Marvel Studios’ latest team of heroes is set to make their streaming debut on Disney+ later this month. To celebrate the upcoming addition of Thunderbolts* to the platform, Disney+ unveiled a brand-new poster featuring the group of outcasts. Unfortunately, though, the poster was quickly met with fury online. Not only does the poster leave out a character, albeit one with limited screen time, but it also strips the characters of their weapons. It’s an odd choice, especially as both were present on the original marketing items for the movie. Fans were quick to call out the seemingly unnecessary changes, curious as to why Disney edited the promotional image to tease its upcoming release on Disney+.

The edited poster, which can be seen below, features a plethora of changes. The biggest, of course, is the removal of Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov. Now, ahead of the film, Taskmaster was heavily included in the movie’s marketing, only to have a minor (and controversial) role in the film. The decision to keep Taskmaster in the marketing was to avoid spoiling the movie for fans, so it’s strange that Disney+ opted to move her completely from marketing with many having yet to see the film. Then, of course, there’s the removal of weapons from Yelena and Bucky. In the original poster, both can be seen sporting guns, but in the new poster, their hands are now empty, but still in the same positions, as if they are holding onto an imaginary item.

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One could argue that the change was made to be more family friendly. However, Disney+ got rid of its family friendly goal long ago, having since added the Deadpool titles to its platform, as well as the original Defenders series from Netflix that include Daredevil and Punisher. Weapons, blood, and profanity are no longer off the table for the streaming service. So, why the need to tidy up the marketing for Thunderbolts*? It’s even more strange considering the film was well-received by critics, and rather than changing the marketing to be “family friendly,” one would think the marketing would instead focus on critics’ quotes, as Thunderbolts* has generally been called one of Marvel Studios’ best films.

There’s one change, however, that, while noticeable, isn’t exactly a huge deal. In the original poster, the Thunderbolts can be seen on top of what appears to be a background from a battle scene. That is no longer the case, though, as the new poster simply puts the group against a plain yellow background. This is the only change that isn’t an issue, as yellow has been the primary marketing color for the film and can even be seen in its upcoming home release marketing. Is it odd? Perhaps. But it is also eye-catching, while the original background could have been viewed as distracting. Unfortunately, though, the yellow also allows for folks to notice the absurdity of Bucky’s hand pose all the more without his weapon.

Whether you like the new marketing for Thunderbolts* or not, the film is finally set to hit Disney+ on Wednesday, August 27th. If you haven’t already had a chance to watch one of Marvel Studios’ best features in recent years, make sure to check out Thunderbolts* from the comfort of your home later this month.

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It’s a strange time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the past couple of years, the franchise has struggled to win over critics and fans, with many projects receiving negative reviews on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. A major issue was that everything felt disconnected after Avengers: Endgame, as Marvel Studios took advantage of the streaming boom by releasing TV shows on the Disney+ streaming service. Series like Loki and WandaVision found success early on, but the good times didn’t last forever. Thankfully, Kevin Feige and Co. came to their senses and realized they had their hands in too many pots and started to pull back a bit, focusing on quality over quantity again.

The sample size of the new strategy isn’t huge, but there’s enough evidence to say that the MCU is on the right track again. After all, in 2025 alone, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps were universally praised for their interesting stories and big swigs. However, despite all the goodwill Marvel Studios is earning, a new problem has been unearthed that isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

The MCU Isn’t Focused on the Right Audience

Marvel Studios played it safe at the beginning of 2025 by releasing Captain America: Brave New World. Movies starring the Star-Spangled Man had been kind to the powers that be, and even with Chris Evans out of the picture, Anthony Mackie had been preparing for his big moment for years; Harrison Ford even joined the project to provide a bit more star power. Brave New World didn’t hit as hard as many expected it to, though, and audiences didn’t rush out to see it. By the end of its theatrical run, it grossed slightly over $400 million, which would be great for most movies but not for one in the MCU.

Thunderbolts* found itself in the opposite situation. Starring a roster of B-list MCU characters, the expectations were much lower for the movie. Well, it beat the odds by receiving incredible reviews. The only problem was that it couldn’t get butts in seats, even with good word of mouth. In the end, Thunderbolts* brought in less than Brave New World. While it would be easy to blame MCU fatigue for both movies’ lack of success, there may be another factor that Marvel Studios never saw coming.

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The marketing for both Thunderbolts* and Brave New World made it clear that the projects would have serious tones and tackle issues that may not be suitable for children. With that being the case, parents may have left the kids at home or skipped a trip to the theaters altogether. Fantastic Four: First Steps let it be known that it would have something for everyone, but by that point, countless people might have jumped off the MCU train. The proof is in the pudding because, despite good reviews and a generally family-friendly vibe, the Fantastic Four’s first solo outing in the MCU is failing to meet box office expectations. Some point to the more mature themes about birth and parenting, or the heavy sci-fi tropes in the reboot film; meanwhile, the DC Universe is rolling in dough, thanks to its ability to embrace its most important demographic.

