The Thunderbolts* News and Discussion Thread

[Lily Adler]

Post news about the film and discuss.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

This is probably a long shot, but could this movie could bring back Leviathan from Agent Carter?

The Secret Warriors comics have been very inspirational for the MCU. This is the comic from which Hydra's infiltration of SHIELD originates, so this comic was highly influential on the CA:tWS movie. It was also a major inspiration for Agent Carter as this story also introduced the group Leviathan. (Also the Secret Warriors themselves were inspirational for AoS but that's neither here nor there.) It is revealed in this Secret Warriors comic that Valetina (who used to be just a SHIELD agent and Nick Fury love interest) is actually a triple agent who has infiltrated both SHIELD and Hydra but is ultimately loyal to Leviathan. Valentina's protrayal in the MCU so far definitely lines up with her portrayal as a treacherous, scheming operative with a hidden agenda from that comic more than her earlier portrayal as a good SHIELD agent who got close with Fury.

I found it notable that 3 of the Thunderbolts are former Red Room/Dreykov operatives and there's also Bucky who operated from Russia for Hydra. I wondered if Val's comic origins played any part in her choices for this team.

I know people generally don't see the abc shows as canon, but it should be noted that in the official book "The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe" Agent Carter is the only Marvel Television show mentioned to have "canon storytelling that would eventually dovetail back into future films.". It was also written by Markus & McFeely who also wrote Winter Soldier and Civil War, is the source for the thumbnail of Peggy's episode of Marvel Studios: Legends on Disney+ and was the only show to cross over into the movies before Daredevil through Edwin Jarvis in Endgame.

And even if it's not a direct link to Agent Carter, it could still be introduced in this movie as this storyline was clearly influential on past Marvel projects as well as Val's current portrayal.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I don't love the lineup. People are complaining about the similarities of characters. I also just wish there were a few more from the OG Thunderbolts. Obviously, Zemo is the most obvious choice, but I would have loved Songbird, Moonstone, Atlas, etc.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Where the f*** is Zemo?!

 

[Bayne]

I still say Zemo will definitely be in the movie, just apparently not as an official member of the team. And considering the line-up clearly proves this is starting as an officially sanctioned team, it makes sense that Zemo's reputation is too radioactive to be an official member.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

They weren't villains.

A villain is someone like Hela, Thanos, Apocalypse, Magneto, Malekith, etc.

I watched Hawkeye and didn't see Yelena as a Hawkeye villain... thats like calling Iron Man a Villain for trying to take down the Winter Soldier in Civil War and fighting against Steve Rogers.

Red Guardian was a prisoner, so as most of the Gotg. Someone who has a troubled past doesn't automatically make them a villain.

They're criminals. There's a difference between how the movie frames a character to its audience and how that character is perceived in-universe.
Every single character on this team has been a criminal who has killed people (even though Bucky, Yelena, and Antonia were mindcontrolled at the time), but they're also all presented as sympathetic and with a chance at redemption.
Jane and Riri wouldn't fit that same description.

 

[psylockolussus]

I don't love the lineup. People are complaining about the similarities of characters. I also just wish there were a few more from the OG Thunderbolts. Obviously, Zemo is the most obvious choice, but I would have loved Songbird, Moonstone, Atlas, etc.

For me, the roster is just bland.

Adding Songbird or someone we haven't seen would have made it interesting.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Talk about the most boring line up. Is anyone going to really care about all of these people when the movie comes out? Ghost from that second Ant Man movie? Jesus.

The failure of Phase 4 has a great risk of coming to a head with these team up movies. It'll put into perspective how uninteresting these new characters have been.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Abomination hasn't been added yet because his arc in She Hulk hasn't finished. Casting him before the show was finished would give away a massive spoiler. I will be surprised if Tim Roth isn't announced for this movie.

 

[Iceman]

I still say Zemo will definitely be in the movie, just apparently not as an official member of the team. And considering the line-up clearly proves this is starting as an officially sanctioned team, it makes sense that Zemo's reputation is too radioactive to be an official member.

Sounds quite possible and hope you’re right.

 

[Iceman]

Abomination hasn't been added yet because his arc in She Hulk hasn't finished. Casting him before the show was finished would give away a massive spoiler. I will be surprised if Tim Roth isn't announced for this movie.

Hope that is also the reason in this case. Add in Zemo and Abomination into the movie, even if not on the team, and I’ll have pretty much what I want.

 

[Chris B]

I still say Zemo will definitely be in the movie, just apparently not as an official member of the team. And considering the line-up clearly proves this is starting as an officially sanctioned team, it makes sense that Zemo's reputation is too radioactive to be an official member.

I think this sounds right. I get Abomination not appearing if they're going for a black ops theme, but this just seems like too much of an opportunity for Zemo to come back to pass up.

 

[Lily Adler]

I think everyone was hoping this would be the MCU's Suicide Squad but you know good.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

I think everyone was hoping this would be the MCU's Suicide Squad but you know good.

I think there were actually quite a few people who wanted this to differentiate itself from Suicide Squad, and/or wanted it to be more like the original Thunderbolts with either the villain "twist" or at least a (non-government) team pretending to be heroes in some way.

 

[Ctfxcwatcher]

Really surprised how uninterested I am in this. This was actually one of the projects I was looking forward to the most when it was being setup in FATWS. The roster is just....idk. As of right now
I can definitely see this movie underperforming

 

[Mr. Peanut]

Kinda weird that they have three super solders on the team. And two former members of the Black Widow program. Guess we'll be seeing a lot of hand to hand fighting.

 

[Dark Raven]

I wonder how much Thunderbolts is going to feel just like a direct sequel to CA: New World Order, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Black Widow or at least a combination of those 3.

 

[psylockolussus]

I wonder how much Thunderbolts is going to feel just like a direct sequel to CA: New World Order, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Black Widow or at least a combination of those 3.

All things lead to Thunderbolts!

 

[SKSpawn]

Maybe Zemo's the villain?

 

[Dr. Evil]

The Thunderbolts characters highlights the one significant issue I have with the MCU: too many characters with the same powers at the original Steve Rogers without making themselves different from Steve. Bucky has that bionic arm, and while that makes him different than Steve Rogers, Alexei and John Walker are no different than Steve, except Alexei is Russian, It doesn't need to be wholesale changes, it can be as minor as Bucky's arm or Jen Walters 4th Wall breaking in She Hulk. This is why if Tatania lives (and I think she does), she should not be in the Thunderbolts. She's another super soldier, no different than the three already on the team. At least with Emil Blonsky, he's a Hulk. They need to diversify this team and fast.

 

[samsnee]

 

[Sawyer]

If they’re going the Red Hulk route… I almost feel like Ford deserves better.

 

[The Caped Knight]

If you’re not going to include Abomination in your roster then bring on Red Hulk!

 

[Dark Raven]

Abomination hasn't been added yet because his arc in She Hulk hasn't finished. Casting him before the show was finished would give away a massive spoiler. I will be surprised if Tim Roth isn't announced for this movie.

I don't think this is the case now.

 

[Kev4000]

(1) 4chan leaks about Thunderbolts : MarvelStudiosSpoilers (reddit.com)

After Wakanda Forever this plot seems more and more likely.

Spoiler

Poor Walker, always the problematic child