

[RELATED – Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

Thunderbolts* Takes Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Ending to the Next Level

There are very few problems with James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but one that sticks out is the ending to the first movie. After getting the best of Ronan the Accuser and crashing his ship, Star-Lord challenges him to a dance-off as the rest of the team prepares a weapon to knock the Power Stone out of his hammer. The gamble pays off, with Star-Lord being able to grab the Infinity Stone. He’s unable to contain the gem alone, however, so all of the Guardians join hands and use their newfound power to kill Ronan. It’s a bit of an anticlimactic ending for a villain in league with Thanos, and there have been plenty of conversations online since the movie’s release about how it falls a little flat.

The powers that be at Marvel Studios have clearly had their ears to the ground in the last decade because, while Thunderbolts* travels into similar territory, the build-up to The Void’s defeat feels stronger. Embracing unites the Thunderbolts as a team and allows everyone to start the healing process. And they come out the other side not only as the New Avengers, but as new people.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Did you see the parallels between the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy and Thunderbolts*? Which conclusion do you think works better? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Thunderbolts* Actually Improves on One of the MCU’s Most Controversial Endings appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future is sure looking a lot like its past. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, for instance, is helmed by WandaVision’s helmer Matt Shakman, and only after it was supposed to be directed by Jon Watts, the man responsible for helming the three Tom Holland Spider-Man movies. Anthony and Joe Russo are back for the next two Avengers installments, while Shang-Chi filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton is helming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is helming the MCU’s X-Men reboot.

Even on the television side of things, Moon Knight and Loki season two directors Aaron Benson and Justin Moorhead are now directors of various season one and two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, and Cretton is a key figure behind Wonder Man. The MCU is pretty much just relying on a handful of names to realize its projects now (particularly on the big screen), as the studio tries to recapture its former glory. While not an ideal creative approach, this just might be exactly the course correction the MCU needs.

The MCU’s Weird History With Directors

The original Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One movies hired veterans of filmmaking, like Jon Favreau, Kenneth Branagh, and Joe Johnston, to helm various titles. Even Joss Whedon, who only had one feature-length directorial effort to his name before The Avengers, had at least worked in Hollywood for decades. Phases Two and (especially) Three began a trend of embracing smaller indie directors fresh on the scene who could helm big blockbusters. Jon Watts, Taika Waititi, and Ryan Coogler all came from this approach, while Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel) were indie veterans. While the MCU’s default directors were Sundance darlings, the studio often resorted to a small collection of screenwriters to get scripts done.

Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, Patrick Burleigh, Megan McDonnell, and especially Eric Pearson were all longtime fixtures as MCU screenwriters across the first five Phases. Heck, many of them were veterans of the Marvel Studios screenwriter program! They were the perfect go-to people to execute titles that, starting with Phase Four, always featured “A Kevin Feige Production” in the end credits but not “A Jon Watts Film”, “A Jake Schreier Film,” or “A Nia DaCosta Film.” The MCU’s director choices externally reflected “authorship”, but it was clear that Fiege was running the ship and had go-to writers to help realize those visions.

[RELATED: These Are The Only MCU Movies That Lost Money In Their Theatrical Runs]

All of that to say, perhaps it’s best that the MCU finally put down the facade and finally have its choice in directors mirror the franchise’s recurring screenwriters. The scripts for the MCU have always operated more like TV show scripts or the screenplays that would’ve filtered through MGM’s Golden Age. Now the MCU has a reliable stable of directors it can turn to in churning out new projects. Feige likely loves the idea of putting behind him the endless struggles of Julius Onah’s Captain America: Brave New World, Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, or even Sam Raimi’s tormented return to blockbuster cinema, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – just as he quickly tired of trying to juggle the creative whims of veteran filmmakers like Joe Johnston (The First Avenger), Kenneth Branagh (Thor), and even MCU icons like Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and Joss Whedon (The Avengers).

Young Fresh Voices May Now Have Fewer Opportunities To Get Sucked Into The MCU

Ryan Coogler was just a few months shy of 30 when he got hired for Black Panther. Jon Watts just turned 34 when he got the Spider-Man: Homecoming gig. Chloe Zhao was 36 when she was hired for Eternals. By contrast, Shawn Levy was 56 when Deadpool & Wolverine hit theaters, Matt Shakman will turn 50 a few years after First Steps hit theaters, and both of the Russo Brothers are well into their 50s as they gear up to helm Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. The MCU now resorting to recurring directorial talent means that the studio is no longer angling to get fresh-faced Sundance darlings. The franchise is now turning to a small pool of superhero blockbuster veterans to get its projects, especially movies, done right.

For cinema writ large, that decision could be a massive boon. Recent outstandingly talented indie cinema auteurs like A.V. Rockwell, Rich Peppiatt, Shuchi Talati, and countless others may no longer be on the radar of Feige and company. That’ll leave these artists time and resources to create exciting original cinematic visions, rather than getting stuck directing three Iron Fist movies. Look at how much fervent creativity Boden and Fleck channeled into their post-Captain Marvel project Freaky Tales, or how infinitely better Nia DaCosta’s debut feature, Little Woods, is compared to The Marvels. Freaky Tales and Woods are the kind of smaller, original productions indie directors need to be encouraged to create, rather than every one of these artists making the Colin Trevorrow leap from Safety Not Guaranteed to Jurassic World.

Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios’ brass turning to a smaller, pre-determined group of directors to handle its film and TV operations could allow more cinematic artists to follow their own path, rather than getting caught up in the Disney machine. And hey, if Marvel Studios improves its recent cinematic track record by relying on proven talent, that’s just a nice bonus. Though it doesn’t suggest tremendously versatile works are in the MCU’s future, a new emphasis on recurring veteran directors (particularly for films) does seem to be a smart move for both franchise and the greater landscape of cinema.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters, The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

The post I Think the MCU Needs Its Veteran Directors To Bring the Franchise Back appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Hero Academia is no stranger to superhero shout outs, and the latest episode of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes gave Marvel another fun cameo with a Winter Soldier Easter Egg. Ever since My Hero Academia began its run with Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine over a decade ago, series creator Kohei Horikoshi has never been shy about all of the influences that Marvel superheroes had on the series. This even led to official crossovers with heroes like Spider-Man following its finale, and fans have spotted even more connections between the two worlds over the years through manga and anime releases.

This connection with Western superhero comics even extends to My Hero Academia‘s spinoff projects like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. The new anime series has been airing its new episodes through the Spring 2025 anime schedule, and with it fans have gotten to see a whole new side of the hero world. This even includes some fun new Easter Eggs and shout outs to more superheroes, and the latest even brings in a Yakuza member inspired by the Thunderbolts* film standout, Bucky Barnes the Winter Soldier.

My Hero Academia Introduces Its Own Winter Soldier

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Episode 6 begins with an introduction to how the Yakuza world operates within the hero society. While fans have gotten to see this side of the crime world in the original My Hero Academia series, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes takes place years before the events of the main series. This means that the Yakuza world seen here is just starting to grow and change with all of the Quirks making the world that much more dangerous. It’s meant that those who are in the Yakuza ranks are getting deadlier thanks to their powers as well, and it’s getting to be a problem.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes addresses this with a deadly new vigilante who turns out to be Hero Killer Stain before he officially becomes the villain we see later. He kicks off the episode by killing a group of Yakuza, and one of them not only has black around his eyes but then one of his arms is coated with a metal. This makes him look at lot like Marvel’s own Winter Soldier, and while he’s not named, it’s fun and quick shout out to the Marvel Cinematic Universe nonetheless.

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Director Reveals Scrapped Scene Would Confirm a Surprising Survivor

What’s Next for the Winter Soldier in the MCU?

The Winter Soldier’s been through quite a lot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since he was first introduced to the feature films. Bucky Barnes went from being Steve Rogers’ best friend during the World War II era, and was thought dead for many years. It turned out that he was reprogrammed and turned into a deadly assassin known as the Winter Soldier. But after being saved by Steve, Bucky regained his mind back and was able to turn everything back around and is now one of the pillars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bucky was a central figure of Marvel’s newest cinematic entry as well, Thunderbolts*. Releasing in theaters earlier this month, this film saw a bunch of scattered characters from across the MCU and put them together into a makeshift team that would allow them to become the heroes they never thought they would be. It ended up being a direct lead into the events of Avengers: Doomsday, and it won’t be long before we find out what’s next for Bucky and the rest of this new team. And considering how well it’s done with fans so far, we’re going to see a lot more of them soon.

The post My Hero Academia Introduces Its Own Winter Soldier With MCU Easter Egg appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel fans left wondering about the fate of a scene-stealing guinea pig featured in Thunderbolts* now have confirmation of its survival, thanks to director Jake Schreier. In a recent interview with Collider, Schreier revealed a planned post-credits scene, ultimately cut from the film, which showed the resilient rodent alive during the film’s chaotic climax. The guinea pig, rescued by Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) early in the movie from a lab targeted for destruction, became an unexpected fan-favorite, and its complete disappearance from the narrative after the opening sequence left many viewers asking questions about its fate. Schreier’s comments clear up that particular mystery and provide insight into the creative team’s ideas for capping off the Marvel Studios team-up film, before the Russo Brothers offered the final post-credits scene linking Thunderbolts* to Avengers: Doomsday.

“We had a whole different credit sequence that we were working on,” Schreier revealed. “We were doing a guinea pig going through a bunch of Void rooms because people do ask about the guinea pig.” This scrapped concept offers a fun alternative to the significant, universe-expanding tease that ultimately closed out the film, sending the guinea pig on a dangerous journey inside the twisted pocket dimensions conjured by the Void entity (Lewis Pullman, in which prisoners are forced to relive their most traumatic memories.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?)]

Instead of more guinea pig screen time, Thunderbolts‘ post-credits scene pivots hard towards the MCU’s future. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and filmed on the Doomsday set itself, the tag jumps forward roughly 14 months after the main film’s events. Inside the Watchtower (the former Avengers Tower), the newly christened New Avengers discuss their ongoing friction with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who’s also assembling his own team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Their discussion is interrupted by an alert signaling an “extra-dimensional ship” entering Earth’s atmosphere, revealed moments later, via satellite feed, to be the vessel belonging to the Fantastic Four, complete with their iconic logo. This scene directly tees up both The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the massive multiversal conflict anticipated in Avengers: Doomsday.

Thunderbolts* Strikes Gold with Critics and Audiences

Beyond the specific teases for the MCU’s future, Thunderbolts* secured a strong critical reception, earning an impressive 88% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reactions have proven even more glowing, reflected in a 95% audience score on the same platform and further cemented by a solid “A-” CinemaScore. Achieving this level of acclaim is a considerable win for Marvel Studios, particularly for a project centered on a team largely composed of characters previously seen in supporting roles.

Positive word-of-mouth is translating directly into encouraging financial returns. Thunderbolts* kicked off its run with a healthy $74 million domestic opening weekend, adding another $33 million to the haul the following week. This represents a drop of only around 55%, a significantly better hold than the 68% decline faced by Captain America: Brave New World. While its $272 million global box office is still insufficient to turn a profit, Thunderbolts* staying power might still make it a success.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives on July 25th, 2025, followed by Avengers: Doomsday on May 1st, 2026.

Would you like the scrapped guinea pig post-credits scene to be released somehow? Let us know in the comments!

The post Thunderbolts* Director Reveals Scrapped Scene Would Confirm a Surprising Survivor appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts*, a film technically about a band of heroes with a mission to save NYC, deals with a lot of dark, depressing themes. As it delves deeper into the main characters’ pasts, we see signs of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Instead of taking a dramatic and grim approach to it, the film turns mental health struggles into a metaphor. It allows the audience to relate and understand the characters’ struggles without taking away from the sheer entertainment value of witnessing OP characters clash onscreen. Other movies take a similar approach, delving into their characters’ struggles without becoming dark and gritty. Some movies, like Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out series, have made it their entire brand.

The five films listed below take such serious themes and turn them into fun, heartfelt stories, just like Marvel did with Thunderbolts New Avengers:

1) Evil Dead  (2013)

This film is often said to have one of the best onscreen depictions of addiction, and with good reason. In this 2013 remake of the cult classic, Director Fede Álvarez uses addiction as a plot device to propel the story forward, but he does so in a way that highlights the struggles of ones afflicted by it. The story begins when Mia (Jane Levy) requests her brother and friends to follow her to a dodgy cabin in the woods so she can deal with the effects of withdrawal and quit heroin once and for all. She gets possessed by a demon, but people think she is only showing signs of withdrawal. Álvarez expertly uses the metaphor of demonic possession to depict how addiction destroys the lives of the addict and those around them, and he does it in a gnarly way that keeps us on the very edge of our seats till the credits roll. 

2) Forrest Gump 

On the surface, Forrest Gump is a story of a man who longs to meet his first and only love. In reality, it is one of the first mainstream films that portrays the many nuances of neurodivergence. Gump, played by none other than Tom Hanks, has autism. It is not explicitly stated in the film, but instead skillfully portrayed onscreen. As such, director Robert Zemeckis could have easily turned this into a dramatic and dialogue-heavy story about a neurodivergent man who is a little sad, slightly pitiable, yet endlessly dauntless. Instead, Zemeckis made a simple story of Gump’s long search for love. The film portrays Gump as different, yes, but it doesn’t do it in a way that inspires pity. Instead, it informs. The audience learns about what it means to be different, but not broken. 

RELATED: New Evil Dead Spinoff Title Revealed (And We Have Questions)

3) Turning Red

This film had many parents turning red and clutching pearls; for others, it has been a conversation-starter. After all, it is a culturally loaded take on adolescent angst, awkwardness, and first encounters with one’s sexuality. Mei is a 13-year-old not unlike every other 13-year-old. She is clumsy, confused, and coming of age, and that comes with… certain implications. The film takes these heavy topics and turns them all into an enjoyable telling about the women in Mei’s family who turn into humongous red pandas every time they feel ‘powerful emotions.’ Unlike her mom, Mei doesn’t want to get rid of her panda, but learns to accept it. Instead of taking the “conceal, don’t feel” approach recommended by her elders, she accepts her panda, i.e., her feelings, sexuality, and femininity. The film explores the tension between Mei and her mom, a tension that every parent of a tween has felt at some point. It starts conversations and addresses the hush around the implications of puberty, especially in Asian households. 

4) The Incredibles

The Incredibles does many things incredibly well, and portraying identity and existential crises is just one of them. Released in 2004, the animated film is about the super lives of retired superheroes. In a world that refuses to accept those with superpowers, Mr. Incredible, aka Bob, has hung up his cape and opted to spend his days at a cubicle he barely fits in. He spends his days listlessly, constantly looking back to his glory days. It’s why he gets caught up in the trap that “Syndrome” sets for him.

Dissatisfied with his professional and family life, Bob decides to have an “affair” with superheroism, showing all the classic signs of a mid-life crisis turned affair. He is chirpier, investing in luxurious cars and gifts, and trying to get fitter. Meanwhile, Violet, his adolescent daughter, is dealing with her own issues. Her introversion and tendency to literally disappear to avoid her shifting surroundings are a metaphor for an adolescent’s struggle to come to terms with change. Dash longs to escape a closeted life of hiding who he is as a super-speedster… The Incredibles’ greatest heroic feat is fitting an entire mess of family life into a film that is still so much fun.

5) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 

Directed by and starring Ben Stiller, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty transcends genres to share a story of loneliness, longing, and, ultimately, self-acceptance. And it does it all by sending Stiller’s character on a near-epic, definitely absurd, series of adventures. Walter Mitty is a guy so ordinary that he is relegated to the edges of society, becoming the butt of his colleague’s jokes and pranks. In his head, though, Mitty is an explorer, a dauntless adventurer, someone who climbs mountains, tackles sharks, and sweeps the woman he likes off her feet. The story truly begins when Mitty loses an important photograph and embarks on a journey that changes the course of his life. He actually climbs mountains, wrestles sharks, and even impresses his crush, all while being himself. The film is self-reflexive, reminding us of our own value, even and especially when we forget to see it. 

All of these films are available on streaming and digital.

The post 5 Films That Turn Serious Personal Struggles Into Fun, Heartfelt Stories (Like Thunderbolts*) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

What the Marvel Cinematic Universe had going for it in its early days was that it never lost momentum. There were only a handful of characters with solo movies, so when it came time for them to return for a team-up project, the audience didn’t feel like they missed out on much. Things got a little more complicated in Phases 2 and 3, with the MCU having to juggle a lot more storylines. Fortunately, Marvel Studios brought its A game for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, giving every character a moment to shine before it was time to wrap things up. However, times have changed, and the build-up to Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t feel the same.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Seemingly out of nowhere, though, Thunderbolts* does a bunch of the heavy lifting, pushing a new team to the forefront just in time for them to face off against Doctor Doom. But in reality, the MCU is just making up for lost time, and when push comes to shove, some of the characters it’s going to lean on in the next major Marvel event movie are going to feel underbaked.

Keeping Up With Characters Is No Longer the MCU’s Strong Suit

It didn’t take long for Phase 4 of the MCU to show its cards. Using well-placed teases, it became clear that Kang was stepping into the role of the Big Bad, and heroes like Spider-Man and Captain America would be there to stop them. Of course, for reasons beyond their control, the powers that be at Marvel Studios had to pivot, swapping Kang out for Doctor Doom after going back to the drawing board. It pushed things back quite a bit, which unfortunately had unintended but inevitable consequences.

The character who suffered the most because of the reshuffle was Shang-Chi. After a successful solo movie in 2021, it felt like Simu Liu’s hero was well on his way to becoming one of the faces of the MCU. Director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Daniel Destin Cretton, getting the Avengers: Kang Dynasty job added fuel to the fire, but he made the jump to Spider-Man 4 after the Russo brothers returned to helm Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It left Shang-Chi’s status up in the air, and while he was confirmed for the Doomsday cast, it will come out nearly five years after his first appearance. The old MCU would’ve never let that happen; after all, Doctor Strange, who had to wait nearly six years between solo movies, made his fair share of cameos in between. It speaks to the new MCU, a franchise that’s all about what a character’s done for it lately.

[RELATED: 3 Things That Don’t Make Sense About the Avengers: Doomsday Cast]

The MCU Can’t Afford to Have the New Avengers and Fantastic Four Take a Back Seat

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* makes it abundantly clear who really matters going into Avengers: Doomsday. The New Avengers have been active for a little over a year, and they’re about to come face to face with the Fantastic Four, who made the jump from their universe to the Sacred Timeline. Marvel Studios is betting on these two groups because their movies release right before Doomsday, and if they’re both successful, that’s all anyone will remember. The logic is sound, even if it’s not all that fair.