Superman‘s Light Tone Is a Breath of Fresh Air

Thunderbolts* has better reviews than Superman, and First Steps is keeping pace with the Man of Steel. However, James Gunn’s latest movie isn’t having any trouble making waves at the box office. It continues to break records and enter territory the DC Extended Universe had to scratch and claw to reach. What Superman does differently from its competition is provide a green light to families with children. While there is mature subtext in the movie, it’s easy for kids to ignore all that due to the adorable dog flying around with the man in the bright-colored suit. Supergirl is sure to aim for a similar tone in 2026, and while it’s going to be tough for the DCU to get the same results, it’s hard to bet against the new franchise, right now.

As for the MCU, it’s going to be more of the same next year. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to be successful, there’s no doubt about it, but it’s not doing itself any favors by including the Punisher, a character who enjoys killing people. Avengers: Doomsday is also sure to feature its fair share of death and tragic moments, which won’t help put parents’ minds at ease. Until the MCU realizes that young people are the key to its future successes, it’ll continue to try to fit square pegs in round holes. Bring on those Young Avengers.

Do you think the MCU’s tone has become too serious? Are you glad that the DCU is taking things in a different direction? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Marvel’s 2025 Movies Reveal the MCU’s Biggest Problem (And It’s Not Getting Fixed Anytime Soon) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After Marvel’s Thunderbolts* had an underwhelming box office run earlier this summer, Disney is hoping the film can become a hit on home media to compensate for its commercial performance. It’s now been confirmed when Thunderbolts* will be available to stream on Disney+, and fortunately, fans don’t have to wait much longer to stream it. Today, it was announced that Thunderbolts* will premiere on the service on Wednesday, August 27th. That is a little over three months after it debuted in theaters — roughly the same length of time it took Captain America: Brave New World to hit Disney+ this year.

Thunderbolts* has actually been available on various home media formats for a while now. It hit PVOD platforms on July 1, with physical copies following July 29th. This marks the first time the film will be available to stream for “free” at home — all it costs is your regular Disney+ subscription rate, making this a more appealing option for some people than paying extra for a digital download.

Kicking off the summer movie season in early May, Thunderbolts* was seen as a return to form for Marvel from a critical perspective. It earned positive reviews, with many people praising the performances of the cast (particularly Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova) and the film’s handling of heavy, emotional themes. Unfortunately, the word of mouth didn’t help Thunderbolts* much at the box office. After a soft opening weekend, the movie grossed $382.4 million worldwide. Its performance could change how Marvel handles its film slate moving forward.

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Fortunately, Thunderbolts* has already proven to be a draw in the home media market. Shortly after hitting PVOD in July, the film soared to the top of the charts on the Amazon and Apple storefronts. It’s encouraging for Marvel that more people are checking Thunderbolts* out now; the main characters are all set to return in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, and there are rumors the fan-favorite Yelena could have a larger role. Despite their uneven box office fate, the New Avengers have a big part to play in the Multiverse Saga.

Captain America: Brave New World, which earned a decidedly more mixed critical reception when compared to Thunderbolts*, became a major hit on Disney+ earlier this year. It stands reason to believe the Certified Fresh Thunderbolts* will climb up the Disney+ charts as well. The positive response should draw more people to it once it becomes even easier to watch it at home.

Marvel is not the box office powerhouse it once was, but the streaming figures for Brave New World and Thunderbolts* show audiences are still interested in the franchise. In the post-pandemic landscape, people have become accustomed to shorter theatrical windows and no longer feel a need to rush to the theater to see the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe release. Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday seem like candidates to bring Marvel back to the $1 billion threshold, but the studio is looking for ways to keep production costs in check on future movies. That way, their films will be hits in theaters and on streaming instead of using the latter to make up for the former.

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Superman is the pinnacle of strength in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. The start of his latest solo movie explains that the Man of Steel hadn’t lost a battle until only a few minutes before the opening crawl, which is impressive because he’s been active for a couple of years. As Superman goes on, Metropolis’ resident hero fights all sorts of enemies, including a giant kaiju and Lex Luthor’s Raptor army. The only person who gives him trouble is Ultraman, who turns out to be a clone created by Luthor. It takes Krypto and Superman working together to take down the doppelganger, proving that the titular hero still has a lot of room to grow.

Across the aisle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts* introduces Bob Reynolds, a troubled young man who’s part of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s Sentry Program. Working with the Thunderbolts helps Bob realize that he can do more good than harm, but that doesn’t mean he avoids causing trouble entirely. No, Sentry flexes his muscles and makes it clear that the MCU’s version of Superman is already in his prime.

