Marvel Films MCU Thunderbolts - Team suggestions?

[JB-the-Hunter]

Ghost is one of the only female "villains" in the MCU at the moment and was a Thunderbolt in the comics at points. I would be shocked if she wasn't in this.

Here's how I would rank the likelihood of known MCU characters being part of it:

Thaddeus Ross 99%
Ghost 95%
Baron Zemo 90%
Justin Hammer 60%
Yelena Belova 60%
U.S. Agent 60%
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine 55%
Taskmaster 55%
Swordsman 50%
Red Hulk 50%
Batroc 50%
Abomination 50%
Bucky 30%
Hawkeye 30%
Agatha Harkness 10%
Deadpool 1%
The Leader 1%

 

[Rice Eater]

OK so I'm here after the end of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. At this point it sure does feel like US Agent will very very likely be apart of this team if it exist. I could definitely see him being the Rick Flag of the team. Not sure what else he could appear in that would make sense for his character. So I'd personally go 90% compared to @JB-the-Hunter 60% that he listed above me.

Another thing, after getting a taste of two MCU Disney Plus series and knowing what's coming up in the next few years. I really feel that if they make a Thunderbolts, it'll be a Disney Plus series and not a movie. For these characters and the story they want to tell with them, I really can't see a 150+ million dollar budget for Walker, Zemo, Ross, and company. Plus whatever adventure they'll be in will likely be more grounded and not a CGI fest.

Honestly I think it's fine if they get relegated to Disney Plus. It's an ensemble so we'll get more time for these characters to interact. They'll meet, they'll fight, and then they'll team up to stop whatever threat that is put in front of them. Just please make the villains better than the Flag Smasher's. Those guys sucked.

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

Walker is definitely going to be a part of whatever team Val is putting together, I'm just not sure if it's going to be the Thunderbolts or not. Are she and Ross working together? If not, then I think Walker will be on a separate team.

 

[The Overlord]

They should introduce him.

Where, in a Thunderbolts project or somewhere else first?

The problem with the original Thunderbolts lineup is most of those villains have not been introduced in the MCU, so the twist of a new team of heroes actually being established villains doesn't work if almost none of the villains ate recognized by the audience because this Thunderbolts project is their introduction.

 

[TheVileOne]

Where, in a Thunderbolts project or somewhere else first?

The problem with the original Thunderbolts lineup is most of those villains have not been introduced in the MCU, so the twist of a new team of heroes actually being established villains doesn't work if almost none of the villains ate recognized by the audience because this Thunderbolts project is their introduction.

None of the Guardians of the Galaxy were introduced before the first movie *Shrugs*

It can work.

 

[The Overlord]

None of the Guardians of the Galaxy were introduced before the first movie *Shrugs*

It can work.

But the Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't rely on a twist that relates to having known these characters beforehand to make work, Thunderbolts does.

 

[TheVileOne]

But the Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't rely on a twist that relates to having known these characters beforehand to make work, Thunderbolts does.

Runaways?

 

[The Overlord]

Runaways?

That is a different twist, those parents are running a secret society no one is supposed to be aware of, the Thunderbolts are public criminals who rebrand themselves as heroes. If they are public criminals, why haven't we seen then yet in the MCU? The twist does not make sense if we don't see them as public criminals first.

 

[metaphysician]

Where, in a Thunderbolts project or somewhere else first?

The problem with the original Thunderbolts lineup is most of those villains have not been introduced in the MCU, so the twist of a new team of heroes actually being established villains doesn't work if almost none of the villains ate recognized by the audience because this Thunderbolts project is their introduction.

A strict original flavor take on the Thunderbolts wouldn't work *anyway*, because the twist was spoiled 20 years ago. You would have to do a storyline that doesn't rely on the audience not knowing that Character X is actually a villain.

 

[metaphysician]

To elaborate, the core concept of the Thunderbolts is not "The audience is fooled about their nature". The core concept of the Thunderbolts is "Villains pretending at being heroes, and the effects this has upon them". Its an examination of what it means to be heroic, and which matters more, intents or actions. Hence why the main result tends to be a lot of redemption arcs, even among people who didn't intend it. And this? Works totally fine even if the audience knows perfectly well they are former-villains ( or current-villains ), or if the villains are 'pretending' to be heroes not in the masquerade sense, but simply by going through the motions as part of their sentence/parole.

 

[TheVileOne]

That is a different twist, those parents are running a secret society no one is supposed to be aware of, the Thunderbolts are public criminals who rebrand themselves as heroes. If they are public criminals, why haven't we seen then yet in the MCU? The twist does not make sense if we don't see them as public criminals first.

No one knew they were public criminals at first.

 

[Dark Raven]

Ghost is one of the only female "villains" in the MCU at the moment and was a Thunderbolt in the comics at points. I would be shocked if she wasn't in this.