What the MCU will have to do if Doomsday and Secret Wars go off without a hitch is do right by the heroes that have been patient, such as Shang-Chi and even Ant-Man, whose third movie was hijacked by a Kang storyline that ultimately amounted to nothing. They have been paying their dues, and while the new direction of the franchise may not prioritize them, they deserve another shot at glory. It may take the MCU committing to having multiple overarching storylines running at the same time to get the job done, but that’s better than the franchise getting a reputation for ignoring success stories because of its own screw-ups.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Are you disappointed that some MCU heroes have fallen to the wayside ahead of Avengers: Doomsday? How do you think Marvel Studios can make things right? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Thunderbolts’ Set-Up For Avengers: Doomsday Is Good, But It Still Highlights A Major MCU Flaw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* introduced a powerful villain in the form of Sentry (Lewis Pullman), a character whose abilities are connected to his emotional state. Besides having the strength to hold his own against the entire Thunderbolts team with ease, Sentry can take his victims to The Void. This extension of Bob allows people to confront their worst nightmares, and the only way to escape is to push through and conquer their greatest fears. The movie established that it would be hard to fight someone as powerful as Sentry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, there is someone who might be able to take on Sentry and live to tell the tale. Thanos (Josh Brolin) traumatized the entire universe when he made half of the population disappear. For five years, billions of people from across the universe missed their loved ones thanks to the villains’ disgusting plan. Thanos proved that he was the biggest threat in the franchise. But could the Mad Titan defeat Sentry without any help? There are several factors that must be considered before answering this question. The potential battle between the two characters would be remembered for a very long time if it actually happened.

The Infinity Gauntlet

In order to win in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos needed to gather the six Infinity Stones that could manipulate reality. The premise of the entire movie saw the Avengers trying to stop the villain from getting the Stones. The team’s failure led to half of the universe’s population disappearing for five years. If Thanos had the Infinity Gauntlet at full capacity when fighting against Sentry, there is an argument to be made regarding a victory for the Mad Titan. The Stones can define what is real and what isn’t. While Sentry is one of the most powerful beings in the entire MCU, there’s not much to do against reality itself. Previous battles depicted in the franchise support this theory.

The Avengers weren’t going to let anyone kill billions of people at once. Avengers: Infinity War took place during Phase Three of the MCU. This means that a second generation of heroes was already in the field, including Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), and Vision (Paul Bettany). The entire Guardians of the Galaxy team and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) wanted to stop Thanos and his allies. That still wasn’t enough. Sentry is very powerful, but if the Mad Titan has control of the Infinity Stones during their fight, there won’t be much for Bob to do.

RELATED: [ When Will Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Stream on Disney+? ]

The Void

Sentry changed the game in Thunderbolts* when he came back from the dead as The Void. The darker side of Bob took over, plunging New York City into complete darkness. People were also forced to face their greatest fears thanks to Sentry’s powers. Could Thanos survive against the darkness of The Void? It’s likely. The villain of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame was nothing but firm in his goals. He killed his own daughter to fulfill his quest of exterminating half of all life in the universe. Even if Thanos had to live through that moment again thanks to The Void, chances are that he won’t care that much about it. The Mad Titan would return to the fight in no time.

The only people who might have a problem with The Void would be Thanos’ Black Order. Cull Obsidian (Terry Notary), Ebony Maw (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), Proxima Midnight (Carrie Coon) and Corvus Glaive (Michael James Shaw) have demons of their own. The team would be vulnerable against The Void and wherever he sends his victims. But Thanos himself? He would escape from The Void faster than anyone else. If John Walker (Wyatt Russell) could get out of there, the most dangerous enemy of the Avengers certainly can. It’s time to answer the question of whether Thanos could defeat Sentry on his own.

Thanos’ Chances Against Sentry

Thanos, on his own, could not defeat Sentry from Thunderbolts*. There are a few ways in which the Mad Titan could take on Bob, but it would require the antagonist to get some help. A version of Thanos with a fully armed Infinity Gauntlet could definitely take on Sentry. Even if Thanos couldn’t get his hands on the magical device, he would stand a chance against Bob if he could count on the support of the Black Order and his army. Sentry is indeed very resourceful, but the army seen in Avengers: Endgame is nothing to mess around with. If Thanos truly wanted to take Bob out of the picture, he would need all the help he could get from across the galaxy. The villain defeated the MCU’s original Avengers, but projects that deal with alternate dimensions, such as What If…? and Loki, demonstrated that he isn’t successful in every timeline. Thanos has been vulnerable to powerful threats.

This leaves Sentry in a very interesting position for the future of the MCU. If an argument can be made for someone to take on Thanos, that character would be putting the rest of the MCU on notice. Marvel Studios confirmed that Lewis Pullman will reprise his role as Bob in next summer’s Avengers: Doomsday. Robert Downey Jr. will return to the franchise as the evil Doctor Doom. But how will this antagonist from Latveria move forward against someone as powerful as Sentry? This is taking into account how Doom will face several heroes at the same time when he makes his debut in the franchise. If it would be hard for Thanos to defeat Sentry, Doctor Doom has to be careful with his strategy to fight against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Thunderbolts* is currently playing in theaters.

The post Could Marvel’s The Sentry Beat Thanos With No Help? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For 17 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has provoked cheers, laughter, and tears from audiences through its exhilarating and heartwarming superhero movies. This combination of necessary elements isn’t always balanced, though, as some films take on a greater level of sadness than others. Interestingly the MCU’s first two phases don’t lean into depressing stories too much, but Phases 3, 4, and 5 are defined by heartbreak just as much as joy and humor. Ramping up the sadness hasn’t brought needless misery to movie theaters, instead, the MCU’s myriad of complex characters has provided a compelling springboard for thorough examinations of grief, trauma, and other forms of heartache. The MCU’s most devastating and emotional moments continue to move fans, and a select few movies have delivered the most effective gut punches.

Listed in order of release, these seven MCU movies are the saddest the franchise has ever released.

1) Captain America: The First Avenger

Although more lighthearted than most movies set during World War II, 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger still highlights the severe nature of the deadliest conflict in human history. In the film, HYDRA functions as Nazi Germany’s scientific sector, and despite its fictional elements, the organization and its leader Johann Schmidt/Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) evoke the sinister nature of the real-life fascist regime. The First Avenger‘s ending packs a strong emotional punch, as Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) sacrifices himself by crashing a plane into a block of ice, leaving his love interest Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) behind. Even though Steve survives the event, it’s sad to know that he missed so much over the decades while frozen.

2) Avengers: Infinity War

2018’s Avengers: Infinity War delivers one of the most memorable movie endings of all time. In an astonishing turn of events, the Avengers lose to Thanos (Josh Brolin), who acquires all of the Infinity Stones and eliminates half of all life in the universe with a single snap of his gauntlet. The movie’s devastating final sequence depicts numerous renowned heroes, from Spider-Man (Tom Holland) to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) disintegrate in front of their allies, leaving the audience shaken to their core. Believe it or not, Infinity War‘s gut-wrenching moments aren’t limited to the end either. Before Thanos’ snap, Wanda breaks her own heart when she destroys Vision’s (Paul Bettany) Mind Stone, killing him, in an attempt to stop the Mad Titan. Not to mention the deaths of Gamora and Loki even earlier in the film.

3) Avengers: Endgame

The despair brought on by Infinity War‘s conclusion paved the way for the saga’s emphatic culmination in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, but the movie’s poignant sense of finality produces its own tear-jerking moments. Around Endgame‘s midway point, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) sacrifices her life by leaping off of Vormir after an intense fight with Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner). Natasha’s painful end precedes Tony Stark/Iron Man’s sacrificial death, caused by snapping his fingers while in possession of the Infinity Stones. The losses of Iron Man and Black Widow inject an air of sadness into Avengers’ triumph, but their deaths illustrate that victory comes at a cost. Furthermore, Steve’s decision to travel back in time and spend his entire life with Peggy marks the closure of his MCU story. A moving farewell to several iconic MCU heroes, Endgame made so many fans cry.

[RELATED: The 7 Funniest MCU Movies, Ranked]

4) Black Widow

The themes at the heart of 2021’s Black Widow cement the film among the MCU’s grimmest stories. Black Widow‘s harrowing opening credits sequence sets the tone, depicting dozens of young girls being kidnapped and taken to General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) Red Room to be brainwashed and trained as assassins. The trauma inflicted upon a survivor of such torment manifests itself through Natasha’s adopted sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who, after a fellow Widow liberates her, resolves to free the others while struggling to process the life that was taken from her. Black Widow mirrors the ever-relevant global oppression of women and girls, while the main characters’ reflection on their past mistakes and hardships makes for some powerful and emotional scenes. Plenty of funny and heartwarming moments help to brighten Black Widow‘s narrative, but it remains uniquely dark tale in the MCU.

5) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could easily be considered the MCU’s most somber movie due to real-life circumstances. The franchise decided to retire the character of T’Challa following the passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, and Wakanda Forever‘s opening sequence depicts Shuri learning of her brother’s off-screen death. Thus, a heavy atmosphere takes over the movie as Wakanda navigates a future without its King and protector. That’s why Shuri’s assumption of the Black Panther mantle feels so meaningful, as it symbolizes the passing of the torch from both T’Challa and Boseman. Elsewhere, Wakanda Forever details the tragic backstory of Namor, whose people were forced to live underwater when colonizers ravaged their homes. Queen Ramonda’s death during Talokan’s flood of Wakanda and Okoye’s loss of her Dora Milaje rank also figure among the movie’s most devastating moments. In spite of all the sadness, Wakanda Forever serves as a powerful representation of joy and resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

6) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The MCU’s most lovable found family embarked on its final journey together in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Much sadder than its predecessor’s the third Guardians installment fixates on the group’s race to save Rocket’s (Bradley Cooper) life when his kill switch is activated. This prompts a series of flashbacks depicting Rocket’s youth spent in the High Evolutionary’s (Chukwudi Iwuji) lab, where he was subjected to tortuous experiments. The most heart-wrenching part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 occurs when young Rocket watches his animal friends Lylla, Floor, and Teefs die while trying to escape the facility. The subject of animal abuse is extremely distressing, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 harrowingly chronicles Rocket’s past.

7) Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* addresses the topics of depression and mental health struggles head on. Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Bob Reynolds/the Sentry (Lewis Pullman) have all endured their fair share of trauma, loneliness, and loss, making them a perfect team of anti-heroes. Although Thunderbolts* balances its serious themes with a hefty amount of humor, the film delivers a number of heartbreaking moments. In the Void, Yelena and the others are immersed into their most painful memories, while Bob’s experience with drug addiction and feelings of alienation establishes him as an amazing example of perseverance. At one point, Yelena tearfully vents her despair to Alexei, and it’s easily one of the MCU’s most viscerally emotional scenes. Alone, the Thunderbolts are miserable and misguided, but together, they’re unstoppable.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

The post The 7 Saddest MCU Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A meticulous Marvel fan has unearthed a fascinating trend in the reception of recent Marvel Cinematic Universe films, suggesting a methodical alternating pattern of critical and audience duds followed by beloved hits. Reddit user WithArsenicSauce recently posted a detailed analysis on the popular /r/marvelstudios subreddit, compiling and averaging scores from four major review aggregate metrics: Rotten Tomatoes (both critic and audience scores), IMDb, and Letterboxd. By converting these varied ratings into a standardized 0-100 score and then calculating an average for each film, the user’s data reveals a distinct “one bomb, one hit” cycle that has seemingly been in effect since the release of 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder. The question now is whether the highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps will continue or decisively break this peculiar pattern.

According to WithArsenicSauce’s compilation, Thor: Love and Thunder kicked off this cycle with a middling average score of 58 out of 100. This was immediately followed by Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which garnered a significantly stronger average of 76, marking it as a “hit” in this sequence. The trend continued with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania dipping back down to an average of 54, only for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to soar with an impressive 82. Subsequently, The Marvels saw a lower average of 57, which was then contrasted by the widely anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine achieving a robust 78. Most recently in this observed pattern, Captain America: Brave New World received an average of 55, followed by Thunderbolts*, which landed an average score of 81. This consistent yo-yo effect — low score, high score, low score, high score — paints a picture of an almost predictable wave in how these films are being received overall.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?)]

Rotten Tomatoes provides a percentage score from critics and a separate percentage score from audiences, both taken into account by WithArsenicSauce. IMDb uses a user-based rating out of 10 stars, and Letterboxd uses a 5-star system predominantly driven by its user community. Converting these into a unified 0-100 scale and averaging them aims to provide a more holistic view of each film’s overall reception across different segments of viewers and critics, instead of valuing only one source of feedback. While not an official studio metric, this fan-driven analysis offers a visual representation of the MCU’s fluctuating appeal in its post-Endgame era, addressing fans’ concerns about the continuity of the MCU.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Could Break the MCU’s Reception Curse

With Thunderbolts* seemingly locking in as a “hit” in the fan-observed alternating pattern with an average score of 81, the sequence would predict that the next MCU theatrical release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is due for a more lukewarm or even negative reception. However, many factors surrounding Marvel’s First Family suggest this highly anticipated film could be the one to shatter the curse. For starters, set for a prime summer release on July 25, 2025, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the official MCU introduction of some of the most iconic characters in Marvel Comics history, a debut eagerly awaited since Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox’s assets. Then, the film is tasked with kicking off Phase Six of the MCU, setting the stage for epic crossovers like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. So, it’s fair to assume Marvel Studios has been more careful while overseeing the production of The Fantastic Four: First Steps to avoid a failure that could damage the brand even further.

It’s also worth noting that Marvel Studios has assembled a compelling team for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The core cast features Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Adding to the anticipation, the film is confirmed to feature formidable cosmic villains, with Ralph Ineson cast as Galactus and Julia Garner portraying Shalla-Bal, a version of the Silver Surfer. Behind the camera, Matt Shakman, lauded for his Emmy-winning work on Marvel Studios’ critically acclaimed Disney+ series WandaVision, is directing. Shakman’s involvement alone has raised expectations for a unique and thoughtful approach to the material, increasing the odds that First Steps will bring back the Marvel wonder lacking from many recent projects.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

What do you make of this alternating reception pattern for recent MCU movies? And do you think Fantastic Four: First Steps will break the trend? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Marvel Fan Finds Surprising Trend About MCU Movie Ratings (But Fantastic Four Might Break It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A recently surfaced set photo from Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* has offered a welcome, if somewhat bittersweet, confirmation for fans regarding Olga Kurylenko’s return as the enigmatic Taskmaster. Stunt artist Aurelia Agel, who is credited as Kurylenko’s stunt double on the film, shared an image on Instagram featuring both of them side-by-side in the distinctive Taskmaster combat gear.

This behind-the-scenes glimpse is particularly telling because it confirms Kurylenko was physically present on set to portray Antonia Dreykov. Given that the character is masked for the vast majority of her action-centric Thunderbolts* screen time and her role is minimal before her early demise, the studio’s decision to have Kurylenko on set, rather than relying solely on her stunt double and CGI for the few unmasked moments, signals a respectful handling of the actress and Taskmaster’s final bow in the MCU.

Olga Kurylenko first embodied Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster in 2021’s Black Widow, where the character’s true identity and nature significantly departed from the well-known comic book source material. In the MCU, Taskmaster was revealed as General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) daughter, Antonia, horrifically injured in an explosion caused by Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and subsequently turned into a mind-controlled super-soldier for the Red Room, equipped with photographic reflexes allowing her to mimic any fighting style.

This interpretation was met with mixed reactions from fans. While some appreciated the personal connection to Natasha’s past, many lamented the loss of the comic Taskmaster’s distinct personality and agency, with the MCU version being largely silent and presented as a near-automaton. Black Widow concluded with Antonia being freed from her father’s chemical subjugation by Natasha and the other Widows, presumably setting her on a new path.

[RELATED: Is Marvel’s The Sentry Really Stronger Than All the Avengers Combined?]

In Thunderbolts*, we learn that Taskmaster worked as a black-ops agent for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in the years before the movie’s main events. Valentina’s plan to destroy all evidence of her illegal activities, which included sending her assassins to kill each other, results in Taskmaster’s death. As co-writer Eric Pearson and director Jake Schreier revealed, Taskmaster’s death at the hands of Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) was a relatively late addition to the script.

This decision was made to raise the stakes for the newly formed team and instill a sense of genuine peril, signaling to the audience that no character was safe. As Pearson explained, in his earlier drafts, Taskmaster had a more substantial subplot and survived the film, even forming a bond with Ghost. Despite this significantly reduced and ultimately fatal role for Antonia, the set photo confirms Olga Kurylenko was on hand to film these final moments, allowing her a proper MCU farewell.

Thunderbolts* Keeps Fighting at the Box Office

Despite the MCU’s recent struggles, Thunderbolts* showed commendable staying power in its second weekend of release. The film launched with a domestic opening weekend of $74 million and followed that up with a strong second-weekend domestic take of approximately $33 million. After ten days in cinemas worldwide, Thunderbolts* had amassed a global box office total of around $272 million. The second-weekend domestic dip of around 55% is also a key indicator of audience retention, as it represents a significantly better hold than the steep 68% drop of Captain America: Brave New World. It also far outpaces the more severe second-weekend declines seen by films like 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (which fell close to 70%) and The Marvels (which saw a precipitous 78% drop). While not matching the elite under-50% holds of some of the MCU’s biggest hits like Black Panther (around -45%) or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (around -48%), Thunderbolts*‘s performance aligns it with well-received films such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (around -54%).

Thunderbolts* encouraging box office trajectory is largely attributed to the enthusiastic reception the movie has received from both critics and general audiences. The film secured an impressive 88% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, and audience scores have been even more glowing in the 95% range, complemented by an “A-” CinemaScore. For a film centered on a team of anti-heroes and lesser-known characters stepping into the spotlight, these results already make Thunderbolts* a hit for Marvel Studios.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What are your thoughts on Taskmaster’s MCU journey and Olga Kurylenko’s portrayal? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post Thunderbolts* Set Photo Has a Surprising Confirmation For Marvel Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

\WARNING: There are Thunderbolts* spoilers ahead! Thunderbolts* gave us a few hints about what’s next for the MCU, but it raised a lot of new questions in the process. It’s still unclear where all the characters will fall in the conflicts to come, especially when Bob Reynolds’ darker personas, Sentry and The Void, take over. In a new interview with Men’s Health, actor Lewis Pullman shared what he could about his character’s future, and it sounds like nothing is off the table. His immense power could be on the side of evil when Avengers: Doomsday arrives. Hopefully, his friends the New Avengers can keep him on the straight and narrow.

“It’s a great question. I’m really excited to find out,” Pullman said when asked about Bob’s future. “The Thunderbolts don’t want to let him out of their sight, because they realize that if he’s caught in the wrong hands, or if he’s not being supported enough by the right people, he might be dangerous. But they also want to keep him close in case they can figure out a way to use him. He’s a very good asset.”