Sentry Really Is Stronger Than All of the Avengers Combined

Valentina’s goal with the Sentry Program is to create Earth’s Mightiest Hero, someone capable of replacing all of the Avengers. When Bob lands on her doorstep, she doesn’t stop to think about the ramifications of putting him in a costume and calling him a superhero. Bob proceeds to make quick work of his former friends, knocking around super soldiers with ease. The Thunderbolts don’t even land a hit on Bob, opting to live to fight another day. Unfortunately, Bob realizes he doesn’t need to listen to Valentina, which forces Mel to activate the killswitch. Rather than killing Bob, though, the device unleashes his alter ego, the Void, a dark entity that consumes everything in its path.

What Thunderbolts* makes clear is that the only thing that can stop the Void is itself. But Bob doesn’t know how to control the power, so he locks it away, along with his Sentry persona. However, if Sentry ever does resurface, the DCU’s Superman is going to want to steer clear of him because it won’t be a good matchup for him. Sentry punches with the power of one thousand suns behind him, and Superman proves he can’t handle that kind of heat during his fight with Ultraman. The one thing the Man of Steel has going for him is that he hasn’t really had the chance to let loose yet.

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Superman Will Become More Powerful as the DCU Continues

While Superman goes out of its way to flex Kal-El’s near-perfect fighting record, it doesn’t go into details about his previous opponents. There’s a decent chance that Superman has been fighting below his weight class for years, and Ultraman is a major wake-up call for him. In the years to come, the DCU is sure to introduce more powerful villains, such as Brainiac, Zod, and Darkseid, who will all motivate the Man of Steel to get stronger and learn what he’s really capable of. In the meantime, Gunn and Co. will just have to live with the fact that a Superman pastiche is stronger than the real deal.

Superman is in theaters.

Do you think the MCU’s Sentry is stronger than the DCU’s Superman? Do you think the Man of Steel will be able to close the gap? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The MCU’s Superman Copycat Is More Powerful Than DC’s New Man of Steel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The end of MCU Phase 5 and the beginning of Phase 6 represent a turning point for Marvel’s post-credits scenes. Ever since Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury stepped out of the shadows to talk about something called the Avengers Initiative in Iron Man, the after-credits stingers have been a defining part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve ranged from clear, direct setups to silly, throwaway jokes, helped stories span the better part of a decade (such as with Thanos), and sometimes even been scenes taken straight from future movies.

There have been over 80 MCU post-credits scenes across Marvel’s movies, TV shows, one-shots, and special presentations, with Avengers: Endgame the only film not to have one. There’s no sign of things slowing down, with its two most recent theatrical releases – Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps – both having significant moments after the credits had started to roll, alongside some gags for good measure. Rather than just continuing the trend, though, they actually serve to fix a recent problem.

The MCU Has Recently Struggled With Post-Credits Scenes

Marvel’s post-credits scenes weren’t always great, but there was always a clear sense of momentum to them, and an understanding of how they fit into Kevin Feige’s plans. Barring the jokes, you knew that most of the credits scenes would be paid off sooner rather than later (Doctor Strange‘s tease of Mordo hunting sorcerers is perhaps the lone exception), but that hasn’t been the case in Phases 4 and 5.

There have been multiple post-credits scenes the MCU hasn’t resolved, and what’s more, there are no signs of anything happening with them. Marvel shifted to a frustrating trend where the stingers were often reliant on stunt casting, and where the Multiverse Saga plans were so unclear and ill-defined that there were no strong ideas of when they might be paid off, if indeed they would be at all. This includes:

• Harry Styles’ Starfox in Eternals, along with Pip (Patton Oswalt).
• Dane Whitman finds the Ebony Blade (also in Eternals), and the voice of Mahershala Ali’s Blade speaking to him off-screen.
• Charlize Theron appears as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, whom Strange follows to the Dark Dimension.
• Hercules (Brett Goldstein) is sent on a revenge mission by Zeus (Russell Crowe) in Thor: Love and Thunder.

There’s no sign of any of these mattering anytime soon in the MCU. As it stands, the only one that seems likely to be paid off at some point is Clea, since Strange’s experience in the multiverse and with incursions should be important in Secret Wars, though whether Theron herself returns is rather the opposite of her character’s name. Styles will probably never be seen again, and Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman may not either – unless he’s in the MCU’s Blade movie, if that ever happens. Hercules could be in Thor 5 but, again, there’s no certainty we’ll see it.