Here's how I would rank the likelihood of known MCU characters being part of it:

Thaddeus Ross 99%
Ghost 95%
Baron Zemo 90%
Justin Hammer 60%
Yelena Belova 60%
U.S. Agent 60%
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine 55%
Taskmaster 55%
Swordsman 50%
Red Hulk 50%
Batroc 50%
Abomination 50%
Bucky 30%
Hawkeye 30%
Agatha Harkness 10%
Deadpool 1%
The Leader 1%

When has the Swordsman been in the MCU?

A strict original flavor take on the Thunderbolts wouldn't work *anyway*, because the twist was spoiled 20 years ago. You would have to do a storyline that doesn't rely on the audience not knowing that Character X is actually a villain.

The only way to do a Thunderbolts-like twist in the MCU is to reveal that the Avengers were villains all along.

 

[Bayne]

When has the Swordsman been in the MCU?



The only way to do a Thunderbolts-like twist in the MCU is to reveal that the Avengers were villains all along.

Swordsman is supposed to appear in Hawkeye.

 

[Dark Raven]

Swordsman is supposed to appear in Hawkeye.

If he's going to be in it, then will Mantis be in it as well? Those two always go together in the comics and have some on-again, off-again relationship. But I don't see how they're going to bring in an alien into this series since GOTG's tone would wildly differ from Hawkeye.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Swordsman is supposed to appear in Hawkeye.

He might not survive past that. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Albright]

Mephisto was supposed to appear in WV, Thunderbolt Ross was supposed to be i. F&WS...

 

[Dr. Evil]

Mephisto was supposed to appear in WV, Thunderbolt Ross was supposed to be i. F&WS...

So I suppose you are going to doubt the Variety report that he's in it?

'Hawkeye' Disney Plus Series Adds Florence Pugh, Vera Farmiga and More - Variety

Dalton will play Jack Duquesne, more than likely a take on the Marvel character Jacques Duquesne or Swordsman. An early mentor to Hawkeye, Swordsman has been both a hero and a villain in the Marvel comics.

I tend to believe Variety moreso than some guy on 4Chan. The rumors about Mephisto and Thunderbolt were from 4Chan. Variety, THR and Deadline never reported anything about those. I cannot believe people fell for those rumors.

 

[Dark Raven]

So I suppose you are going to doubt the Variety report that he's in it?

'Hawkeye' Disney Plus Series Adds Florence Pugh, Vera Farmiga and More - Variety



I tend to believe Variety moreso than some guy on 4Chan. The rumors about Mephisto and Thunderbolt were from 4Chan. Variety, THR and Deadline never reported anything about those. I cannot believe people fell for those rumors.

Dalton, as in Timothy Dalton? I could see him as the Swordsman.

 

[metaphysician]

When has the Swordsman been in the MCU?

The only way to do a Thunderbolts-like twist in the MCU is to reveal that the Avengers were villains all along.

I mean, you could plausibly say that about Tony Stark, sure.

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

So I suppose you are going to doubt the Variety report that he's in it?

'Hawkeye' Disney Plus Series Adds Florence Pugh, Vera Farmiga and More - Variety



I tend to believe Variety moreso than some guy on 4Chan. The rumors about Mephisto and Thunderbolt were from 4Chan. Variety, THR and Deadline never reported anything about those. I cannot believe people fell for those rumors.

Forget Variety, Kevin Feige himself confirmed it.

 

[Dr. Evil]

 

[Chris B]

Ghost is one of the only female "villains" in the MCU at the moment and was a Thunderbolt in the comics at points. I would be shocked if she wasn't in this.

Here's how I would rank the likelihood of known MCU characters being part of it:

Thaddeus Ross 99%
Ghost 95%
Baron Zemo 90%
Justin Hammer 60%
Yelena Belova 60%
U.S. Agent 60%
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine 55%
Taskmaster 55%
Swordsman 50%
Red Hulk 50%
Batroc 50%
Abomination 50%
Bucky 30%
Hawkeye 30%
Agatha Harkness 10%
Deadpool 1%
The Leader 1%

This seems pretty plausible I think. Though I suspect Val will have a bigger role than Ross. They seem to be setting her up for the Nick Fury/Amada Waller role.

I could also see Agatha Harkness be a part of the team. The character was so well received and it seems fitting that the Thunderbolts would have a sorcerer if they're meant to be a reflection of the Avengers.

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

This seems pretty plausible I think. Though I suspect Val will have a bigger role than Ross. They seem to be setting her up for the Nick Fury/Amada Waller role.

I could also see Agatha Harkness be a part of the team. The character was so well received and it seems fitting that the Thunderbolts would have a sorcerer if they're meant to be a reflection of the Avengers.

I'm just unsure whether what's going on with Val/Walker/Belova is for the Thunderbolts or not, which is why I have them all around 50/50. The ones above 90% are all comic book Thunderbolts that are still in the MCU and "Thunderbolt" is Ross' nickname. If he's not part of it, the team will probably be called the [Dark] Avengers or something.

 

[Web-Head]

Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’ Movie Taps Jake Schreier As Director – Deadline

 

[Dr. Evil]

the fact that the film is written by the guy who wrote Black Widow is a bit of a red flag.