“It’s a hard situation they’re in,” Pullman continued. “With all the other characters that are going to be in Avengers: Doomsday, there will be so many opportunities to figure out how each might come into play — and how Bob might come into play with any of them.”

[RELATED: Every MCU Phase 5 Post-Credits Scene Ranked (Including Thunderbolts*)]

The place of the New Avengers — or, the Thunderbolts — within the MCU is a little hard to judge right now, and there’s not much room for more setup before Doomsday. Fans are already hard at work debating whether Sentry could stand up to characters like Thor, for example, who is expected to appear in the movie. However, last time we saw Bob, he couldn’t access the powers of Sentry or The Void even by trying.

There are only a few titles left to set the stage for Doomsday, the biggest being The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which hits theaters on July 25th. On the TV side, there’s also Ironheart premiering on June 24th on Disney+, as well as Wonder Man expected in December. It’s hard to say how much either of those could really change the setup for a crossover, though. Ironheart filmed back in 2022, and Wonder Man will have its hands full introducing an all-new hero.

Thunderbolts* is still playing in theaters now. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to premiere on May 1, 2026.

The post Thunderbolts* Star Teases Sentry’s Place in Avengers: Doomsday (Will He Team Up With Doom?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe didn’t invent post-credits scenes. Decades before Nick Fury broke into Tony Stark’s home in 2008’s Iron Man, movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Airplane featured content in the credits for moviegoers willing to stick around. However, Marvel Studios has turned tags into an art form, using them to finish off running gags or tease upcoming projects and characters. Post-credits scenes have become as important as the movies themselves at this point. But, with the MCU losing a bit of steam in recent years after a few lackluster films and shows, the expectations for post-credits scenes have dwindled.

Phase 5 of the MCU has heated things up, though, and the juice from the movies is transferring over to the post-credits scenes. So, with Thunderbolts* featuring another wild tag at the end of the credits, it’s time to see how all of Phase 5’s post-credits scenes stack up against one another.

6. Captain America: Brave New World

Unlike most MCU movies, Captain America: Brave New World only features one post-credits scene. Sam Wilson visits Samuel Sterns in The Raft, and the villain warns him about an impending conflict between different worlds. The Leader’s obviously teasing Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but his speech is too generic to land a decent spot on this ranking.

5. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

If Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s mid-credits scene, which features various versions of Kang arguing about nonsense, was the only reward for sitting through the movie, it would be dead last. However, the early look at Loki Season 2 at the end of the credits that reveals another Kang variant, Victory Timely, does a great job setting up the threat of Phase 5’s initial Big Bad.

4. The Marvels

The most surprising of the bunch, The Marvels‘ sole post-credits scene sees Monica Rambeau wake up in another universe after sacrificing herself to save Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel. She meets a variant of her mother, Maria, as well as an iconic member of the X-Men, Beast. The Marvels‘ tag goes for shock value over everything, which works to its benefit in some ways, but it’ll be hard to justify if it doesn’t come back around in one of the upcoming Avengers movies.

[RELATED – 7 Other MCU Characters That Would Make A Great Team (Like the Thunderbolts)]

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Both of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s credits scenes aim to reveal the new status of members of the original team. The first sees the new Guardians bonding over music and even features a callback to the first movie, while the second features Peter Quill adjusting to life on Earth with his grandpa. The comedy and emotion of both scenes work really well and act as a nice reset after the poignant events of Vol. 3.

2. Deadpool & Wolverine

The fun of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s post-credits scene is that it’s a long time coming. Chris Evans returns early in the movie, and while his role is a mystery at first, his potty mouth makes it clear that he’s not playing Captain America but another Marvel hero. While Johnny Storm doesn’t last long in the movie, he returns in the post-credits scene to reveal what he really thinks of Cassandra Nova. His profanity-filled tirade is one of the funniest parts of Deadpool & Wolverine and makes up for all the times that Evans’ Captain America had to keep it kid-friendly.

1. Thunderbolts*

Being a movie all about C-list Marvel characters, it’s hard to expect much from Thunderbolts* post-credits scenes. Those expectations drop even further after the mid-credits scene features Red Guardian trying to convince a woman in a grocery store to buy cereal with his face on it. However, the post-credits scene turns things up to 11, revealing the rift between the New Avengers and Sam Wilson’s team and introducing the Fantastic Four to the Sacred Timeline. The final moments of Thunderbolts* answer a lot of questions and set the stage for the MCU’s next couple of projects in a big way.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Which MCU Phase 5 post-credits scene is your favorite? How would you rank all of them after seeing Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Every MCU Phase 5 Post-Credits Scene Ranked (Including Thunderbolts*) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Unlike Marvel Comics, which can feature countless different teams that are all important in their own way, the Avengers are the only group in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that gets preferential treatment. Sure, the Guardians of the Galaxy have a lot going for them, but even they become honorary members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes during the climax of Avengers: Endgame. That’s why it’s so strange that, after years of talking about it, the MCU is only just now getting around to reforming the Avengers. Regardless, Sam Wilson reveals at the end of Captain America: Brave New World that he’s ready to build a team, making his wingman, Joaquin Torres, his first recruit.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Unfortunately, Sam takes his sweet time building his vision board for his version of the Avengers, allowing Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to swoop in and announce that the Thunderbolts are now the “New Avengers.” Captain America doesn’t appreciate that the rug is pulled out from under him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still put together a formidable lineup in Avengers: Doomsday.

Which MCU Heroes Are Shoo-Ins for Sam Wilson’s Avengers?

The easiest way to figure out which characters Sam will reach out to is to cross-reference the heroes he knows best with the confirmed cast of Avengers: Doomsday. The two names that stand out right off the bat are Ant-Man and Thor because, during Sam’s time as Falcon, he fought alongside them on multiple occasions. However, what ensures they won’t ignore Sam’s call is their respect for the Captain America title. In Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man constantly loses his composure around Steve Rogers, and Thor knows the original Cap is one of the few beings in existence worthy of wielding his hammer, Mjolnir. Sam is every bit as honorable as Steve, so if he thinks it’s time to get the band back together, Thor and Ant-Man will come without a second thought.

While Thor and Ant-Man make Sam’s team pretty tough on paper, he’s going to need a few more heroes to round it out. Thankfully, two other characters set to return in Doomsday have enough connections to Captain America that it makes sense to save them a seat at the table: Shang-Chi and Shuri. The current Black Panther helps Sam with the tech he wears out in the field, while the owner of the Ten Rings has at least one original Avenger on speed dial. Shuri and Shang-Chi may not have as much experience as Sam’s other potential recruits, but they’re just as useful on the battlefield.

[RELATED – Thunderbolts* Has the Most Predictable MCU Death Ever (But It Still Had a Twist)]

Which MCU Heroes Could Be Surprise Additions to Sam Wilson’s Avengers?

With additional Doomsday casting announcements on the way, there are sure to be more heroes in the movie that fit Sam’s criteria. Some of the notable names include Captain Marvel, Hulk, Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man. However, those characters have run around with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes before, and with the MCU wanting to keep things fresh, the powers that be may opt to go in a different direction. While that doesn’t leave a lot of obvious options, after five phases, the MCU has no shortage of heroes.

The next place to look is characters that have connections to former Avengers. Bruce Banner just so happens to have a cousin who turns green and can lift heavy things, and while it’s been a minute since She-Hulk flexed her muscles, the threat of annihilation could be the push she needs to quit her day job and try out crime-fighting full-time. Carol Danvers also has an ally who can help Sam’s team get over the top, Monica Rambeau, who is currently stuck in another universe but is always ready for a fight. And then there’s G’iah, the Skrull who holds the power of several Avengers. Her whereabouts are unknown after the events of Secret Invasion, but Nicky Fury would be smart to give Sam her phone number, as there are very few characters in the MCU who can hold their own against her.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1, 2026.

Do you think Ant-Man, Thor, Shang-Chi, and Black Panther will be part of Sam Wilson’s Avengers team in Avengers: Doomsday? Who else would you like to see make the cut? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Who Is On Sam Wilson’s Avengers Team in Avengers: Doomsday? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Even before Thunderbolts* hit theaters, Marvel Studios used the movie’s trailers to tease the emergence of the Sentry (Lewis Pullman), who was said to be stronger than all the Avengers combined. That’s a bold claim considering that the Avengers roster features some major powerhouses such as Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). With Thunderbolts* finally available, we get the full context on why Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is trying to hype people about the Sentry, and given her track record of lies and deception, it’s easy to dismiss her statement. However, the Thunderbolts* also show the Sentry’s powers are on a whole new level, and maybe he could be considered the strongest Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

In Thunderbolts*, Robert “Bob” Reynolds becomes the Sentry after being the sole survivor of devious human experiments conducted under Valentina’s direction. Since the Avengers have disbanded, Valentina is trying to craft a superhero who can follow her commands and protect the U.S.’s international interests. At the end of Thunderbolts*, Valentina tries to stage a televised confrontation between the Sentry and the titular misfits, as a public demonstration of her hero’s incredible powers. Things go awry once Sentry dismisses Valentina’s orders and the Void takes over, forcing the Thunderbolts to band together against a god-like being. Still, the first encounter between Bob and his former friends underlines why the Sentry is so dangerous.

[RELATED: Is Wilson Fisk the New York City Mayor in Thunderbolts*?]

First of all, the Sentry is seemingly invulnerable, as bullets ricochet from his skin and punches from super-soldiers have absolutely no effect. He’s also super-strong, capable of throwing people around like rag dolls. That already puts the Sentry on a similar level to Thor and Hulk. However, the Sentry also possesses super-human speed, moving so fast that he seemingly teleports from one place to another in a fraction of a second. Then, there’s the fact that the MCU’s Sentry has mighty telekinetic abilities, being able to stop bullets with a simple thought or move large objects at will. So, in addition to raw powers, the Sentry has a vast array of abilities he can explore to his advantage, turning the environment into a weapon he can bend to his will. 

If that’s still not enough, the Sentry’s Void persona can instantly teleport people to a shadow dimension where they are trapped in their most traumatic memories, forever frozen in time inside a nightmare. By the looks of it, Valentina is correct, and the Sentry is more destructive than the MCU Avengers. But that’s precisely the point, considering the character’s comic book history.

The Sentry Being Overpowered Is What Makes Him So Interesting

The whole idea behind the Sentry is that he is so powerful that he could single-handedly solve any issues Marvel heroes usually face. However, Bob’s damaged psyche also unleashes the Void as the ultimate threat to all life. So, Bob is constantly pulled down by his trauma, as his fractured mind prevents him from being the Golden Guardian of Good he could be, if the Void didn’t cause as much damage as the Sentry prevents.

The MCU takes several liberties with its version of the Sentry/Void, but it retains the character’s core principle. Like in the comics, Bob is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, and his presence on a battlefield could change the tides of any conflict. Since channeling the Sentry’s powers also risks unleashing the Void, Bob has to remain under constant surveillance, vastly limiting himself. So, while theoretically stronger than all Avengers combined, the Sentry is still a last resort weapon in the New Avengers’ arsenal.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters.

Do you think Bob will brawl against some OG Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday? Share your theories in the comments!

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of redemption stories: Tony Stark leaves his life as a careless weapons manufacturer behind and becomes Iron Man, while Black Widow makes up for the red in her ledger by becoming an Avenger. However, for some MCU characters, turning over a new leaf takes more than just a movie or two. A great example is Bucky Barnes, who starts out as a sidekick to Captain America in World War II but becomes a weapon for Hydra after falling off a train and nearly losing his life. Bucky spends years trying to make up for what he did as the Winter Soldier, and he successfully turns over a new leaf by the start of Thunderbolts*.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*.

Now a congressman, Bucky uses his Winter Soldier skills to investigate Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. He ends up crossing paths with the Thunderbolts and joins them on their mission to save Bob. But by the end of the movie, Bucky finds himself in a very different spot and in need of an identity makeover.

Bucky Has Outgrown the Winter Soldier Title in the MCU

At the end of Thunderbolts*, Valentina saves her skin by introducing the characters trying to bring her down as the “New Avengers” to the press. The story takes on a life of its own from there, with the former Thunderbolts ending up on magazine covers and cereal boxes. None of them are used to it, and the pressure starts to weigh on them in the post-credits scene. Sam Wilson wants to start his own Avengers team, and Bucky’s team is getting in his way. The New Avengers mention that the Internet doesn’t see them as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which probably has something to do with their pasts. Each member of the team has a complicated and dark backstory, and without taking steps to prove that they’re reformed, the public has no choice but to be skeptical.

One issue that’s sure to complicate matters is code names. Thunderbolts* doesn’t touch on what the different heroes call themselves now, but, at least for Bucky, it really matters. The Winter Soldier took the lives of countless people, and going by just “Bucky” doesn’t instill a lot of confidence. Fortunately, Marvel Comics has the perfect code name for Bucky that speaks to exactly the kind of man he is now.

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Has Another Fantastic Four Easter Egg You Probably Missed

Bucky Once Went by a More Heroic Name in Marvel Comics

Bucky gets a major credibility boost in Marvel Comics when he becomes Captain America. He takes over after Steve Rogers’s supposed death and even leads an Avengers team. That doesn’t last forever, though, with Rogers returning to pick the shield back up before handing it off to Sam Wilson. Bucky goes back to being the Winter Soldier and operates in the shadows once again. Eventually, he sets his sights on the Outer Circle, a cabal made up of evildoers. To infiltrate their ranks, Bucky kills one of their members, the Revolution, and takes his title. He succeeds in his mission and gets his hands on a lot of intel, but Bucky doesn’t give up the name, using it when he returns to the field to lead a new team of Thunderbolts.

While the Revolution name has sinister origins, the MCU can co-opt it and make it fit Bucky’s new role as an Avenger. No longer is he a soldier working in the shadows; he’s one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, fighting on the frontlines to ensure that government officials like Valentina don’t have too much influence or abuse the power they do have. Sure, it will take some work to make the switch feel organic, but it’ll be worth it, especially since Bucky’s set to play a major role in the next two Avengers films. With the threat of Doom on the horizon, the New Avengers will need all the support they can get, and Bucky’s not likely to get much as the Winter Soldier.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Do you think that Bucky needs a new code name in the MCU? Do you think “Revolution” is a good fit? Let us know in the comments below!

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Warning: This article contains Thunderbolts* spoilers

Marvel’s Thunderbolts have arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving fans another team to root for as the march toward Avengers: Doomsday continues. But their big arrival doesn’t mean they’re the only group on the block on the big screen. The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are still kicking around, and the company is on the verge of bringing mutants into the MCU. That means the X-Men are coming, with Fox’s big-screen version of the team debuting in Avengers: Doomsday. With a new crop of actors set to take over as the MCU’s X-Men in the rumored Mutant Saga post-Secret Wars, our neurons start to fire off in our heads like kids in a candy store.

Considering Thunderbolts*‘ new title that the team receives by the end of the movie, and Kevin Feige’s insistence that the X-Men will be an “important part” of the MCU’s future, it’s only reasonable to think they’re on a collision course. Many are also speculating that Doomsday could be a low-key Avengers vs. X-Men movie, with some of the announced actors seemingly confirming as much. So will these future X-Men be at odds with teams like the Avengers and Thunderbolts? And who would win the showdown?

Who Are the Teams?

The big-screen Thunderbolts are different than the iterations we’ve seen in comics. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has been recruiting the team since Black Widow, though her motivations are far from heroic. Despite her attempt to have them killed to start the film, Val’s Thunderbolts survive and become an unlikely team. Included are super-soldier trio Bucky, U.S. Agent, and Red Guardian, Black Widow Yelena Belova, and Ghost. The Sentry joins later, though the team has to defeat his alter ego before the membership is official. Despite overwhelming odds, the Thunderbolts are victorious. The team defeats The Void, adding the equivalent of the Hulk to their ranks. But would that be enough to take down the X-Men?

Pulling from the mutant team’s history, the X-Men team likely to take center stage in the MCU is the classic Blue and Gold versions. These teams influenced the X-Men animated series and experienced many of the team’s biggest storylines. We’re talking Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Gambit, Storm, Rogue, Beast, and Bishop, all fixtures of the X-Men comics, and hopefully perfect fixtures in the MCU as well.

Strength/Powers

Seeing as the Thunderbolts have the Sentry in their ranks, he would take the lead against the mutant team while also becoming the biggest target. Jean Grey, Rogue, and Storm would be enough to handle Bob on their own, using his mental illness against him while battering him with extreme weather and sapping his powers to use against him. Removing the Sentry from the board puts the Thunderbolts at a severe disadvantage, but they’re not out.

Wolverine and Beast could give the likes of Bucky, Red Guardian, and U.S. Agent a lot of trouble, while Cyclops and Bishop team to take out Ghost, the only super-powered “hero” remaining on the Thunderbolts. Scott Summers and Yelena could match each other due to their training, but Cyclops would prevail thanks to his veteran experience and the use of his optic blasts.

Teamwork / Leadership

A big reason why the X-Men can handle the Thunderbolts easily in the MCU lies in their teamwork and leadership. The team’s always training in the Danger Room and maintain an established hierarchy between the Blue and Gold teams, creating advantages the Thunderbolts sorely lack. Yelena and Bucky are solid leaders for the team, but she’s thrust into the role and the former Winter Soldier has always been more about taking orders. Yelena does prove herself with her strategy against the Sentry, but its hard to compare to the mutants’ leadership.

[RELATED – 5 Perfect X-Men Villains For The MCU’s Reboot]

Fans of the X-Men won’t deny that Scott Summers and Ororo Munroe are two of Marvel’s most confident and effective leaders. Both have been front row to see mutantkind’s status as an enemy to mankind grow, but they never give in. If they aren’t strong leaders for the X-Men and other mutants, they could doom them all to death. The Thunderbolts would likely just replace members if they’re killed, especially if Val is doing the choosing.

Heroics and Public Perception

Still, you can’t deny the heroics on display with both teams. The Thunderbolts take the edge here by having the public on their side. That’s a big motivation for Val changing the team’s name by the end of the movie, setting them up as the New Avengers in a press event following the defeat of The Void. She is saving her own hide, but also establishing new heroes.

The X-Men are equally as heroic, but their deeds typically get buried under piles of hate and mud being slung in their direction. Being hated and feared by humanity is kind of the X-Men’s trademark throughout their existence. While the team has defeated countless villains and joined forces with the Avengers over the years, the perception that they’re “muties” is hard to shake. It’ll be doubly hard in the MCU, where the Avengers are beloved and the mutants will just be interlopers from another dimension. Interlopers who are beating up the MCU’s latest superteam and being painted as invading threats by onlookers.

Who Wins?

Having the public on their side is the greatest power on display for the Thunderbolts. While the original Avengers are still kicking around in the MCU, their ranks haven’t been revealed just yet. So if the Thunderbolts are truly the New Avengers, you’d have to assume they are somewhat beloved by the time the X-Men roll around.