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Thunderbolts* & Fantastic Four Are What Post-Credits Scenes Should Be

In fairness to Marvel, there have been some gradual improvements. The scene of Prince T’Challa in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will presumably be paid off in Black Panther 3; we now know that The Marvels‘ introduction of Beast will tie into Avengers: Doomsday (though that was not clear at the time). But it’s in the last couple of entries where it’s really found that sense of momentum and clarity of old.

Thunderbolts*‘ mid-credits scene reveals that Sam Wilson may take legal action over the use of the New Avengers team name, before showing a space crisis is shown to be the Fantastic Four’s ship entering Earth-616. Both are exciting teases for Avengers: Doomsday, setting up a new Avengers conflict – perhaps even leading to a second civil war of some kind – while also paving the way for Marvel’s First Family to be part of the story (or, perhaps, be Doom himself arriving, if they wanted a twist on things).

The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ credits scene nicely built on that, with a sequence filmed by the Russo Brothers on the set of Avengers: Doomsday. It marks Doctor Doom’s debut in the MCU, which is exciting enough, but also suggests he’s going to take Franklin Richards. There are various possible theories as to why – likely needing his powers for the multiversal goals in some way – and it’s a great hype-building. It feels exactly like the kind of post-credits scene Marvel used to do so well: you know exactly what movies and characters are being set up, but it also allows for a lot of fun discussion and speculation, which is one of the joys of being an MCU fan.

Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four‘s critical reception led to a feeling of “Marvel is back.” It’s still too early to say if that is the case, but in terms of its post-credits scenes, it just might be.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently playing in theaters. The next MCU movie will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st, 2026. That’ll be followed by Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.

The post The MCU Has Finally Fixed Its Post-Credits Scene Problem After 4 Years appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe lays claim to one of the greatest comic book movie villains of all time in Thanos (Josh Brolin), but since he last appeared in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, a number of captivating villains have filled the void he left. Before Thanos cemented his iconic status in Avengers: Infinity War, interesting antagonists like Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) stood out as memorable villains. The years since Endgame have produced some great new adversaries for the MCU’s heroes — even though disappointments like Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), Galactus (Ralph Ineson), and Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) didn’t live up to the hype.

These seven MCU villains introduced after Avengers: Endgame are excellent additions to the franchise and are the best antagonists of Phase 4 and beyond.

7) Kingpin

Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) was menacing villain in Netflix’s Daredevil show, and he’s as fearsome as ever now in the MCU. Kingpin’s smaller roles in the Disney+ series Hawkeye and Echo paved the way for his involvement as the principal antagonist of Daredevil: Born Again. The powerful organized crime figure seems to always come back with a vengeance after every defeat, and his status as New York City’s mayor in Daredevil: Born Again makes him more threatening than before. Ruthless and calculated, Kingpin remains one of the few MCU villains that feel truly unbeatable, and he doesn’t need super powers to be so. Fisk’s rivalry with Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) has produced gripping tension and shocking twists thus far, and Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 could make him an all-time great MCU bad guy.

6) Wenwu

Immense power and a tragic backstory come together to form Wenwu’s (Tony Leung) villain arc. The antagonist of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a legendary conqueror before raising Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Xialing (Meng’er Zhang). But after the murder of his wife and their mother Ying Li (Fala Chen) he became consumed by violence and revenge, commanding the brutal Ten Rings organization. It’s clear Wenwu wanted to be there for his children and right the wrongs of his past, though the loss of his true love broke him. Outside of his sympathetic story, Wenwu’s powers when wearing the Ten Rings are amazing. A genuine master of combat, Wenwu is a standout character in Shang-Chi and a great MCU villain.

5) Namor

Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of the underwater nation Talokan, emerged in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, literally. The powerful mutant attacked Wakanda when it refused to help him wage war on the surface world. Namor is incredibly skilled in battle, and it’s so cool to watch him take flight with his spear in hand. He might seem totally cold-blooded, but Namor has a good reason for protecting his people. Forced off their land and into the sea by Spanish colonizers, the Talokanil rely on Namor’s leadership to keep their home safe. Namor is one of the most complex villains since Avengers: Endgame, and it will be interesting to see what Avengers: Doomsday has in store for him now that an alliance with Wakanda is secured.

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4) Green Goblin

Superhero movie fans loved Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, and the iconic villain was spectacular again in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Shifted over to Earth-616 by Doctor Strange’s botched spell, Norman appears scared and disoriented at first, but later returns to his Green Goblin alter ego and fights the title hero. He’s evil and depraved when he attacks Peter Parker/Spider Man (Tom Holland), and distressed when he reverts to his usual self. Green Goblin’s deeds made for some of the most stunning moments in No Way Home, once again proving that he’s among the best comic book villains to ever grace the big screen.