While the mighty mutants have the Thunderbolts beaten on paper, the war for public opinion could be their downfall. A group of superpowered beings thrashing Earth’s newest replacement for the Avengers can’t sit well. It’s an extra layer of strategy that Cyclops would be able to recognize but not execute.

While the X-Men would overpower the Thunderbolts, their use of powers against the MCU’s heroes and the reaction to it make the X-Men the eventual losers of the fight. At the very least, the mutants are unable to win due to public opinion and it becomes a stalemate. It’s your classic case of asymmetrical warfare and stubbornness, melded together in one superhero showdown.

Thunderbolts* is currently making a splash in theaters, while Avengers: Doomsday will be released on May 1, 2026. If you need more to fill the time, all previous MCU projects and original X-Men films are available to stream on Disney+.

Do you agree with our take on the showdown between the MCU Thunderbolts* and the X-Men? Did we miss the mark entirely? Let us know in the comments.

The post Could the MCU Thunderbolts Beat the X-Men in A Fight? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WARNING: There are spoilers ahead! Thunderbolts* re-centered the Marvel Cinematic Universe around one of its core tenets: flawed human characters. It’s the aspect that has set Marvel apart from DC Comics for over half a century now, and it was a big part of the MCU’s early success as well. The most beloved Marvel characters have clear limitations and some amount of tragedy to their story, while even the most powerful typically do not approach the god-like status of characters like Superman. Marvel Studios has never strayed too far from this idea, but Thunderbolts* puts it back at the forefront of the story, and that may be intentional as the MCU builds up to another climax years in the making.

Thunderbolts* made no secret that its main characters are scrappy underdogs, with the tagline “Not super. Not heroes. Not giving up.” The movie leaned into this premise as much as the marketing, frequently reminding us that these characters are disposable, and that they don’t have the social capital or charisma to be “public-facing” heroes. The difference is that the story methodically contrasted these public image issues with the characters’ real lives, where we saw the truth behind their reputations.

The truth was not much prettier than the narrative spun by Valentina, but to an outside audience it was easier to sympathize with and even root for. It also helps that we know the facts of these characters’ stories pretty well, leaving room for Thunderbolts* to give us more of their perspective and pathos. We saw John Walker battling his anger issues in real time, for example, Ghost acknowledging that she’s not as cold-hearted as she pretends.

[RELATED: When Will Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Stream on Disney+?]

Meanwhile, Red Guardian’s issues are clearly based on loneliness and relationships, while we learn about Bob’s struggles with mental health and addiction. Both of their arcs are tied tightly to Yelena Belova, who is definitely built up as the lead character. Yelena brings all of it together by highlighting how interconnected all these problems are and how impossible they are to tackle alone. She forges a team because she needs one, not because she wants to be a hero.

The Avengers Are Not Available

The Thunderbolts are constantly contrasted with the Avengers, and we’re told they’re too far gone to ever reach that kind of status in the world. It’s a clever trick, because most viewers likely remember the first Avengers team-up well, and we can see that the Thunderbolts are not really worse off than the Avengers were on their first outing. They may not have as much firepower, but for the threat they’re up against, they’re actually perfectly equipped.

The MCU’s original Avengers were mostly assembled by the time of their first movie — Tony Stark was on good terms with S.H.I.E.L.D., Cap was with the agency, and Black Widow and Hawkeye were both agents. Thor showed up on his own and tagged along, so the only character that they actually had to hunt down and persuade to join them was their most tragic member — the Hulk.

Even then, the Avengers weren’t meant to be a six-person strike team fighting off the Chitauri by force. For most of the movie, their goal was to outsmart Loki and prevent him from enacting his plan in the first place. Since it didn’t go that way, the world doesn’t remember it that way either. As far as the public is concerned, the Avengers must be a team strong enough to fight off an alien invasion, and the Thunderbolts don’t fit that bill.

Fortunately, they’re perfectly suited for a covert operation to stop systemic exploitation of other people. Their general background in spying and infiltration was perfect to take on Valentina, and the movie relies on them believing that even if other people refuse to acknowledge it. Their personal arcs all compliment this story, as they must confront their vulnerabilities in order to persevere through the job.

The Void

From a writer’s perspective, the way the Void manifested in this movie is pretty convenient for accomplishing all this character growth in 126 minutes, and if that felt like a distracting contrivance to you, that’s fair. Still, the Void did its job perfectly here by turning the characters’ humanity into an action set piece for the climax of the movie. Not only did they have to confront their own traumatic memories, their burgeoning bond as a team gave them the power to help Bob tackle his backstory as well.

On a more subtle note, the real strength of this movie and of Marvel heroes in general is that everything is not solved in the end. The Void was contained and Valentina was cowed, but Bob is not healed all at once, and even 14 months later, he does not seem to have control over his powers. Alexei still struggles to relate to people, Walker is still prone to lash out, and Ghost is still untrusting. The post-credit scene promises more to come on an individual level as well as a universal one, and that’s just as important to keep the MCU going.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now around the U.S.

The post Thunderbolts* Gets The Core Essence of Marvel Characters Better Than Most MCU Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* represents superheroes in a uniquely profound way, bringing a level of character depth and thematic authenticity the Marvel Cinematic Universe desperately needs. Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* brings together some of the MCU’s most compelling anti-heroes to form the titular team, comprised of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell). When the group meets the misguided and immensely powerful Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) the main characters of Thunderbolts* reckon with their dark pasts and help their new friend through his struggles.

Although far from the first appearance of morally gray heroes in the MCU, Thunderbolts* separates itself from the pack by centering its characters’ experiences with trauma, loss, and guilt. Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Civil War address the ethics, challenges, and consequences of being a public-facing superhero with heavy responsibilities, and WandaVision zeroes in on the mental impact of tremendous personal loss, but Thunderbolts* does all of this at once. Against the backdrop of an action-packed team-up story, Thunderbolts* redefines what a superhero can be.

Thunderbolts* Paints a Refreshing Portrait of a Superhero Team

The Thunderbolts’ identity as a group of heroes revolves around their life struggles and moral ambiguity. Each of the members has killed in cold blood and committed various other crimes, whether as a gun for hire like Yelena, a rogue super soldier like Bucky and Walker, or as a villainous collaborator like Red Guardian and Ghost. Yet, these anti-heroes don’t shy away from their flaws. Following a series of belligerent early interactions in the film, the Thunderbolts learn to support each other through their shared hardships. Prompted by Bob, whose experience with drug addiction and depression led to his participation in the Sentry Project, the Thunderbolts examine their histories within their own consciousness. The team’s growing bond and care for each of their comrades more accurately define their strength than their prowess in combat. Saving Manhattan from Bob’s deadly alter ego, the Void, only scratches the surface of the Thunderbolts’ heroic actions, as their true superpower stems from a collective desire to help one another through their mental battles.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Keeps a Long-Standing MCU Tradition Alive]

Thunderbolts* illustrates much of this dynamic through Yelena and Bob’s relationship, as her kindness and understanding toward him starkly contrast with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) manipulation of him. Yelena’s emotional heart-to-heart with Alexei also hammers home the Thunderbolts’ significance as heroes. Through tears, Yelena laments all of the horrible things she’s done and how she can’t stop thinking about them, but her adoptive father reminds her of the reason she chose to be the goalie on her childhood soccer team: she wanted to be the one others can rely on when they make a mistake. Fittingly, the Thunderbolts get their name from Yelena’s former soccer squad, and she fulfills this role when leading the group hug that brings Bob, the other Thunderbolts members, and all of Manhattan out of the Void.

Thunderbolts* is a refreshing team-up movie because its story emphasizes the importance of saving each other more than saving the world. The Avengers are, above all, a professional coalition tasked with protecting the world, but the Thunderbolts, later dubbed the New Avengers, are better characterized by what they mean to each other. One could compare their dynamic to the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the Thunderbolts’ unique status involves their makeup of characters who were previously non-heroes in the MCU. As a result, Thunderbolts* compels audiences to see these established characters in a completely new light. 

The Thunderbolts Are More Important to the MCU Than You Think

Thunderbolts*‘s focus on mental health and the value of a strong support system emphatically resonates with audiences. Although Thunderbolts* presents a fairly surface-level depiction of addiction and depression that perhaps could use some more nuance, it’s still rare for a superhero movie to take on this subject matter so directly. Fans could have easily predicted that the Thunderbolts would amount to an Avengers B-team or a knockoff version of DC’s Suicide Squad, but the MCU delivers a pleasant surprise with its newest group of superpowered individuals. Thunderbolts* features all of the action, humor, and future project teases MCU fans know and love, but the film’s deeply human approach to the superhero genre cements it as a standout among the 30-plus other movies in the franchise. The MCU needed a team audiences could really see themselves in, and the Thunderbolts fit that mold perfectly.

The Thunderbolts will next appear on the big screen in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU’s next big event should see the team meet the real Avengers, as well as numerous other Marvel characters. Amid the universe-altering threat of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), it will be fascinating to see where the next chapter of the Thunderbolts journey takes them, both personally and collectively.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

The post Thunderbolts* Changes How We Think of Superheroes, and That’s What the MCU Needs appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As far as movies go, Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the very definition of a mixed bag. But, thankfully, its newest installment (the final film of the Phase), Thunderbolts*, skews far more Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 or Deadpool & Wolverine than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania or Captain America: Brave New World. It’s one of the universe’s most emotionally ambitious films in a while and, while it isn’t quite a top-tier film of the cinematic universe as a whole, it’s certainly a sign that the MCU, with its dwindling popularity and more frequent “Rotten” scores on Rotten Tomatoes, is on track for a course correction.

But like with any Marvel team-up movie, some characters pop more than others. This comes down to two factors: the screenplay and the performances. Which Thunderbolts* character is put to the best use? Let’s find out.

WARNING: Spoilers for Thunderbolts* follow.

9) Taskmaster

Taskmaster’s death has got to be the worst-kept secret in the history of the MCU. Marvel themselves basically confirmed it when most of the Thunderbolts* cast was announced for Avengers: Doomsday and, of the team members, only Olga Kurylenko’s name was absent. In fact, Taskmaster may very well be the most wasted fan-favorite character in the history of the franchise.

And, in Thunderbolts*, she really is wasted. She’s in exactly one scene and Kurylenko is given exactly one line. It’s a shame because Kurylenko has always been an underappreciated performer and Taskmaster is a neat character. They both deserved better.

8) The Winter Soldier

Maybe it’s because he’s been in nine MCU movies and a show by this point, but Thunderbolts* doesn’t seem particularly interested in giving Bucky Barnes much to do. And, fair enough. It’s more a chance to catch up with Yelena, Red Guardian, John Walker, and Ghost than it is to see the continued adventures of Mr. Barnes.

The MCU has never seemed to be 100% sure what to do with the Winter Soldier. He went from friend to suped-up antagonist to, for all of two seconds, the White Wolf, then back to the Winter Soldier, and now a politician moonlighting as the Winter Soldier. Is Bucky essentially the leader of the Thunderbolts (or New Avengers)? Sure, tied for first with Yelena. But in this movie at least, there are other characters who receive more narrative focus.

7) Mel

Geraldine Viswanathan was a huge get for the MCU and the MCU was a huge get for her. As seen in movies like Blockers and Drive-Away Dolls, she’s a stone-cold natural with deadpan comedy and, when need be, she can sell a script’s emotional moments with considerable profundity. Here’s hoping they keep her around and expand her character. And, considering her comic book counterpart turned into a villain then an official member of the Thunderbolts, that seems likely.

In fact, the groundwork is already set for that. Right now, she’s working for a villain, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. But she doesn’t feel too great about that. She’s even feeding Barnes information secretly, but she also saves Fontaine from the Sentry (turning him into the Void) — so right now she’s playing both sides.

6) Ghost

There are two reasons Ghost ranks below the next entry here. One is that U.S. Agent gets a Sentry-induced vision of his greatest regret and Ghost doesn’t. Two, as a character, he develops a bit more from the first act to the third.

But Ghost is the one who kills Taskmaster, and because of that, she shares a brief but poignant scene with Yelena. Like John Walker, Ava Starr / Ghost is a mid-tier member of the group, far more active than Taskmaster but not given as meaty a role as Yelena or even Red Guardian. That said, she’s an important member of the group nonetheless, and one of the bravest. After Yelena enters the shadow realm to confront Bob, and the remainder follow to save her, the first one of the group we see throw a punch is Ghost. It’s been seven years since we’ve last seen Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost (one of the MCU’s more underappreciated, interesting villains), and it’s good to see her again and know we’ll see even more.

5) U.S. Agent

Again, Walker only ranks above Ghost for two reasons. We see that he’s a jerk, always being a bully to Bob, but we also learn why he’s a jerk, thanks to his shared vision with Bob. Like Bob, we as the audience find out that Walker has been an absentee father.

But, by film’s end, after facing down The Void, Walker has lightened up a bit. He’s even (slightly) less arrogant. That’s a character arc, which is something that isn’t given to Ghost. Though, to be fair, she didn’t quite need it as much.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Post-Credits Scene Reportedly a Scene from Avengers: Doomsday (But Will It Get Cut?)]

4) Red Guardian

A character who is looking for something more and gets it is always compelling. That’s only amplified when the actor portraying the character is the ever-charming David Harbour. It’s what his Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian was looking for in Black Widow, and it’s what he’s still looking for here in Thunderbolts*.

By the end of Black Widow, he had gotten that “something more.” It’s just, instead of fame and glory, it was a reunification with the family he didn’t appreciate when he had the chance. And, as Thunderbolts* reveals, he sort of dropped the ball on that one again when Yelena lost Natasha. But we also see him show remorse for that, and it’s really here where he and Yelena truly become father and daughter. Not to mention, Red Guardian is the sometimes-dour film’s comedic heartbeat, so Harbour and the character really do serve multiple integral purposes.

3) Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Devious, fully human antagonists are one of the MCU’s secret strong suits. They’re far more compelling than Dark Elves or Stark-produced robots. For instance, Iron Man 2‘s Justin Hammer and Senator Stern or Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘s Alexander Pierce. But the best is now officially Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

For those who grew up watching Seinfeld, it’s always been obvious that Louis-Dreyfus is a force of nature. Then, after a few decades and sitcoms with medium-sized fan bases at best, it seemed like she was mostly going to be known as a ’90s icon. But then Veep rolled around, showing a whole new side to her talent. And now, she’s a full-on MCU recurring villain. And after smaller appearances in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Black Widow, she really gets a chance to shine in Thunderbolts*. Louis-Dreyfus infuses de Fontaine with the exact wry, arrogant charm the character needed. She’ll do anything to stay out of prison, and Louis-Dreyfus makes us believe not only that, but also that she’s capable of staying a free woman (even though, as Yelena tells her, the “New Avengers” now own her).

2) Bob / The Sentry / The Void

Lewis Pullman got to display his range in Bad Times at the El Royale, but Thunderbolts* serves as an outright showcase for the actor. He plays not one but three characters. There’s the reserved, nervous, and troubled Bob, The Sentry (who is like Vision in that he’s all-powerful yet learning what this new life really is), and The Void, the physical embodiment of great regret and depression.

The Void is the best villain of Phase 5 because he (or it, depending on how you look at it) is entirely unlike anything that has come before. He’s the exact antagonist this particular group of lost soul characters needed to fight in order to come together as a cohesive unit. Yet, it’s still Bob who gets the most screentime and, rightly so, because he’s one of the more lovable MCU characters to debut in quite some time.

1) Yelena Belova

Thunderbolts* serves as a follow-up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Captain America: Brave New World. But what it is, really, is Black Widow 2. It’s Florence Pugh and Yelena Belova’s movie all the way. She’s the first character we see, it’s her internal monologue we hear, and, as could be expected, Pugh just runs away with the movie.

Some critics have criticized Thunderbolts* for turning Yelena into a sad sack. But, yeah, of course she is. She lost her sister, who was her one true source of grounding. All she has left is killing, and the amount of that she’s done in the past is finally creeping up on her. Other characters in the film get an arc, but the main one we follow in the team-up film is hers, and it works extremely well. And, while the script for this newest MCU adventure is rock-solid, the lion’s share of the credit must go to Pugh, who once again shows that she truly is her generation’s Meryl Streep.

The post The Main Characters of Thunderbolts*, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Of all the characters in Thunderbolts*, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is the one with the most extensive MCU history. He first appeared as Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) best friend in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, before returning as the villainous Winter Soldier, being saved, and looking for redemption over a decade of movies and TV shows. Recently, Bucky’s journey took an unexpected turn when Captain America: Brave New World revealed he was running for Congress, willing to use his experience as a politician. Thunderbolts* keeps Bucky’s story unfolding, as he has to face the benefits and limitations of working within the system.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

When Thunderbolts* kicks off, Bucky has been elected congressman by the people of Brooklyn. He’s not too comfortable in this position, as he struggles to put together meaningful speeches to the press and obviously would prefer to take more direct action against injustice than spend time reading lengthy documents and preparing for public audiences. Still, Bucky is making a genuine effort to overcome his vigilante days as a way to atone for the sins of his past.

As a congressman, Bucky is particularly interested in the impeachment process of CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Through the shady company OXE, Valentina has been setting up illegal laboratories in poor countries and overseeing human experiments to create a superhero she can control. Unfortunately, Congress has a hard time proving it, as Valentina is smart enough to burn all evidence that could connect her to these heinous crimes.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

Trying to do his part to take Valentina down, Bucky approaches Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan), Valentina’s assistant. He knows Mel is troubled about Valentina’s methodology and wants her to give away information that can send the CIA director to prison. At first, Mel resists, but as Valentina becomes more unhinged, she reaches out to Bucky for help. While Bucky would prefer to deal with everything above board, his only opportunity to defeat Valentina is to track Mel down and intercept one of her operations as the Winter Soldier.

Bucky’s return to the vigilante field puts him on a collision course with Yelena (Florence Pugh) and the other operatives Valentina tried to kill to protect her secrets. Once he learns about Project Sentry and how dangerous Bob (Lewis Pullman) can be, Bucky sees no option but to join the Thunderbolts and help them rescue the poor man from Valentina’s clutches. He uses his bloody past to inspire the others, explaining how everyone has a shot at redemption, and even assassins can become heroes if they choose to. Just like that, Bucky embraces his Winter Soldier persona once more, taking a step away from politics. The shift is fully complete by the end of Thunderbolts*, when Bucky becomes a key member of the New Avengers team.

Bucky Will Be on the Frontlines of Avengers: Doomsday

By the end of Thunderbolts*, Bucky helps Yelena and the others to subdue the Void by giving Bob the emotional support he so desperately needs. Once the world-ending threat is dealt with, Bucky decides it’s time to apprehend Valentina and make her pay for her crimes. Before that happens, Valentina tricks the Thunderbolts into a press conference where the CIA director quickly introduces them as the New Avengers, telling the world she is behind the new generation of world defenders. Knowing how important it is for the others to get a clean slate and the opportunity to officially become heroes, Bucky goes with the flow.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* reveals Bucky has been working as a member of the New Avengers for 14 months. The team still struggles with public perception, as not everyone believes in second chances. However, the U.S. government sanctioned the New Avengers, giving them the authority to pursue their heroic dreams. As arguably the most powerful member of the New Avengers, since Bob has abandoned his Sentry persona to keep the Void in check, Bucky will be a key fighter when Doctor Doom comes to the Sacred Timeline. 

Since in the post-credits scene the New Avengers become aware of the Fantastic Four’s ship coming to Earth from a different dimension, Bucky and his new teammates will also be on the frontlines of Avengers: Doomsday. His importance extends beyond the battlefield, though. The post-credits scene also reveals Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is forming his own Avengers team and has been very vocal against the New Avengers. As Sam’s close friend and a former ally to both Captain Americas, Bucky can help the two teams to put their differences aside and work together for the greater good, when the time comes. 

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Are you excited about Bucky’s return in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Bucky’s Thunderbolts* Story Sets Up His Doomsday Role appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In addition to returning gray characters, Thunderbolts* has also based its marketing campaign on the first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance of Sentry (Lewis Pullman), a fan-favorite comic book hero whose fragmented psyche also leads to the emergence of the deadly Void villain. As usual, Marvel Studios has its unique take on the hero’s mythology, changing his backstory to fit the tone and the history of the MCU so far. Nevertheless, Thunderbolts* keeps everything that makes the Sentry such a fascinating comic book character, including his many flaws. Fortunately, that’s not the last time we’ll see the Sentry in the MCU, as Pullman has been cast as part of Avengers: Doomsday. The question, now, is which persona of Robert Reynolds will appear in the upcoming crossover event.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

The central conflict of Thunderbolts* originates from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Since the Avengers disbanded, Valentina is determined to create her own superhero, someone who will protect the U.S. geopolitical interests and follow her every order. That’s why she starts Project Sentry, an unethical scientific study involving human experimentation. While Valentina developed the whole visual of the Sentry, a shining beacon of hope that can sway American hearts and minds, the medical procedures are a failure, resulting in the death of every test subject she injects with the Sentry formula. At least that’s what she thinks, at first.

Once U.S. Congress becomes aware of Valentina’s illegal actions abroad, she finds herself in the middle of an impeachment process that could lead to her removal as CIA director, or worse, imprisonment. So, Valentina sends her operatives to destroy all evidence of the Sentry project, ultimately concocting a plan to force these agents to kill each other. Unfortunately for her, Yelena (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (John-Kamen) realize they’ve been used and decide to work together to escape their former employer. They are joined by Bob, the only survivor of the Sentry procedure.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

Knowing that she destroyed all the means to reproduce Bob’s successful medical intervention, Valentina puts all her hopes into turning him into the Sentry. However, Bob is a man with a history of trauma and drug abuse, which makes him quite unstable. As he puts it, some days he feels invincible, while on others he is convinced nothing matters and life is pointless. Because of that, the drug that gives Bob his powers led to the creation of two enhanced personas. There’s the Sentry, who’s faster and stronger than any hero, has impressive telekinetic powers, is bulletproof, and can fly. Then, there’s the Void, who retains the Sentry’s durability while gaining the ability to imprison people in a dark dimension where they are eternally forced to relive their worst memories. To make things even more complicated, every time the Void is unleashed, Bob simply erases the whole episode from his memory. 

In Thunderbolts*, Yelena and her teammates must work together to give Bob the emotional support he needs to contain the Void. However, their success means Bob is once more unaware of his incredible powers. Nevertheless, once the Thunderbolts are crowned as the New Avengers, Yelena decides to keep Bob around so they can watch him and help him if the Void ever returns. The movie’s post-credits scene, set 14 months after Thunderbolts* big battle, further emphasizes Bob’s delicate situation. When asked by the Red Guardian (David Harbour) to fly the team into Outer Space, Bob underlines that he can’t use the powers of the Sentry, because they come with the other guy, aka the Void. That means for now, Bob is stuck with his civilian persona. So, which version of Bob will we see in Avengers: Doomsday?

Will Avengers: Doomsday Feature Bob, the Sentry, or the Void?

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* sees the New Avengers intercepting the signal of an interdimensional ship coming to Earth, a vessel decorated with the symbol of the Fantastic Four. That means the New Avengers will likely be the first to meet the First Family, learning together about the threat of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). Since Bob is an honorary member of the New Avengers, he will likely be part of this first encounter.

Since Avengers: Doomsday is expected to shatter the MCU in a similar fashion to Avengers: Infinity War, Doctor Doom might be too powerful for the heroes of the Sacred Timeline to stop without some serious backup. In that context, it also seems likely that Bob will be forced to conjure the power of the Sentry to save his friends from death. In doing so, the Void might also return, giving the New Avengers another thing to worry about. There’s also the chance Doom will try to weaponize the Void or unleash him to weaken Earth’s defenses. Whatever the case, we can expect all three personas to be somehow involved in the crossover.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Do you think Bob, the Sentry, or the Void has a big part to play in Avengers: Doomsday? Share your theories in the comments!

The post How The Sentry’s Thunderbolts* Story Sets Up His Doomsday Role appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fresh off the critical and audience success of Thunderbolts*, Jake Schreier is reportedly being eyed by Marvel Studios to helm their highly anticipated X-Men movie. The potential appointment of Schreier feels like a carefully considered play from a studio that understands the value of a director who can deliver both critical acclaim and audience adoration, especially with a challenging project. Thunderbolts* has been lauded for its mature themes and strong character work, with Schreier demonstrating an adept ability to manage a diverse cast of personalities and make audiences invest in their complex journeys. Plus, the movie’s success is particularly significant following the mixed reception of other recent MCU entries. As such, Schreier is an exciting candidate for the X-Men, a team renowned for its sprawling cast and character-driven narratives.

If Schreier, who just proved his mettle by transforming a team of relatively lesser-known characters in Thunderbolts* into a bonafide cinematic triumph, is indeed handed the keys to one of Marvel’s crown jewel properties, it signals that Marvel Studios is wisely betting on a director who can navigate intricate ensemble dynamics. The move mirrors the decision making process that once saw the Russo brothers ascend from the critically acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier to the universe-shattering heights of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. As such, history shows choosing Schreier to tackle X–Men could be Marvel Studios’ most brilliant directorial appointment since that pivotal era.

The Russo Brothers Blueprint: From Acclaimed Thriller to Cinematic Universe Mastery

The Russo brothers first made their mark on the MCU with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This film was a seismic shift for the franchise, delivering a paranoid political thriller masquerading as a superhero movie. The Winter Soldier garnered widespread critical acclaim for its clever script, intricate plotting, and visceral action sequences, earning a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and fundamentally altering perceptions of what an MCU film could be, demonstrating Marvel’s willingness to bend genres and tackle more complex thematic material. The Winter Soldier was also a significant box office success, pulling in over $714.4 million worldwide against a $170 million budget.

Following the triumph of The Winter Soldier, Marvel Studios didn’t hesitate. By April 2015, even before Captain America: Civil War hit theaters, it was announced that the Russo Brothers would be directing the two-part epic initially titled Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 & Part 2. At first glance, the news felt like an enormous vote of confidence. However, Captain America: Civil War, which premiered in 2016, solidified their status, received stellar reviews (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), and was a commercial juggernaut, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. This film proved the Russos could handle incredibly complex character dynamics, large-scale action, and significant emotional stakes, all while advancing the overarching MCU narrative.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Is a Hit (But Will It Make Enough Money?)]

As we now know, the trust Marvel placed in the Russos paid off spectacularly. Avengers: Infinity War, released in 2018, astutely brought together nearly every thread of the MCU developed over a decade, delivering a critically praised blockbuster (85% on Rotten Tomatoes) that earned an astounding $2.052 billion globally. They followed this with Avengers: Endgame in 2019, which not only provided a deeply satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga but also became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, raking in nearly $2.798 billion worldwide and achieving a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jake Schreier Could Usher In a New Era for Marvel Mutants

By approaching Schreier for X-Men, Marvel Studios appears to be drawing directly from the Russo brothers’ history. With Thunderbolts*, Schreier has just delivered a film that, much like The Winter Soldier, exceeded projections by focusing on character depth and a distinct tone. Furthermore, Thunderbolts*’ themes reinforce that Schreier can manage an X-Men story’s needs, similar to how the Russos’ behind–the-scenes work on Civil War prepped them for the Avengers duology. The X-Men narrative is inherently about outsiders and the nuances of their struggle for acceptance, demanding a director who can translate themes of prejudice into a relatable human story, even amidst superhero spectacle. That’s not unlike the Thunderbolts, many of whom are villains looking for redemption and trying to find meaning in life, while struggling with the weight of societal expectations.

Introducing the X-Men into the MCU is arguably one of the most anticipated events in the franchise’s history. Kevin Feige himself has emphasized the importance of mutants in the MCU’s future, particularly in the era following the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars saga, slated for 2027. In interviews, Feige has indicated that as the MCU approaches Secret Wars, there’s a clear vision for the narrative arc before and after, with the X-Men being a crucial component of that future. That means Marvel Studios needs a storyteller capable of weaving the X-Men’s rich thematic tapestry into the evolving MCU, ensuring their cinematic debut is both impactful and a defining moment for the franchise’s next saga. Thunderbolts* is proof that Schreier is exactly that kind of storyteller, and the MCU would be lucky to have him aboard for multiple projects moving forward.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What are your thoughts on Jake Schreier potentially directing the MCU’s X-Men movie? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel Studios Picking Thunderbolts Director for X-Men is the Best Move the MCU Has Made Since Avengers: Infinity War appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* is shaping up to have strong legs at the box office. According to Deadline, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is projected to gross around $35 million domestically during its second weekend. Not only is that figure good enough for Thunderbolts* to repeat as box office champion, it’s just a 53% drop from its opening. That is one of the best holds for any MCU film; Deadline notes a 53% decrease would rank as the eighth best in the entire franchise (which spans 36 films to date). By weekend’s end, Thunderbolts* should pass the $130 million mark in the U.S.

The rest of the top five this weekend looks like it will be dominated by holdovers. In second place is Sinners with $22 million. A Minecraft Movie comes in third with $8.8 million, The Accountant 2 is in fourth with $6.1 million, and new release Clown in a Cornfield comes in fifth with $3.9 million domestically.

Heading into its premiere in early May, Thunderbolts* was always projected to have a soft opening (by Marvel standards). It performed in line with those expectations during its first weekend, grossing $74.3 million domestically. The Thunderbolts* opening was actually lower than Captain America: Brave New World‘s three-day start from mid-February ($88.8 million), but because Thunderbolts* earned a much more positive reception, there was optimism it would hold well.

[RELATED – 3 Ways Thunderbolts* Actually Improves On Recent Marvel Movies]

Brave New World received mixed reviews, which hurt its long-term box office prospects. It posted one of the steepest second weekend declines in MCU history (68.3%) and started a fall down the charts. Brave New World ended its run as one of the lowest-grossing MCU installments, making it the latest entry in the Multiverse Saga to underwhelm critically and at the box office.

Following the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal, Thunderbolts* took on a greater sense of importance in the larger Multiverse Saga story. Several of the film’s stars are reprising their roles in next year’s Doomsday, and the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene implies they’ll have a significant role to play. With that in mind, Marvel needed Thunderbolts* to be a well-received hit. If the film and these characters didn’t resonate with fans, Doomsday would be facing another hurdle to clear. While Thunderbolts* isn’t going to go down as one of the MCU’s highest-grossing films, it’s nice to see it have strong legs at the box office. It shows that when Marvel makes a well-liked movie, people will still turn up for it. Thunderbolts*’ somewhat weaker debut was probably a byproduct of feelings around the larger MCU and not a reflection on the film itself.

It was vital for Thunderbolts* to post a strong hold during its second weekend. There’s stiff box office competition on the horizon in the form of Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, both of which open over Memorial Day weekend. It’s expected that potent one-two punch will help the box office break records over the holiday frame, so Thunderbolts* needed to take advantage of a weaker marketplace while it had a chance. It should be in position to have another healthy weekend next week before the heavy hitters arrive, giving Marvel the rebound it needed to start the summer.

The post Latest Thunderbolts* Box Office Projections Are Just What Marvel Needed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts*, as you’ve no doubt heard by now, is a much better Marvel Cinematic Universe title than most movies populating the franchise’s beleaguered Phases 4 and 5. It’s nowhere near as good as all-time great MCU productions like The Avengers and Black Panther (or even Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the pinnacle of 2020s MCU media). However, Thunderbolts* still resonates as solidly crafted fare that especially excels in its pathos and lead performances, with the immensely talented Florence Pugh knocking it out of the ballpark on both of those fronts.

On its own merits, there’s plenty to praise about Thunderbolts*. Especially looking at recent underwhelming MCU enterprises like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Captain America: Brave New World, there are some areas of this motion picture that especially stand out as worth celebrating. Grab your gear and let’s explore three critical ways Thunderbolts* improves on recent Phase Four and Five MCU motion pictures.

A More Distinctive Score

In Phase 3, it seemed like Marvel Studios had solved its generic scores problem with some standout orchestral scores from the likes of Michael Giacchino, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Ludwig Göransson. Unfortunately, Phases 4 and 5 (save for the occasional exception like Joel P. West’s memorable Shang-Chi compositions), the scores have been lackluster. Christophe Beck’s Quantumania compositions, for instance, lacked either surrealist zest or rousing cosmic excitement. Rob Simonsen’s Deadpool & Wolverine tracks, meanwhile, were generic creations shockingly devoid of much fun or anarchic energy.

Thunderbolts*, thankfully, eschews this trend. Happily, this production’s score hails from a group totally new to the MCU, Son Lux. This three-person band embraces unique sounds with aplomb throughout their tracks. The primary Thunderbolts* theme, for instance, has a scratchy, slightly ominous quality reflecting the anti-hero origins of these characters. Meanwhile, “The Climb,” a track set to a key early scene where Thunderbolts members struggle to co-operate, is full of unique musical touches like strained flute playing, harsh string instrumentation, and a recurring noise that sounds like a ticking timer. These are the kinds of inventive flourishes peppered throughout Son Lux’s inspired Thunderbolts* score. Finally, a modern MCU movie has orchestral tracks shimmering with personality.

A Smaller Cast of Characters

In a supposed effort to make the MCU movies feel “grand” after Avengers: Endgame, Phases 4 and 5 have crammed each solo movie with as many characters as possible. Even a better outing like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had superfluous American CIA characters eating up screentime. Brave New World and Quantumania, meanwhile, got swallowed up in their bloated scopes. Thunderbolts*, despite being an ensemble piece, rectifies this problem with a significantly more restrained scope compared to its recent MCU brethren.

[RELATED: Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Billboards Are Being Updated for the Team’s New Name]

For one thing, the project is firmly told through just the eyes of Yelena Belova, while all but two of the titular Thunderbolts* leads meet each other in one sequence. Very compact material that ensures there’s more time for character interactions. There are also no extraneous supporting players, only existing to set up future sequels or Disney+ shows. The deluge of cameos from older superhero movies that dominated Deadpool & Wolverine are also absent. Thunderbolts* juggles so much less than other Phase Four and Five movies, which is to its benefit.

An Intimate Finale

In 2016, Marvel Studios delivered Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange. These features contained more restrained and intimate climaxes, suggesting this label realized not every MCU movie could end on a grand battle emulating the finale of the first Avengers. Unfortunately, too many Phase 4 and 5 installments have gone that route in either emphasizing fighting a weightless CG baddie or lots of digitally rendered cosmic nonsense. Hallelujah for Thunderbolts* following through on its darkest impulses right through its finale, which eschews traditional fighting for something much different.

Bob’s (Lewis Pullman) tormented psychology and various traumatic events of his life that shaped him instead get the spotlight here. It’s a bold maneuver that doesn’t offer the easy binary morality of most recent MCU films. However, it makes for an emotionally absorbing home stretch and plenty of exciting imagery. This unexpected Thunderbolts* finale also harkens back to an era when the Marvel Cinematic Universe subverted expectations rather than trying desperately to give people what they wanted.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

The post 3 Ways Thunderbolts* Actually Improves On Recent Marvel Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a lot riding on the X-Men. With the Avengers only just now getting their butts into gear after going their separate ways in Avengers: Endgame and the Fantastic Four yet to make an impact, there’s room for mutants to dominate the upcoming phases. However, Marvel Studios must avoid some of the pitfalls that Fox dealt with during its tenure. One way to do that is to put together a crack filmmaking team, and fortunately, the ball is already rolling in that regard. Hot off of Thunderbolts*, director Jake Schreier is in talks to helm Marvel Studios’ X-Men movie with a script from Michael Lesslie.

The project is still in its early days, meaning it’s probably going to be a couple of years before Charles Xavier’s students return to the big screen. But it’s never too early to speculate, especially when it comes to the characters that will lead Schreier’s iteration of the X-Men.

1) Magik

Schreier is likely to have plenty of familiar faces in his roster, but he’s also going to need heroes with a dark past to help him recapture the magic of Thunderbolts*. Illyana Rasputina, aka Magik, certainly fits into the category, being stuck in Limbo for a number of years before returning to Earth and joining various mutant teams. Magik shows what she can do in Fox’s New Mutants, and the MCU would be smart to give her another shot on an even bigger stage.

2) Rogue

While Rogue gets plenty of screentime in Fox’s X-Men movies, she never reaches her full potential. A former criminal who struggles with her abilities that hurt anyone she touches, Schreier can really focus on the sadness within the character. It also doesn’t hurt that Captain Marvel is running around the MCU, opening the door for Rogue to grab the powers that make her a force in X-Men ’97.

3) Gambit

Yes, Channing Tatum’s Gambit is already set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but there isn’t an X-Men that embodies the spirit of the Thunderbolts more than the Ragin’ Cajun. He’s far more than the comedic character that Deadpool & Wolverine makes him out to be, and there’s no one more qualified than Schreier to make that clear. It’s just going to take finding the right actor to bring Schreier and Co.’s vision to life.

4) Warpath

It’s easy to forget that Warpath shows up in X-Men: Days of Future Past, which is why there’s no reason to disqualify him for the MCU’s reboot. The character starts out hating the X-Men in the comics because he blames the team for the death of his brother, but he soon learns the truth and joins their ranks. His durability is some of the best in Marvel Comics, and if he made the jump to the MCU, he’d put the franchise’s super-soldiers on notice.