3) The Scarlet Witch

After obtaining the Darkhold and losing her family at the end of WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff/the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) took a villainous turn in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As she desperately searched for her children across the multiverse, the Scarlet Witch effortlessly slaughtered dozens. From massacring all of Kamar-Taj to dreamwalking in an alternate Wanda’s body and annihilating Earth-838’s Illuminati, the Scarlet Witch’s displays of power were breathtaking. Despite the massive tonal shift between WandaVision and Multiverse of Madness, it’s still easy to sympathize with Wanda. The character has endured so much hardship, and her can agony can be felt even while committing sinister deeds. The Scarlet Witch is still a top-tier MCU character, and the franchise needs to bring her back to show off more of her extraordinary abilities.

2) The Void

The Void is a villain unlike any other in the MCU. Thunderbolts* introduced Bob Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), who joined the Sentry program when struggling with his mental health and drug addiction. After becoming the all-powerful Sentry, Bob’s darker side known as the Void, revealed itself. Bob’s trio of personas are fascinating to watch develop throughout Thunderbolts*, and the Void is terrifying villain concept. Daunting and heartless, the Void terrorizes Bob and everyone in New York by trapping them in a dimension made up of interconnected trauma rooms forcing its victims to relive their most painful moments. The Void’s power is frightening and can be used in a lot of different ways. Thus, his role in Avengers: Doomsday is one to look forward to.

1) Agatha Harkness

The MCU’s best post-Endgame villain coming from TV shows may be a huge surprise, but Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) deserves the title. Introduced in WandaVision as a centuries-old witch posing as Wanda’s nosy Westview neighbor and secretly seeking her power, Agatha has evolved into a compelling three-dimensional character exhibiting profound vulnerability alongside her wickedness and strength. Agatha is a total scene-stealer as the antagonist of WandaVision, bringing laugh-out-loud humor and a catchy song to the show. The MCU’s decision to center a spinoff series on Agatha was a superb move. Without making its protagonist any less of a villain, the show delved into Agatha’s fascinating backstory involving her romance with Rio Vidal/Death (Aubrey Plaza) and loss of her young son Nicky (Abel Lysenko).

Agatha outranks every other post-Endgame villain because of her rich lore and complex personality. The MCU has rarely granted its villains such a platform to explore their identity, and even though Agatha’s journey unfolded on Disney+, the formidable spell-caster prevails as the most memorable MCU villain of the last five years.

Who is your favorite villain in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Best MCU Villains Since Avengers: Endgame, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s upcoming crossover event, Avengers: Doomsday, is set to bring an unprecedented number of heroes together, and following the critical and audience acclaim of this summer’s Thunderbolts*, fans are particularly excited to see that entire team return. Having been publicly rebranded by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in a stunning power play, the team is now officially operating as the New Avengers. While the whole squad has been embraced by fans, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova has cemented herself as a true fan-favorite, with her strong leadership being a core part of the new team’s dynamic. Now, new information from insider Daniel Richtman provides good news for fans of the new Black Widow, clarifying that, contrary to some early reports, Yelena will still be leading the New Avengers into battle.

Previous rumors had suggested that Yelena would be folding into Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) government-sanctioned Avengers for Doomsday, a move that would have significantly undermined the powerful ending of Thunderbolts*. In that film, the team discovered their mission was a setup and successfully turned the tables on their manipulative government handler, Director de Fontaine. While Val seized the narrative by publicly rebranding them as the “New Avengers,” the team ended the film with crucial leverage over her, securing their autonomy. A merger with Sam’s team would have felt like a narrative step backward, effectively dissolving the independence they fought so hard to win. This concern was amplified by the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*, which revealed Sam Wilson was taking legal action to trademark the “Avengers” name, setting up a direct conflict between the two heroic factions.

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Richtman’s new report clarifies the nature of their collaboration in a way that respects the established canon. He states, “She’s [Yelena] just accompanying them when they travel to another universe,” and confirms she will not be officially joining Sam’s team. This is a crucial distinction. It means the New Avengers are not being disbanded, and both Yelena and Sam will retain their respective leadership positions during Avengers: Doomsday. If that proves true, it means Avengers: Doomsday will likely feature an uneasy alliance between the two factions, forced to work together against a common threat that is too great for either to handle alone.

Everything We Know About Avengers: Doomsday, So Far

Avengers: Doomsday promises to be one of the most ambitious films in MCU history, with Joe and Anthony Russo returning to direct the massive ensemble. The central conflict will revolve around a new primary antagonist, with Robert Downey Jr. making his villainous MCU debut as Doctor Doom. While Marvel Studios has not released an official synopsis, insider reports indicate the plot will involve catastrophic multiverse “incursions,” forcing the heroes of the main universe to team up with characters from across different realities to confront Doom’s multiversal threat.