5) Domino

Another mutant in need of a second live-action appearance is Domino. Deadpool 2 focuses on the ridiculous nature of the character’s luck-based powers, but she’s also an excellent shot and can hold her own with the best hand-to-hand fighters in the Marvel Universe. Putting her in the MCU’s X-Men lineup will give the team the same edge that Black Widow brings to the Avengers.

[RELATED – 10 Marvel Heroes That Could Have Beaten Sentry in Thunderbolts*]

6) Pyro

Like Rogue, Pyro appears in his fair share of Fox X-Men movies. Unfortunately, the movies fail to do the character justice, making him little more than a rival for Iceman who always takes things too far. Schreier is great at bringing nuance to bad guys, and Pyro will need his fair share, especially if the MCU has him follow in his Fox counterpart’s footsteps and join the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

7) X-23

No X-Men lineup is complete without some version of Wolverine. Laura Kinney has been a member of the team on numerous occasions, and bringing her into the fold will help the MCU differentiate itself from what’s come before. She can always leave when it’s time for her to get her own solo project, but having X-23 from the start will ensure the X-Men have credibility.

8) Psylocke

Psylocke is another mutant in need of a major revamp because of the Fox franchise. She appears in X-Men: Apocalypse as one of the titular villain’s four horsemen, but she fails to make much of an impact. The MCU can make things right by focusing on her mind-bending abilities, which include creating her iconic psi-blades.

9) Jean Grey

Jean Grey holds a terrifying power within her that’s difficult to control. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same situation Sentry finds himself dealing with in Thunderbolts*. Fox failed to adapt the “Dark Phoenix” storyline on two occasions, but with Schreier in command, the seeds will be planted early, ensuring they grow by the time Jean is ready to let loose.

10) Wolverine

While it doesn’t make sense for Wolverine and X-23 to both be on the X-Men, having a new version of Weapon X at least appear in the movie is a smart move. That way, Schreier can get his hands on Marvel’s ultimate anti-hero and set the stage for his MCU future.

Would you like to see these X-Men characters in Jake Schreier’s movie? Who else would you put on the list? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 X-Men Characters Who Would Be Perfect for the Thunderbolts Director’s MCU Reboot appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While a relatively new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yelena Belova quickly became a fan-favorite character due to her complex personality, her ties with Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), and the brilliant performance by Florence Pugh. The good news is that Thunderbolts* makes the most of Yelena by giving her the screen time she needs to become the heart of the MCU’s new superhero group, proving she’s much more than a Black Widow replacement. The better news is that Pugh is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday, where her character development should reach new heights as the heroes of the Sacred Timeline face Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

At the beginning of Thunderbolts*, we learn that Yelena is suffering from depression. While the disease is never explicitly named in the movie, she goes through the motions of life listlessly, crushed by a constant feeling of loneliness and lack of meaning. She tries to push forward, using all her energy to work nonstop as one of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) black ops specialists. Yet, she has no one to return home to, and she often tries to drown her sorrows in alcohol. As Yelena puts it, the sadness grew inside of her once she learned about her sister’s death. However, by the time Thunderbolts* starts, her woes have become a void, slowly swallowing her soul and making life tasteless.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

As Thunderbolts* unfolds, Yelena learns to once more trust the people around her. At first, she bands together with John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) out of survival when the three find themselves trapped inside Valentina’s desert facility. However, their common goal and Yelena’s genuine willingness to do something good in the world led her to become the unexpected leader of the band, pushing the others to take a stance against injustice. The events of Thunderbolts* also allow Yelena to reconnect with her father, the Red Guardian (David Harbour), who drove her away because he also didn’t know how to deal with the death of Natasha. All this newborn kinship helps Yelena find the perspective she lacked, recognizing that human connection is essential to survive in a ruthless world. She eventually shares that lesson with Bob (Lewis Pullman), saving the world from the Void.

By the end of Thunderbolts*, when Bob fully becomes the Void, spreading his darkness all over New York City, Yelena takes a leap of faith and jumps inside the shadows, determined to reach out to Bob. Her teammates soon follow, inspired by her example. Together, they convince Bob he can overcome the calling of the Void, as he now has people who are there for him and who will not leave his side. Valentina, aware that the Thunderbolts’ actions make them look like heroes, quickly pretends she was always behind the team, introducing them to the press as the New Avengers. Yelena and the others sustain Valentina’s lie in exchange for a clean slate and the opportunity to become actual heroes. However, Yelena lets Valentina know she will be kept on a short leash, as the New Avengers can blow the whistle and crumble her empire anytime.

Yelena Will Lead the New Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* takes place 14 months after Yelena and her teammates subdued the Void. For over a year, the New Avengers have operated as government-sanctioned superheroes from the Watchtower, previously known as the Avengers Tower. While they are now a cohesive team and have a lot of experience protecting the planet from all sorts of threats, the New Avengers still struggle with public scrutiny, as not everyone is willing to recognize their value, given their complicated backstory. Complicating matters, there’s Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who’s willing to form an Avengers team of his own and even threatens to sue the New Avengers for copyright infringement.

As the moral leader of the New Avengers, Yelena will have to keep steering her colleagues in the right direction in Avengers: Doomsday. The crossover event will once again put the entire MCU at risk, meaning the New Avengers will have to find a way to deal with Captain America and other Sacred Timeline heroes to stand against Doctor Doom. That means doubling down on the lessons learned in Thunderbolts* and relying on genuine human connection as their ultimate shield against evil.

The post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* also reveals that the New Avengers are the first to detect the interdimensional ship of the Fantastic Four. That makes Yelena responsible for deciding how her team will contact the unexpected visitors, working together for the common good.

Thunderbolts* is now available in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Are you excited about Yelena’s return in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Yelena’s Thunderbolts* Story Sets Up Her Doomsday Role appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is carved out into distinct Phases. Phase One, for instance, began with Iron Man and ended with The Avengers. Phase Three, meanwhile, spanned Captain America: Civil War through Spider-Man: Far From Home. With new MCU feature Thunderbolts*, Phase Five (which began with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) officially comes to a close. This has been arguably the rockiest Phase yet for the MCU in terms of overall quality for movies.

Phase Four had cinematic clunkers too, but the creative nadirs of Phase Five were way worse than the creative low points of the previous batch. The exclusive reliance on sequels and spin-off’s in this Phase, meanwhile, meant that Phase Five lacked divisive but audacious swings like Eternals. Ranking the six movies comprising the MCU’s Phase Five from worst to best solidifies the creative hardships the franchise has undergone in the last two years. Luckily for fans of this saga, Phase Five’s greatest movies did provide some of that classic MCU charm that once seemed guaranteed whenever the Marvel Studios logo flashed up on the silver screen.

6) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania 

If the first two Ant-Man movies were marked by fun, low-key comedy, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was a boondoggle leaning too heavily on grand Avengers-scale spectacle. The end result was the inevitable outcome to asking a man with no prior film screenplay credits and a director best known for comedies to make something as big as Star Wars. Murky imagery and grotesque interpretations of Marvel Comics icons like MODOK just exacerbated this feature’s problems. At least Michelle Pfieffer got more screentime in a title that otherwise epitomizes all the problems with modern superhero movies.

5) Captain America: Brave New World

For some reason, the fourth solo Captain America movie, Captain America: Brave New World, functioned more as a sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Poor Sam Wilson/Captain America looked adrift in a feature whose emotional crux concerned reassuring audiences that a POTUS who commits war crimes is still a decent dude deep down. The closest thing to entertainment here in Brave New World was witnessing the comically obvious scenes cobbled together in reshoots. A key third-act sequence involving Wilson and the nefarious Leader conversing right outside a hospital, for example, couldn’t more clearly involve two actors who were never in the same room. Aside from those unintentional laughs, Brave New World was a snooze.

[RELATED: The 7 Funniest MCU Movies, Ranked]

4) The Marvels

Oh, if only The Marvels had a smaller scope. A fun low-key feature focusing on the endlessly compelling Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan navigating High School with the aid of Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau, for instance, could’ve been a riot. The funniest scenes of Danvers and Rambeau intruding on Khan’s grounded home life vividly reflect the potential of that juxtaposition. Unfortunately, The Marvels instead focuses most of its story on yawn-inducing cosmic drama involving the vengeful Kree soldier Dar-Benn and Captain Marvel extinguishing a solar system’s sun. By the time the finale involves a literal rip in the tapestry of existence, it’s impossible to care, The Marvels has gotten too big to get involved in.  The entertaining intimate corners of this Nia DaCosta directorial effort only reinforce what a forgettable drag its grander tendencies are.

3) Deadpool & Wolverine 

No amount of quips about the MCU being “at a low point” and the overplayed nature of multiverses can mask Deadpool & Wolverine’s faults. Ryan Reynolds’ schtick gets old fast and the tired “edgy” jokes have been done better elsewhere. The convoluted multiverse mythos and Shawn Levy’s uninspired direction don’t help matters. Heavily lifting up this comedy are the deeply committed performances from Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, and Channing Tatum while a splashy climax set to a choir rendition of “Like a Prayer” is quite stirring. Still, for a movie this snarky, Deadpool & Wolverine needed more idiosyncratic wit.

2) Thunderbolts*

Unfortunately, the chopping and cramped blocking plaguing most Marvel Cinematic Universe movies (Phase Five or otherwise) persists into Phase Five swan song Thunderbolts*. However, this title focusing on Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and her reluctant anti-hero comrades proves surprisingly entertaining thanks to a more intimate scope that lets some great performances shine. The script even conjures up a distinctive and emotionally involving third act that isn’t just live-action superheroes duking it out with armies of CGI baddies. Plus, how can you go wrong with the riveting chemistry between David Harbour and Pugh?

1) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

So many Phase Five MCU movies were concerned with reminding audiences of the past or setting up future Disney+ programs. James Gunn’s incredibly unique vision for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, meanwhile, was totally concerned with the here and now. In the process, it became the monumentally successful gem of this stretch of the MCU’s history. Vol. 3 went big in both its aching depictions of traumatic childhoods and cosmic fun, with these paradoxical tones working divinely in complementing each other. Better yet, this standalone saga’s cast members (namely Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff) have become so comfortable in their respective characters that it’s richly entertaining just watching them stand around. A firmly definitive ending (set to a great Florence + The Machine needle drop) making Vol 3’s emotions even richer just solidified how special this Phase Five feature was.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now streaming on Disney+, Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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Thunderbolts* has been released in theaters, allowing audiences to catch up with some of the most unusual anti-heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The blockbuster marks the return of characters such as Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), the Red Guardian (David Harbour), and the U.S. Agent, John Walker (Wyatt Russell). The team of misfits comes together to control a threat hidden by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Just like Guardians of the Galaxy introduced antiheroes that had to form an unlikely alliance out of necessity, Thunderbolts* allows these characters to shine beyond the hand they’ve been dealt in life.

However, something else that was proven thanks to the movie (directed by Jake Schreier) is that some of these characters deserve to lead their own movie. The protagonists of Thunderbolts* could be the perfect candidates to lead solo adventures set in New York City that entertain audiences while other heroes fight to save the Multiverse in other dimensions. Some of these antiheroes have been around for years; they have done more than enough to earn the chance to lead their own stories. And while other Thunderbolts characters haven’t been seen onscreen all that much, solo films or “Special Presentations” could give audiences the chance to know them better.

Here are some of the characters from Thunderbolts* who could use their own movies:

3. Bucky

James Buchanan Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was introduced to the MCU during the events of Captain America: The First Avenger. Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) loyal friend went through a terrifying experience when HYDRA kidnapped him and turned him into the threat known as the Winter Soldier. Bucky’s punishment sent him down a dangerous path. He would eventually be given the assignment to kill Captain America, while his memories were slowly trying to come back. But Steve Rogers had something to say about that. Bucky was rescued and, since then, he has used his abilities for good while fighting alongside the Avengers and the impressive army of Wakanda.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier provided audiences with a glimpse of what Bucky’s life is like outside the massive action sequences. The other protagonist of that story, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), recently got his own movie in the form of Captain America: Brave New World. Marvel Studios should find the right story that could allow Bucky to lead his own movie. The budget could be considerably smaller than the one necessary to finance something like Avengers: Doomsday. Sebastian Stan has worked with the company for almost fifteen years at this point. And during that time, it’s been evident that audiences can’t get enough of their beloved Winter Soldier.

RELATED: [ Thunderbolts* Thursday Box Office Below Captain America 4 ]

2. Yelena Belova

Yes, Florence Pugh is the top-billed star of Thunderbolts*. And, technically, the narrative of this story is centered around Yelena Belova. But that’s where Marvel Studios got it right when it comes to setting the foundation for finding a new lead for the MCU. It’s no secret that the franchise has been struggling to find its ground after the release of Avengers: Endgame. The massive crossover event made some members of the audience feel as if there was nothing left to explore for these heroes. It didn’t help that Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans had (apparently) left the series in the rearview mirror. The power vacuum left by the original six Avengers can be felt in the MCU to this day. This real-life narrative even became a plot point in Thunderbolts*.

Now that Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thunderbolts* have positioned Yelena Belova as a major player in the MCU, Marvel Studios should double down and establish the character as one of the biggest heroes on the planet. Viewers already saw a tech billionaire fighting aliens in outer space. Maybe they need something more intimate this time around, like a young woman trying to find her place in the world while fighting villains from this planet. Giving Yelena her own movie without a team-up could push this narrative forward. All that’s left to is continue to give Yelena engaging adventures in order for her to get the same level of recognition as Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson).

1. Ghost

Ant-Man and the Wasp introduced Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) as a young woman who couldn’t properly control her abilities. When she returns in Thunderbolts*, it’s quickly established that Ava is a thief. The Ant-Man franchise used to be fun and creative because it brought the heist genre to the MCU. After that, it quickly leaned into the cosmic territory where a major villain had to be placed on the big screen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The franchise needs balance now more than ever. While Earth’s Mightiest Heroes deal with the evil Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) and whatever he has planned for the Multiverse, smaller characters have to stay behind to deal with the daily life of people on Earth.

That’s where Ava comes in. A fun heist in the middle of the action could be entertaining for audiences. Unfortunately, Marvel’s production pipeline would make it hard for any of these stories to see the light of day. Due to the massive volume of stories that the company develops at the same time, any character that stands out now has a chance to return to the big screen five years down the line. If Disney and Marvel became more flexible when it comes to smaller productions, maybe Ava could go on to lead her own story. In the meantime, the studio will focus on the release of some of the biggest movies they have ever produced: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* just stormed into theaters, and the verdict from critics and audiences is overwhelmingly positive. The film, focusing on a team of reformed antagonists like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) tackling the god-level threat of the Sentry/Void (Lewis Pullman), is being praised for its mature themes, strong character work, and emotional depth. It currently boasts a stellar 88% critic score and an even more impressive 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU Phase 5 movie on both fronts and placing it among the top-tier audience scores for the entire franchise. However, despite the critical acclaim and audience love, Thunderbolts* pulled in only $76 million domestically and $162.1 million globally at the opening weekend box office. While solid, that domestic number trails the $88.8 million domestic and $192.4 million global opening of Captain America: Brave New World, a film widely considered a disappointment for Marvel Studios. This immediately raises the question: can Thunderbolts*’ critical success translate into the financial success needed to justify its existence?

The pressure is certainly on. Following a string of commercially underwhelming Phase 5 entries like Brave New World, the disappointing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and the outright bomb The Marvels, Marvel Studios needs Thunderbolts* to deliver at the box office. With a reported production budget of $180 million, the same as Brave New World, the film faces a steep climb to profitability in a market showing signs of superhero fatigue and increased competition. Even so, the path forward for Thunderbolts* isn’t entirely bleak, despite the lower-than-hoped-for start compared to its immediate predecessor. After all, opening weekend numbers, while important, don’t always tell the whole story.

How Does Thunderbolts* Compare to the MCU Phase 5?

Phase 5 has undeniably been a mixed bag for Marvel Studios, swinging from staggering highs to concerning lows, both critically and commercially. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania stumbled out of the gate, landing a Rotten 46% score, though audiences were kinder at 82%. Despite a hefty $106.1 million domestic and $225.3 million global opening off a $200 million budget, the weak critical reception led to a disastrous 70% second-weekend drop. It ultimately limped to $476 million worldwide, falling well short of expectations. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 provided a much-needed boost soon after. James Gunn’s emotional farewell scored well with critics (82%) and exceptionally well with audiences (94%). While its $118.4 million domestic opening wasn’t record-shattering for its $250 million budget, the stellar reception powered it to a much healthier 49% second-weekend drop and a strong $845.6 million worldwide finish, proving audiences still show up for beloved characters and well-received stories.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Has the Most Predictable MCU Death Ever (But It Still Had a Twist)]

Then came The Marvels. Despite a barely Fresh 62% critic score and a decent 83% audience score, the film opened to a franchise-low $46.1 million domestically ($110 million globally) against a reported $270 million budget. The audience score wasn’t enough to counteract the negativity, resulting in a catastrophic 78% second-weekend plummet and a final worldwide gross of just $206.1 million, making it the MCU’s biggest box office bomb. Hope surged back with Deadpool & Wolverine, which smashed records thanks to huge anticipation, nostalgia, and genuinely positive reactions (78% critics, a massive 94% audience). It’s $211.4 million domestic ($446.3 million global) opening obliterated R-rated records, and even with that massive start, it held reasonably well with a 56% second-weekend drop, cruising past $1.33 billion worldwide on a $200 million budget.

Captain America: Brave New World brought things back to earth. Like Quantumania, it suffered critically (48% Rotten) despite a passing audience grade (78%). Its $88.8 million domestic start wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t great for a Captain America film, and again, poor word-of-mouth fueled a steep 67% second-weekend drop, leading to a $414.8 million worldwide total that failed to recoup its $180 million budget plus marketing costs. The lesson here is that movies with higher critics and audience scores keep earning at the box office beyond their opening week. That high audience score is where *Thunderbolts*’s path to success truly lies. 

Will Word-of-Mouth Save Thunderbolts* at the Box Office?

In today’s market, especially for big-budget blockbusters, strong word-of-mouth driven by audience satisfaction is arguably more crucial than ever. A film that genuinely connects with viewers can overcome a softer-than-expected opening weekend through sheer staying power. We’re seeing a prime example of this play out right now with Ryan Coogler’s critically adored horror film Sinners. Despite some initial industry skepticism about its $90 million budget for an original R-rated horror concept, Sinners opened strong ($48 million domestic) and then exhibited phenomenal holds, dropping only a minuscule 6% domestically in its second weekend, fueled by near-perfect 98% Rotten Tomatoes scores and rave audience reactions. It quickly surpassed its $225 million breakeven point (based on the 2.5x budget rule) and became a cultural talking point, demonstrating that quality filmmaking and genuine audience excitement can still create a box office hit.

Thunderbolts* finds itself in a similar, albeit higher-budgeted, situation. With a $180 million production cost, it needs to reach the $450 million worldwide mark to be considered financially successful, covering marketing and distribution costs. That’s a significant climb from its $162.1 million global start. However, its 95% audience score is a massive asset. That number puts it in the same league as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine, films that remained relevant at the box office for several weeks. If that 95% score translates into enthusiastic recommendations and repeat viewings, Thunderbolts* should see much smaller weekly drops than Brave New World or Quantumania. There is potential for Thunderbolts* to leg out significantly, riding a wave of positive buzz.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What do you think? Will the great reviews and audience scores be enough for Thunderbolts* to become a box office success? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

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When Thunderbolts* was announced in 2022, there wasn’t a lot of buzz for the movie. It felt like Marvel Studios’ answer to The Suicide Squad, bringing together a group of bad guys to face a villain that’s way out of their league. However, the inclusion of the asterisk in the title meant there was at least some level of mystery surrounding the project that kept people guessing. Theories ranged from Thunderbolts* being a secret Dark Avengers film to the asterisk having something to do with Thunderbolt Ross’s role in Captain America: Brave New World. The real explanation ended up being closer to the former than the latter, and it’s a big deal because it speaks to a trend going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Following the Thunderbolts’ battle with the Void, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announces to the press that she’s put together the “New Avengers.” It shocks the members of the team, but by the time the title card shows up and reveals the new name, it feels like the clues were there all along, especially because it’s not the first time a MCU project has changed titles.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s New Name Reflected Its Importance

Back in 2021, Marvel Studios’ presence on the Disney+ streaming service was at an all-time high. One of its biggest projects was The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which saw Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes come together to take on a group of super-soldiers. However, the show’s title was a bit strange because, at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers gave Sam his shield and expected him to pick up the Captain America mantle. Sam didn’t think he was worthy of it at first, but he spent the majority of the show seeing the shield in the wrong hands and realized Steve made the right choice. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s finale, Sam donned the stars and stripes and saved the day, and the title card at the end of the episode reflected that.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier became Captain America and the Winter Soldier, and while the new name didn’t get a big marketing push like “The New Avengers,” it still spoke to the story’s strength. In fact, it worked so well that no one batted an eye when Sam showed up as the Star-Spangled Man in Captain America: Brave New World. It makes one wonder if the powers that be at Marvel Studios are seeing the benefit that misleading the audience has and whether they’re thinking about doing it again.

[RELATED: When Will Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Stream on Disney+?]

Will the MCU Look to Change More Titles in the Future?

It’s safe to say that the Thunderbolts* title change is going swimmingly. Sure, some may argue that pulling back the curtain after one weekend is premature, but Marvel is betting on the “New Avengers” name putting additional butts in seats. If that plan comes to fruition, it’s going to have major ripple effects, including increasing the buzz for the next two MCU movies, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday. A win like that will make the name change another weapon in Marvel Studios’ ever-growing arsenal, and with the expansive history of Marvel Comics, the possibilities are endless.

The obvious way the MCU can pull off another name change is by following The Falcon and the Winter Soldier model. Maybe after the next two Avengers films, Yelena Belova will get her own movie or show that sees her earn the “Black Widow” title by the end. But if Marvel wants to go big again, it can greenlight a sequel to The Marvels that brings Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Valkyrie back together and change the title to “A-Force,” helping the all-female Avengers team make the jump to live-action. Thunderbolts* already confirms that there are two Avengers teams active in the MCU, and it’s not like there aren’t enough heroes in the MCU to get a third one going. The strategy sounds like a win-win because not only does it give projects with little hype around them a boost, but it also allows Marvel Studios to set up the future in unique ways.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Did you remember that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier changed its name? Would you like to see MCU projects use the title change tactic more often? Let us know in the comments below!

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The general mentality that has been surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past few years is that it’s possibly run its course. At the very least, at this point, it’s retaining fans more than it’s attracting new ones. As Sinners has proved, audiences are currently hungry for more original fare, as opposed to an adaptation of existing material that is also part of an ever-expanding cinematic universe where you often need to watch at least one TV show and one other movie to understand what’s happening in this movie. Thunderbolts*, while solid overall and a lot of fun, is an example of this.

When it comes to Thunderbolts*, you need to have seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Widow, and that’s not even all. It’s tough to attract new people when not only is that the case, but also the general aura surrounding the IP as a whole has been dwindling. But was Phase 5 (which concludes with the Disney+ series Ironheart) an improvement over Phase 4, when this negative reputation started to build? Let’s dive in.

Phase 4 Highlights and Lowlights

Phase 4 was weaker than the three that preceded it, without a doubt. The main issue was blindingly clear: the MCU was stretching itself too thin. Eight series, two specials, and seven movies from January 2021 to November 2022? That’s simply too much.

Even the devoted were bound to either miss a project or deem it not quite worth watching. Without a doubt, they were bound to not find watching all of these things on day one necessary. Something can’t feel like an event if there’s no space in between projects to build up anticipation for the audience.

But, of those 17 total projects, which were worthwhile additions to the universe that contains 2008’s Iron Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Avengers: Endgame? Let’s break it up into three categories of quality for the sake of simplicity: success, middling, and failure. Mind you, this is in terms of how audiences as a whole tended to feel about the projects, not so much how we feel about them.

[RELATED: 10 Captain America Movie Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee]

Let’s kick off covering the success column and start with the Disney+ series. WandaVision is without a doubt in the success column. The same applies to Loki Season 1 and Hawkeye (low-key one of the best MCU projects to date). Also in the success columns are the films Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Now let’s look at the middling column. Most would agree that both specials, Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, fit there. They’re fun, but not exactly integral to appreciating the MCU as a whole. The Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Marvel’s What If…? Season 1, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel also fit there as do the movies Black Widow and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

That means that the failure column consists of the Disney+ show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the movies Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder. Now, let’s attribute everything a points value. Successes are three, middling projects are two, and failures are one. In total that’s 37 points. Divide that by 17 (again, the total number of projects in the Phase) and you get 2.18. Now let’s move on to Phase 5.

Phase 5 Highlights and Lowlights

Phase 5 paced things out a bit better, but still with not quite enough space between movies or shows to make them feel like events. From February 2023 (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) to May 2025 (Thunderbolts*), there have been 14 MCU projects. As of right now, Ironheart has not hit TVs yet, so we’ll call Phase 5 at 14 projects, as opposed to the 15 it will soon be.

When it comes to the success column, several Disney+ shows once again made the cut. There was Loki‘s second season and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and some might argue Agatha All Along was a success, but it was still a step down from WandaVision. As for movies, there was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine.

In the middling category, we have Season 2 and Season 3 of Marvel’s What If…?, Echo, the aforementioned Agatha All Along, and Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. This is where we also find Thunderbolts*.

As for outright failures, we have Secret Invasion and the movies Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (which set the wheels in motion for something that would never happen), The Marvels, and Captain America: Brave New World. This gives Phase 5 a total of 28 points. Divide that by 14 and you get a score of 2.0.

Naturally, everything’s subjective. Some people like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law the same way some people didn’t care for Deadpool & Wolverine. But, if you’re looking at things in terms of average perception, Phase 5 was actually a small step down from Phase 4.

The post Was MCU Phase 5 Better or Worse Than Phase 4? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With 36 movies and 11 Disney+ shows, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a lot of villains. So many, in fact, that it’s somewhat difficult to narrow the list down to 10. But some do stand above others, and those are the ones that follow. However, if they’ve become heroes in subsequent projects since their debut as a villain, they were left off. That means no Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp (though she was and remains one of the MCU’s most underrated villains) or the Winter Soldier in his brainwashed form. That also means no Loki, who was an iconic villain in 2012’s The Avengers but has since changed his self-serving ways. But if this were a ranking of even villains who haven’t remained as such, Loki would rank number one.

And if you’re expecting to see Kang the Conqueror from Loki‘s first season and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, he’s not here. Maybe in another universe where Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was actually made. Just missing the cut were Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2, Red Skull from Captain America: The First Avenger, and Alexander Pierce from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Without further ado, here are the top MCU villains.

10) Iron Monger

On one hand, Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger kicked off an unfortunate trend when it comes to MCU villainy. Specifically, the antagonist is just the evil variation of the protagonist. For instance, in the universe’s sophomore film, The Incredible Hulk, as well as in Ant-Man, and Black Panther (to an extent). But the first time out the gate it worked, thanks in no small part to the strength of Bridges’ performance.

It’s amazing how well Iron Man works as a whole, considering it was shot without a finished script. This includes Bridges’ role within the film. You believe his contempt for Tony Stark; he feels wronged, slighted. In reality, the company was always going to go to Tony. As well it should, not because of nepotism or birthright, but rather because, unlike Stane, Stark has original ideas. Stane just wheels and deals under the table and steals inventive concepts from actual geniuses.

9) Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was a presence in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she was shown to be as unethical as Obadiah Stane, to an increasing degree. But she didn’t reach the level of full-on villain until Thunderbolts*. Prior to that, she was just shady.

In Thunderbolts* Val’s willing to not only lie, cheat, and cover up dirty deeds, she’s willing to have people killed – oftentimes to, well, cover things up. Louis-Dreyfus is ranged enough as a performer to make de Fontaine endearingly snarky, and by the same token, ranged enough to make her seem utterly unpredictable. She’s the best fully human villain (who never suits up) thus far, even over Justin Hammer, Senator Stern, and Alexander Pierce.

8) Kingpin

In the opening, we mentioned how Netflix villains were excluded, hence no Kilgrave. But Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin has since appeared in both Hawkeye, Echo, and Daredevil: Born Again. Even in Hawkeye, with such limited screentime, he was a formidable presence.

D’Onofrio was and remains a perfect choice for the character, and that’s only become clearer as Kingpin’s story and backstory has been expanded. The actor does a great job displaying the man’s ambition but, even more importantly, he does a great job convincing the audience the crime lord has as much pain inside him as he does rage.

7) Hela

After the incredibly lame Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark World, the God of Thunder film franchise really needed a great villain for film three. And, in Cate Blanchett’s Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, it got one.

On one hand, it would be really easy to chalk up the success of Hela to Blanchett’s immense talent. But Christian Bale, a comparably talented performer, was enlisted for the following film, and even though he was the best part of it, he wasn’t enough to save it. And, admittedly, his storyline in that film was actually pretty touching. But Hela is just flat-out more fun, and Blanchett has fun with it.

6) Agatha Harkness

Is there an argument to be made that Agatha Harkness was a reformed woman in Agatha All Along? Sure, but she still wasn’t quite what one would call a protagonist. She just wasn’t the one being toyed with that time. There were quite a few moments when she showed the same colors she showed towards the end of WandaVision.

The first Marvel Disney+ series is still the best one, and it’s likely to remain as such. WandaVision is one of the most uniformly excellent projects to come from the MCU, big screen or small. This includes the whole-episode emulations of television past as well as the big reveal that Westview is being controlled by Wanda Maximoff. And, of course, there’s the reveal that the strange occurrences in Westview have been originating from Agatha, all along.

[RELATED: 10 Best Non-Superhero Movies from MCU Directors]

5) Ego, The Living Planet

One’s favorite installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy is less certain than pretty much any other MCU trilogy. But, without a doubt, Ego is the best villain of the three. As great as many people find the first film to be, there was a pretty unanimous consensus that Ronan the Accuser was dull.

Kurt Russell’s Ego is anything but. Like another entry on this list, he’s a father figure, and not a particularly good one. It’s just, in this case, the protagonist is led to believe he’s a good one, only to find out the reality is the opposite in a devastating reveal. The other example is a blatantly poor father who ends up having a soul after all.

4) Vulture

Anyone can understand a protective parent, even if they’re not a parent themself. That’s exactly what Vulture is in Spider-Man: Homecoming. And were it not for Doc Ock and Green Goblin, he’d be the best villain in a Spider-Man movie, period.

The moment Peter Parker realizes his date’s father, Adrian Toomes, is the Vulture is great, but so too is the moment Toomes realizes Parker is Spider-Man. Toomes even gives Parker an out: he can just go into prom and forget about everything he knows when it comes to Toomes’ illegal business activities, but the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man knows that’s not what heroes do. Vulture is compelling because he doesn’t really want to hurt anyone, but sometimes feels he has to. He’s been messed over by the government and, to an extent, by Tony Stark. He’s just trying to provide for his family.

3) Xu Wenwu

A complex motivation can be compelling, but so too can a simplistic one. In the case of Xu Wenwu AKA the (real) Mandarin from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, that simplistic motivation is also quite complex. Namely, love.

Or, more specifically, love that has become grief and false hope. Wenwu was never a particularly great father to Shang-Chi, showing him how to commit acts of violence when he should have been teaching him compassion. But compassion isn’t the name of Wenwu’s game; it never was. He’s a conqueror, and a driven one at that. But once he is led to believe he can possibly reunite with his deceased wife, that vast ambition is redirected. By the end of the film, Wenwu learns what is important, but up until his final moments, he is one of the most interesting villains in comic book movie history.

2) Killmonger

Admittedly, Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is pretty great. And, if this list were longer, he’d be there. But as far as the Black Panther franchise goes, there’s just no beating the original’s Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan).

Writer/director Ryan Coogler is an absolute master of crafting villains whose motivations are understandable, even if their actions are not (see Sinners for another example), and Killmonger is no exception. Unlike Obadiah Stane, who just feels as though he’s been cheated out of a throne, Killmonger actually was. His way of ruling, brief as that rule is, may be eerily similar to a dictatorship, but the reasons for his anger are justifiable. Sure, once the film becomes two men in Black Panther suits fighting next to futuristic trains, it becomes a little bland, but as a character, Killmonger is fantastic.

1) Thanos

It’s doubtful the MCU will ever have a villain more iconic than Thanos. For one, the franchise spent multiple phases slowly building up his presence before unleashing him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Doctor Doom will give him a run for his overarching antagonist money, but it’s still a tall order.

It remains to be seen how Avengers: Doomsday will handle Doom, but the big question is whether he will be as complex a character as Thanos. We watch this guy kill the villain of the first MCU team-up movie in the first few minutes and later throw his daughter off a cliff to complete his mission. Not to mention, the mission itself is the instantaneous elimination of half of all life in the universe. Thanos feels his actions are wholly altruistic. Of course, it’s really just genocide, but he doesn’t see it that way. That’s a powerful character, in more ways than one.

MCU movies are streaming on Disney+.

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O-T Fagbenle was up to the task of playing Black Widow‘s villain. The Handmaid’s Tale actor made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the 2021 movie as Rick Mason, the private contractor who owed a debt to Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and was her fixer at a time when she was on the run for violating the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War. But in a new interview, Fagbenle says he originally auditioned to play Taskmaster, the masked assassin sent after Natasha and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh).

“Basically, I first auditioned for Taskmaster, and it was a really incredible speech, actually,” Fagbenle told TheDirect. “It was an audition I was very proud of. I’ve still got it in the back someplace.” The actor added he “made him with an African accent, and he was this kind of maniacal-like character.”

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Deleted Scene Addressed Yelena’s Hawkeye Hit, But Marvel Cut It

But when screenwriter Eric Pearson reworked the script originally developed by Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby) and Jac Schaeffer (WandaVision), the Tony Masters version of Taskmaster was rejiggered to be Antonia Dreykov (Olga Kurylenko) —daughter of the Red Room’s Dreykov (Ray Winstone).

“Somewhere along the journey of writing and things above my pay grade, I basically got [told] that [the role] was down to like, ‘Is it me or is it someone else,'” Fagbenle said. “That kind of thing for that version of Taskmaster. And in the various iterations of the movie, that version of Taskmaster went away, and then they just came to me and was like, ‘Hey, there is this character called Mason, do you want to play Mason?'”

“So I was like, ‘Hell yeah, I’d love to play Mason,'” he continued. “And so the Taskmaster that I was going to be didn’t exist in that iteration of Black Widow.”

Pearson explained changing Taskmaster from Tony Masters to Antonia Dreykov in a 2021 interview with ComicBook, stating that the comic book version of the character — a hired gun with photographic reflexes capable of imitating superhero skills — didn’t quite fit into what had become a story about Russia-sanctioned spies.

“There was a previous draft where [Taskmaster] was a Tony Masters character, but … it was hard because we had certain constants,” Pearson said. “One of the constants was we were right after Captain America: Civil War and before Avengers: Infinity War which meant our great threat, the Red Room… One of the bigger kind of complications was figuring out a villain plot that could succeed and go unnoticed.”

“Which, ultimately, I think kind of works out for a spy thriller film, and also for Dreykov as an ultimate villain,” he continued. “Because he is a bit of a cowardly man who wields power from the shadows, but spends most of his time isolated, like a weird Howard Hughes, just talking about how big he is to himself because he’s too scared to actually kind of like get out there in the world.”

It also allowed Pearson to tie Natasha’s traumatic past — the red in her ledger — back to the film’s more physical threat, Taskmaster.

“Tony Masters didn’t seem to really fit into that. And meanwhile, we had this mystery of, ‘What happened to Dreykov’s daughter?'” Pearson explained. “It seemed like because Natasha Romanoff’s story is always going to be more grounded, but you still want some Marvel fun, fantastic in it. The idea of an accident going wrong and we’ve already got this facility now in the Red Room … and the idea of mind control and rebuilding and controlling the human brain, the idea of an accident going wrong with a loved one, and using the technology to reconstruct that person’s mind [and] finding something new, finding the photographic reflexes in rebuilding that mind, that felt like a good Marvel comic book addition to an otherwise more grounded spy thriller thing.”

Kurylenko’s Taskmaster returns in Thunderbolts*, also written by Pearson, who originally had her play a larger role in the ensemble that includes Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr. Black Widow is available to stream on Disney+, and Thunderbolts* is now playing only in theaters.

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Yelena Belova still has some red in her ledger. After Avenger Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) sacrificed her life to help bring back the victims of Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Endgame — including her blipped adoptive sister, Yelena (Florence Pugh) — CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) aimed Yelena at Natasha’s friend and former partner, Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). “Maybe you’d like a shot at the man responsible for your sister’s death,” Val told Yelena in the post-credits scene of the Black Widow movie, setting up her return in the Hawkeye Disney+ series.

Yelena tracked Barton to New York and encountered his protégé, archer Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), who learned that Yelena was there to avenge her sister. “If there is someone out there that is telling you Clint is a bad guy,” Kate told the assassin, “then maybe you should ask yourself what kind of person hired you.”

RELATED: Thunderbolts* Writer Reveals New Avengers Twist Was Kevin Feige’s Idea

It turned out that Kate’s mother, Bishop Security CEO Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga), was the mystery benefactor who hired Yelena to kill Barton amid her business dealings with the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). When Yelena confronted Barton about Natasha’s death and the years he spent as the masked vigilante Ronin, Barton revealed he knew the sisters’ secret whistle. He then convinced Yelena that he didn’t kill Natasha — she made a choice to sacrifice herself on Vormir, and he couldn’t stop her.