The confirmed cast list for the film is staggering, uniting multiple corners of the Marvel universe. The New Avengers will return in full force. They will be joined by other established heroes like Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), and Tom Hiddleston (Loki). The film will also serve as the crossover debut for the cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, bringing Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) into the fold.

A major element of the film will be the integration of characters from Fox’s original X-Men franchise. Confirmed returning actors include Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique. Romijn recently spoke about the surreal experience of returning to the role and hinted at the film’s fluid creative process. “[I’m] not quite sure if I’m done shooting,” she revealed. “The script hasn’t — they haven’t finished writing it. They keep everything very close to the vest themselves in an effort to keep everything under wraps.”

Avengers: Doomsday is slated to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.

Which character interaction are you most excited to see in Avengers: Doomsday? Let us know in the comments!

The post New Avengers: Doomsday Rumor May Be Good News for a Marvel Fan-Favorite appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has some serious challenges to contend with in the future. Said future includes upcoming movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and Secret Wars, as well as potential sequels to Black Panther and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Part of those challenges includes the disconnect between the default budgets of these titles and their decreasing worldwide box office. MCU movies no longer can make $1+ billion naturally, yet they’re still budgeted in the $200+ million range.

However, there’s an even bigger issue that this franchise needs to face, which helps explain why the box office grosses are down. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite being owned by Disney and getting heavily marketed to younger viewers, is no longer resonating with kids and families.

Thunderbolts* & The Fantastic Four: First Steps Struggled With Appealing To Families

At the start of summer 2025, only 31% of the Thunderbolts* opening weekend was folks under the age of 25. Just under three months later, just 15% of the opening weekend audience for The Fantastic Four: First Steps was below 18 years old. Compare that to 13 years ago, when the original Avengers had an almost exact even split between moviegoers under or over 25. Roughly 24% of that record-shattering opening weekend came from family audiences. Despite opening nearly five times as big as Thunderbolts*, meanwhile, Avengers: Endgame drew 39% of its opening weekend from folks under 25.

The MCU films were never solely appealing to the Paw Patrol crowd. From the days of Iron Man onward, these titles featured needle drops and cinematic influences (like Three Days of the Condor or John Hughes High School comedies) designed to tickle the nostalgia of folks over 35. However, the 2010s peak of MCU entertainment saw this franchise resonate more profoundly with young people. Hearththrobs like Tom Hiddleston and Sebastian Stan inspired swooning Tumblr posts around the world, while characters never before seen in live-action, like Black Panther and the Guardians of the Galaxy, absolutely belonged to this new generation of moviegoers.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, though, a drastic shift occurred. New properties took over the MCU’s place as the go-to pop culture obsession for young people, while Marvel’s universe spreading across TV and movies became too much to keep track of. There was a greater emphasis on darker tones in MCU titles like Multiverse of Madness, Eternals, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which have also inspired families to begin rethinking these titles as must-see entertainment.

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Most pressingly, the MCU movies became increasingly obsessed with provoking the nostalgia of older fans. Films like Deadpool & Wolverine and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were rooted in the past; younger moviegoers moved on to Barbie, Super Mario Bros. Movie, or A Minecraft Movie as the big commercial films that resonated with them. The MCU can still bring in hefty box office grosses by appealing to older audiences with rated-R films like Deadpool & Wolverine; however, the franchise has clearly lost its foothold with younger audiences.

Can This Problem With Younger Audiences Be Solved?

While modern MCU projects, such as Captain America: Brave New World, are fixated on story threads from 2008 and adult-oriented political Noir, the franchise’s grip on younger audiences has drastically shrunk. It’s also hard to see this problem getting solved anytime soon; after all, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars will be full of even more nostalgia, including the return of most of the original 20th Century Fox’s X-Men. Young Avengers characters like Kate Bishop, America Chavez, and Kamala Khan, meanwhile, are currently no-shows, as far as official information about Doomsday goes.

With no characters or plotlines that can resonate or belong to younger audiences, the MCU’s distance from the current crop of younger moviegoers isn’t bound to get better anytime soon. The most obvious immediate solution is for Disney to budget these films better so that they don’t have to appeal to every age demographic to be profitable. Older audiences do still show up in respectable numbers for titles like The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Just make these projects in the $150-160 million range, and this will be less of a pressing issue.

A better long-term concept, though, would be green-lighting more MCU movies focusing on fresh new characters previously unseen in any live-action medium. Rather than rehashing Blade or the X-Men again, making motion pictures about Squirrel Girl, Jeff the Land Shark, Brute Force, or Dazzler could produce entertaining features that belong exclusively to younger audiences. They could have characters that are as specific to their struggles as the Guardians of the Galaxy were to 2010s kids and teens. Tossing aside nostalgic fan-service and yesteryear characters in favor of embracing the new: that’s how the MCU fixes its pressing problem of no longer appealing to folks under the age of 25.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters.