“Nothing was gonna stop her, Yelena. You know Natasha,” he told the grieving Yelena. “She made her choice. We’re gonna have to find a way to live with that.” Having made peace with Barton, Yelena abandoned the mission.

But by the time we next see her in Thunderbolts*, Yelena is still working on assignment and cleaning up messes for Val, who unintentionally assembles the New Avengers when she tries to have her “loose ends” eliminate each other: Yelena/Black Widow, John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).

As it turns out, what fans thought was a discrepancy in Yelena’s MCU arc was originally explained away early on in Thunderbolts*. Eric Pearson, who receives a “story by” credit and shares a screenplay-writing credit with Joanna Calo, reveals an early draft included a scene addressing Val’s manipulations that led to the events of Hawkeye.

“Early drafts began with Yelena confronting Valentina about ordering the Clint Barton hit, which was one of my favorite scenes that eventually became not entirely relevant to the Thunderbolts* story,” Pearson explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “I loved it because it emphasized Valentina’s manipulation. Yelena entered the scene on fire, furious, accusing Valentina of setting her up to take out her sister’s killer, when, in reality, he was her best friend. Then Valentina completely flipped the script on Yelena.”

“I believe the line was: ‘Set you up? You mean paid you to do a job that, by the way, you didn’t even do? So I heard some bad gossip, pardon me for trying to motivate you. But this is your job, and asking questions isn’t a part of it,'” Pearson said. “And then that led into the conversation about how Yelena is unhappy with her job/life and wants to make a change towards something more constructive.”

Instead, Thunderbolts* begins with a depressed Yelena confiding in a tied-up guard as she took an assignment from Val to destroy evidence of Project Sentry at O.X.E. Group in the film’s opening sequence.

“There’s something wrong with me. A void,” Yelena says. “I thought it started when my sister died. But now it seems like something bigger. Just a… void. Or maybe I’m just bored. They send me a job, I clock in, get in, get out, you know? I’m in the cleaning business.”

With jobs in Malaysia and Mexico, she says, “I thought throwing myself into work was the answer. But I’m not focused and I’m not happy, and I have no purpose.” She later admits, “You think I like taking orders, going from one job to another, doing the same thing all the time?” By the film’s end, Yelena has a new, public-facing purpose: as co-leader of the Val-backed New Avengers with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan).

Thunderbolts* / *The New Avengers is now playing only in theaters.

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Thunderbolts* introduced a new character powerful enough to plunge New York City into darkness. There is a darker side to Bob (Lewis Pullman), the troubled man with ultimate superpowers, albeit with a dark side that needs to remain hidden from the world. Bob’s alter-ego, “The Void” is capable of making people re-live their worst memories. Bob made a vow to keep that part of himself contained, but with Lewis Pullman confirmed to reprise the role in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, anything can happen. The team has no guarantee that The Void won’t be making a comeback. If Bob’s darker side returns, the entire Thunderbolts team could be in a lot of trouble.

Avengers: Doomsday will make several characters from across the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse cross paths for the first time. This promises audiences many fun interactions that could take place during the upcoming crossover. The Sentry will come face-to-face with some of the most powerful people the MCU has ever seen. There are some characters who would be very interesting to see fighting against The Void, with Bob’s darker side forcing them to confront their nightmares in the flesh. Here are some of the heroes and villains from the MCU who should be sent into The Void when Avengers: Doomsday flies into theaters next year.

1) Doctor Doom

Marvel Studios hasn’t revealed anything about the new version of Doctor Doom, other than the fact that he will be played by Robert Downey Jr. Viewers don’t even know which universe the villain will be coming from. Doom will need to present himself as a bigger threat than Thanos (Josh Brolin) in order for the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to take him seriously. That won’t be something easy to achieve. The ruler of Latveria will need to become someone audiences come to know by the time the credits roll on Avengers: Doomsday. Thunderbolts* just introduced the most interesting way for this connection between the character and the fans to happen.

If Doctor Doom happened to be sent into The Void, audiences will get to know plenty about the character without the need of extensive flashback sequences. Viewers are aware of the concept of this dictator who mixes magical abilities with advanced science. A trip to The Void would force Doom to reveal what drove him to come up with his evil plan for Avengers: Doomsday. A single sequence can reveal the villain’s motivations and why audiences are supposed to either root for him or despise him. There’s no need to spend half an hour going back to a version of Latveria that hasn’t been introduced in the MCU yet, instead of jumping straight into the action of the sequel.

RELATED: [ Marvel Changes Avengers Social Media Accounts In Wake of Thunderbolts* (& Now It Feels Real) ]

2) Thor

No one in the MCU has suffered more than Thor (Chris Hemsworth) at this point. The God of Thunder has lost his entire family while carrying the guilt of not killing Thanos during the events of Avengers: Infinity War – and that’s not where his suffering ends. Thor: Love and Thunder saw Thor also lose his love, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and established that the hero must now take care of Love (India Hemsworth), the young girl who was left behind by Gorr (Christian Bale), the main villain of the movie. Thor has gained plenty of new responsibilities since he left Earth for the last time. So when audiences get to see him again in the near future, he will be a new man.

But Thor hasn’t crossed paths with The Void yet. If Sentry’s darker half manages to get his hands on the God of Thunder, he will find plenty of tragic moments to choose from. Thor saw his mother die in Thor: The Dark World. Thanos took Loki away in Avengers: Infinity War. While audiences already know all this, it would be interesting to see how Thor has dealt with these tragedies over time, while facing The Void. The founding Avenger won’t be the character fans remember; the arrival of Doctor Doom will force Thor to step out of the shadows for yet another battle. Hopefully, he will finally be at peace with himself when it’s time to go against the evil sorcerer.

3) Reed Richards

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce a new version of Marvel’s First Family. Pedro Pascal will star in the movie as Reed Richards, after John Krasinski played a variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The trailer for the upcoming movie has given viewers a taste of Richards’ mindset in this adventure. As a devoted man of science, Reed has always looked for ways to build new technology. But his communication with beings from outer space has brought unfortunate news. Galactus (Ralph Ineson) heard the call, and he’s ready to destroy the version of Earth Reed and his family have worked so hard to protect.

It would be interesting to see what is waiting for Reed Richards in The Void if he fails to protect his universe. It will be extremely hard for the Fantastic Four to stop Galactus on the big screen. There’s a chance the team will lose the upcoming battle, and if they do, The Void could explore the guilt that would grow in Reed Richards’ heart. Billions of lives will be lost if the Fantastic Four don’t step up for the challenge. These levels of guilt haven’t been seen in the MCU since Thor and Tony Stark failed to stop Thanos from erasing half of all life. Hopefully, fans can get a chance to see The Void’s powers used on unexpected characters once Avengers: Doomsday launches next summer.

Avengers: Doomsday premieres in theaters on May 1, 2026.

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Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova continues her captivating Marvel Cinematic Universe arc in Thunderbolts*, confirming that she’s the perfect successor to Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. Pugh made her debut as Natasha’s adopted younger sister in 2021’s Black Widow, in which the two reconnected with their makeshift family during the Avengers’ hiatus after Captain America: Civil War. Yelena returned in the Disney+ series Hawkeye, clashing with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) and Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) in her pursuit to avenge Natasha’s death. Yelena’s position as the lead character of Thunderbolts* sees her delve into her past trauma and present loneliness while bonding with an unlikely new coalition of anti-heroes comprised of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Bob Reynolds/the Sentry (Lewis Pullman).

The former Red Room operative seamlessly follows in the footsteps of Johansson’s Black Widow, the femme fatale assassin who became the only woman among the six original Avengers and later sacrificed herself during the team’s final effort to defeat Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Endgame. Upon the introduction of Pugh’s Yelena in Black Widow, it was immediately clear that she could carry on the legacy of Johansson’s hero, however, her success would largely depend on the MCU’s use and writing of Yelena going forward — given that the franchise’s failure with Black Widow had nothing to do with Johansson’s performance and everything to do with Natasha’s limited development and halfhearted ending. After Thunderbolts*, it’s certain that Yelena has the kind of compelling character arc that Natasha deserved, but never got.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts* Shock Ending Changed The MCU In 3 Major Ways]

From Black Widow to Thunderbolts*, the MCU Succeeds With Yelena (Where it Failed With Natasha)

From Black Widow’s first appearance in 2010’s Iron Man 2 onward, the MCU primarily treated the character as an eye-candy sidekick with minimal character depth. Natasha’s backstory as a trained killer for General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) hardly factored into her MCU role, and the franchise consistently opted for endless objectification of her over taking her story in an interesting direction. Put into a box and denied a solo movie for years, Johansson still established Black Widow as a fan-favorite MCU character by virtue of her charisma and action-star power. But, not even Johansson’s outstanding portrayal of Natasha could soften the blow of the MCU’s egregious handling of the character. In a completely unnecessary Iron Man 2 scene, Black Widow changes her clothes in the back of Happy Hogan’s (Jon Favreau) car while he watches in the rearview mirror, and at one point amid her bizarre Avengers: Age of Ultron romance with Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha laments her inability to have children due to the Red Room program and labels herself as a monster. Finally, Black Widow’s sacrificial fall from Vormir at the midpoint of Avengers: Endgame served as an underwhelming farewell to a great character with unfulfilled potential. Black Widow finally gave Natasha the humanity she desperately needed, but it was too little too late to correct the mistakes of her MCU tenure.

With Pugh’s Yelena, the MCU delivers the superb character development it should have afforded Natasha. Although a supporting character in Black Widow, Yelena instantly takes on a compelling storyline. Determined to destroy the Red Room and free her fellow Widows from Dreykov’s chemical mind control while experiencing the aftermath of her own liberation, Yelena represents an intricate portrait of trauma and resilience as she reunites with Natasha and their adoptive parents. A balance of comedic and poignant moments does wonders for Yelena’s characterization in her first MCU project, propelling her toward Hawkeye, in which she hilariously banters with Kate and heart-wrenchingly learns the truth about Clint’s involvement in Natasha’s death. Thunderbolts* offers a thorough examination of Yelena’s struggle to find her purpose after vanishing in Thanos’ Snap, losing her sister, and later leading a solitary life as a gun for hire. Yelena’s bond with her fellow anti-heroes, particularly Bob, rekindles the light inside of her, as she now has a family on which she can rely for support.

Ultimately, the writing of Yelena as a human before a hero separates the quality of her MCU arc from Black Widow’s, and this time, the franchise gives a first-rate actor the chance to perform as a three-dimensional persona. Pugh has shaped Yelena into an absolute force of a character thanks to her emotional depth and perfect comedic timing in the role. Even though she has featured in only three MCU projects, Pugh elevates all of them, and the scripts provide enough space to properly flesh out Yelena as an individual. A triple threat of fiery action, delightful humor, and heartfelt emotion, Pugh pulls off the remarkable feat of making audiences laugh during one scene and bringing tears to their eyes in the next. Johansson undoubtedly would have thrived under similar circumstances, which makes the MCU’s misuse of Black Widow all the more disappointing.

Yelena’s Arc Is a Breath of Fresh Air for the MCU

Thunderbolts* emphasizes that superheroes need to be human first, and Yelena’s MCU arc beautifully illustrates this idea. Her status as a formidable killer makes for some riveting combat sequences, but Yelena always feels like a living, breathing person with her own baggage, flaws, desires, and fears. The movie’s mental health-focused narrative grants Yelena and the morally-gray Thunderbolts an opportunity to reflect on their pasts and build toward a future in which they can both help others and be helped.

More often than not, the personal side of MCU heroes takes a back seat to the action and heroics, and attempts at genuine emotion are ruined by unnecessary jokes or poorly-handled character development. Even rarer is the case of a fully fleshed-out female hero, as Black Widow and too many others never reached a point when they weren’t merely a piece in someone else’s story. Until time travel is possible, the MCU cannot totally redeem its failure of Black Widow, but the franchise’s improved handling of Yelena stands out as one of its biggest triumphs in the post-Endgame era.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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Disney CEO Bob Iger has admitted that Marvel’s batting average has been lackluster in recent years, but thinks we are at the start of a resurgence. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is 17 years old now and it has seen the release of 36 movies and a handful of TV shows like WandaVision and Loki. There was a fairly steady ramp up with the MCU, going from about one movie every year to two movies annually in the 2010s. However, since Avenger: Endgame, it feels like we have been absolutely spoiled with Marvel content and not always for the better. Not only has there been an onslaught of MCU content with Disney+, but recent years saw the release of as many as three or even four Marvel movies in a 12 month period on top of TV shows.

Reports recently indicated that Marvel boss Kevin Feige was stretched very thin in the early 2020s as he was trying to juggle so many different projects and as a result, it seems like the quality suffered. Although Marvel has been criticized for being a bit formulaic for years, things were really rough post-Endgame with multiple movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Captain America: Brave New World failing to impress audiences and critics alike.

A part of that could also be attributed to ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who seemingly had a quantity over quality approach to the MCU and Disney’s other brands. Thankfully, that may be coming to an end as the last Marvel movie that was made under Chapek was Brave New World. It’s no surprise then to see that the first movie after that has been a glowing success and has inspired hope among tired fans.

Thunderbolts* Is the Start of Marvel’s New Movie Strategy

Disney CEO Bob Iger seems to think that Thunderbolts* AKA The New Avengers is the start of a new era of Marvel, one that will focus on quality over quantity. Although it seems like Marvel will continue to release about three movies a year for the foreseeable future, they may be pulling back on the Disney+ experiment. While there will still be Marvel shows like Daredevil: Born Again, there seemingly won’t be as much of an emphasis on massive projects that connect back to the movies in a huge way like Loki.

“We all know that in our zeal to flood our streaming platform with more content, that we turned to all of our creative engines, including Marvel, and had them produce a lot more,” Iger said during an investors call. “We’ve also learned over over time that quantity does not necessarily beget quality. And frankly, we’ve all admitted to ourselves that we lost a little focus by making too much. By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe that will result in better quality. I think the first and best example is ‘Thunderbolts*.’ I feel very good about that.”

Thunderbolts* was a big win for Marvel as it was praised for its very human story that deals with real world issues in a larger than life way while still giving fans the summer blockbuster thrills they expect from an MCU movie. Whether it was a one-off or a sign of things to come remains to be seen, but Iger suggests fans can expect that level of quality going forward. Fantastic Four: The First Steps looks to be another winner, but we still have a few months ago before fans can come to their own verdict.

This all comes as Avengers: Doomsday races into production, reportedly without a finished script. Fans are concerned that the upcoming Avengers movie will be a rushed mess due to a short turn around for VFX teams and a story that hasn’t had enough time in the oven. However, we’ll just have to wait and see if that is true.

Are you optimistic about Marvel’s future? Let me know in the comments.

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A new team is ready to take the Marvel Cinematic Universe by storm. The Thunderbolts are a lot different than the Avengers, though, as they’re comprised of characters who have all made mistakes in their past. The situation is the same in the comics, with the Thunderbolts taking on missions that more heroic groups may deem unsavory. However, the team’s origins are very different in the source material, involving a group of villains coming together before branching off into something very different. That evolution took years and many incarnations, and in that time, dozens of characters answered the call and became a Thunderbolt.

Looking back at the different versions of the Thunderbolts is especially fun because there are plenty of familiar faces. In fact, there are more than a few member that already have major ties ties to the MCU.

Baron Zemo

When the Thunderolts* movie was announced, it felt like a lock that Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo would join the roster. After all, he formed the original team in the comics in the ’90s. Zemo thought he could pull a fast one by having the Masters of Evil take on heroic identities and form a new team, but the whole thing blew up in his face, with most of his allies turning against him.

Bullseye

During the iconic “Civil War” storyline in the comics, Iron Man builds a new version of the Thunderbolts. Bullseye becomes the enforcer of the group, but Tony Stark keeps him in line by having some contingencies in place. He sticks around long enough to earn a spot on Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers, which could still form in the MCU and allow Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye to make the jump from TV to the movies.

Venom

While Sony’s Venom isn’t exactly an MCU character, the symbiote made its way to the Sacred Timeline during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. That makes it eligible for this list, which is great because two different versions of the character become part of the Thunderbolts. While wielding the symbiote, Mac Gargan helps the Avengers hunt down fugitives as a member of the Thunderbolts, and Flash Thompson, aka Agent Venom, fights crime with another iteration.

Man-Thing

The Marvel Studios special Werewolf by Night proves just how powerful Man-Thing can be, so it’s not much of a surprise that a team like the Thunderbolts finds a place for Ted Sallis. While he doesn’t stick around for long, his time with the team is still of note, especially since Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier wanted him to be part of his roster.

Red Hulk

Believing that Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross is instrumental in the Thunderbolts’ creation is an easy mistake to make. But he really has nothing to do with the team until the early 2010s when, as the Red Hulk, he recruits other heroes with red in their ledger, including Agent Venom and Elektra, to make up for his past mistakes.

[RELATED – First Thunderbolts* Reactions Call Film “Gritty, Emotional” and “One of the Best MCU Movies in a Long Time”]

Deadpool

Deadpool, especially Ryan Reynolds’ version, just feels like a member of the Thunderbolts. However, in the comics, the character spends time on his own and with other Marvel groups like X-Force and Mercs for Money before joining up with Red Hulk and his gang. It’s a brief stint, but one that could set the stage for something major in the MCU’s future.

Punisher

While Daredevil: Born Again once again proves that Frank Castle doesn’t like working with others, there are missions that even he can’t take on alone. That’s why he joins Red Hulk and Deadpool on their mission to better the world in the only way they know how: wreaking havoc and taking no prisoners.

Abomination

Abomination rarely plays by the rules, which is why he destroys most of Harlem to get to Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk. There are some situations, though, where getting in line benefits him. During the “Devil’s Reign” storyline, Abomination is part of Mayor Wilson Fisk’s Thunderbolts that get tasked with hunting down heroes who are “breaking the law,” allowing him to throw down without worrying about repercussions.

Luke Cage

Unlike the Netflix version of Luke Cage, the one in the comics doesn’t mean leaving street-level crime-fighting behind. At one point, Cage takes command of an Avengers team as well as the Thunderbolts, and he recruits some powerhouses, including Moonstone, Songbird, Ghost, Juggernaut, and Hyperion.

Hawkeye

Clint Barton’s time as Ronin in the MCU makes him a perfect fit for the Thunderbolts, and his comic counterpart would definitely support the move. After Zemo’s team betrays him, Hawkeye takes control of the team and leads them on some wild missions. And even after that group calls it quits, he leads another version that brings another major MCU hero, America Chavez, into the fold.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2.

Did you know these MCU characters are members of the Thunderbolts in the comics? Which ones would you like to see in a sequel to Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments below.

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