The post MCU Movies Still Have One Big Problem to Overcome appeared first on ComicBook.com.

This post contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman explains why the film doesn’t address the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene. A couple of months before Marvel’s First Family made their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, audiences got their first tease of the characters in the Thunderbolts* stinger. The sequence depicts the New Avengers becoming aware of the Fantastic Four’s arrival in Earth-616. It felt like something that would be followed up on in First Steps, but that didn’t come to pass. According to Shakman, it was a matter of logistics, as the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene was added far too late in the process for him to reference it in the First Steps script.

“No, no, no, because the Thunderbolts* end credit scene was also created, you know, relatively late in my process too, so that was not something that I was familiar with because it hadn’t been created at the time that I was working on my script, you know?” Shakman said to CinemaBlend. “I often use the metaphor of it’s, you know, like a relay race, right? You pass the baton, you run your section of it as hard and fast as you can, do the best you can with your version of Fantastic Four – Earth 828, this world – and then you pass the baton, in this case to the Russo brothers.”

Rather than show the Fantastic Four traveling to Earth-616, the First Steps post-credits scene takes things in a different direction, giving fans their long-awaited first glimpse of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, who has taken a great interest in young Franklin Richards. Similar to the Thunderbolts* stinger, the First Steps button scene was directed by Joe and Anthony Russo during production of Avengers: Doomsday.

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Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier told us that the film’s post-credits scene was an incredibly late addition to the movie. He said it was only shot roughly a month before Thunderbolts* opened in theaters. By that point, The Fantastic Four: First Steps was well into post-production.

Some fans might have liked if The Fantastic Four: First Steps shed additional light on the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, but it’s understandable why that didn’t happen. If the footage for the Thunderbolts* stinger didn’t even exist until a few weeks before the movie hit theaters, there was no way the scene could have been referenced in a Fantastic Four script. As much as viewers like seeing connections between the various Marvel projects, Shakman couldn’t address something he wasn’t aware of. First Steps still had to work on its own merits as a movie with a beginning, middle, and end, so Shakman kept the whole thing set on Earth-828.

As for why the First Steps post-credits scene doesn’t connect to Thunderbolts*, there’s a good reason for that as well. Moviegoers have already seen the Fantastic Four arrive to the Sacred Timeline, so watching the same sequence play out from a different perspective wouldn’t have made as significant an impact. Fans know the Fantastic Four and the Avengers will cross paths in Doomsday, so Marvel opted to tease the next Avengers film in a different way. Now, there’s even more intrigue to theorize about. Perhaps Doom kidnaps Franklin and the Fantastic Four pursue him to Earth-616. Only time will tell.

The post Why Fantastic Four Doesn’t Address Thunderbolts Post-Credits Scene appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* might not have been the MCU’s most traditional ensemble outing, but it was one of its most daring. Part anti-hero team, part covert thriller, and part psychological character study, Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* set out to flip the formula, and in many ways, it succeeded. But as much as fans enjoyed the chemistry of the team and the surprising emotional swings, the movie also left audiences scratching their heads in places.

Now, don’t get us wrong, we loved the Thunderbolts* movie. But there are a few things that still don’t make sense to us…

1) Congressman Barnes…?

Let’s just get this out of the way: Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier turned reluctant superhero, becoming a U.S. Congressman feels like a fever dream. It’s a plot point introduced briefly in Captain America: Brave New World, and then more significantly in the earlier part of Thunderbolts*. They even treated it as a serious lifestyle shift for Bucky. for a couple of scenes at least. What’s weirdest is that he’s not even using it as a secret identity. He’s just… a Congressman. But is he really sitting in on local constituency matters or shaking hands at fundraisers? Are we expected to believe that the same man who once punched Iron Man in the face is now voting on infrastructure bills?

And it seems that Bucky wasn’t so convinced, either. Because it didn’t take long for him to go all Winter Soldier in Terminator cosplay on his motorcycle and blow up a bunch of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s goons. Then he never seems to go back to his day job.

Fans are left wondering if this was supposed to be a clever Easter egg or a character shift we were supposed to take seriously. Many think that the Congressman angle might have been a joke that landed flat—but that doesn’t explain why it’s never revisited. At this point, we need confirmation: is Bucky going back to Congress? Or did he just ghost the government the minute things got weird?

2) The Brief Introduction of Sentry

When Marvel fans heard that Bob Reynolds, aka Sentry, was joining the MCU, expectations were sky-high. In the comics, Sentry is one of the most powerful beings on Earth, who also contains the monstrous entity The Void. He’s the overpowered superman-like Marvel hero and the Thunderbolts* movie builds up his introduction throughout.

Starting off as the nervous Bob, played by Bill Pullman, we see the ragtag team of Ghost, Yelena, and Walker rescue him from Valentina’s bunker, only for Bob to get shot by Valentina’s security and get taken to her HQ in New York. From there he’s groomed into being the newest supe, which brings out The Void, and has to be stopped by the Thunderbolts team. In the credits scene after the movie, the Thunderbolts — and Bob — are the “New Avengers,” except Bob has chosen to no longer be Sentry. The end.

This raises even more questions. Why bring Sentry into the MCU at all if you’re going to hobble him after one outing? If Bob refuses the mantle in the very universe that’s meant to introduce him, then surely we’re going to get the same uncontrolled entry of The Void, and the same problematic distraction for his teammates in future movies?

3) What Were the New Avengers Doing for 14 Months?

Which leads us to another confusing thing. The 14-month time-jump in the credits scene. You see Alexei trying to get noticed by potential New Avengers fans in a grocery store, and the rest of the gang (including Bucky) living in Watchtower — Valentina’s building that was once Tony Stark’s. So… what happened in that timeframe?

That’s more than a year of potential global fallout, Kingpin’s promise to outlaw vigilantism, and opportunities to work with Captain America and his team (don’t worry, we’ll get to that later). But the movie skips all of it, offering no clarity on what missions the new team took on, how they’re fairing, or whether they even have enemies yet. For a universe built on interconnectivity, it’s a rare moment of narrative silence.

4) Who are the Actual Avengers Now?

As promised, we’re tackling the whole Captain America & Avengers branding problem.
The MCU made a point of establishing that the “old” Avengers are gone. Iron Man is dead, Steve Rogers retired from being Captain America, and the Hulk is off raising kids or fixing arms depending on the week. But Thunderbolts* decides to let slip that the “The Avengers” brand copyright is owned by Sam Wilson’s Captain America, and he is not happy about Valentina’s New Avengers team name.

This means there are two Avenger teams. The problem? Nobody tells us who the “real” Avengers are or what they’re up to. And where is Sam Wilson in this movie? Is he still in DC? Why wasn’t he more bothered about Valentina’s shenanigans? And why is Wilson so hung up on the copyright of the name? This seems way out of character for the new Captain America and reduces him to being quite petty when he’s surely got bigger things to deal with.

5) Where Were Spider-Man and Daredevil? Did The Void Get Them?

This one’s a head-scratcher. And it also shows us the issue with setting multiple storylines in the same universe, in the same city. We can understand that the early events in Thunderbolts* are done away from the standard MCU cities, but as soon as Bob is brought to Manhattan, and then The Void takes over, you’ve got to start wondering where exactly the likes of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man or Daredevil are.

Instead? Radio silence. No cameos, no name drops, not even a news ticker. Despite the world no longer knowing that Peter Parker is indeed Spider-Man thanks to the memory-wiping spell from No Way Home, he still exists in this universe. And sure, we don’t technically know where Daredevil is, as Born Again is set prior to Thunderbolts* but that doesn’t really explain their absence.

It’s almost like the movie is saying, “Don’t worry, the real heroes will sit this one out.” A bit like the whole Eternals debacle. And that’s a strange stance when you’re trying to establish world-ending stakes.

6) What Was the Point of Taskmaster?

This is one that has had numerous fans screaming into the multiverse. Taskmaster, first introduced in Black Widow, was a divisive character. The MCU’s take on it chose to make Antonia Dreykov Taskmaster, and make her a silent mimic soldier reprogrammed against her will. In Thunderbolts*, fans were hoping for a redemption arc, or at least some deeper character development. What they got was essentially a cameo who had about three lines of dialogue before Ghost shoots her dead.

For a figure whose whole gimmick is replicating Avengers’ fighting styles, she barely uses that skill. Her presence on the team doesn’t affect the plot in any meaningful way and there seems literally no reason to have her there other than to be eliminated as per Valentina’s wishes. But, in all honesty? Ghost could’ve been sent to kill her earlier some other time off screen. It’s not like they knew each other.

It has been revealed that the original script did have Taskmaster in the movie from start to finish, but Marvel decided to take her storyline out. Which makes the entire point of her being there in a new shiny outfit more nonsensical. Many fans are also hoping that it’s a ruse, and that Taskmaster will return. But it’s hard to see how when she was first shot at point-blank range then incinerated.

7) What’s With the Oven Timer?

Which leads us to the most bizarre detail in the entire film. When Valentina has managed to trick all her “loose thread” assets into her secret facility, and lock them in her storage room, they realize she’s going to incinerate all the evidence to her nefarious deeds, including themselves. That’s when Valentina remotely activates the room’s incineration program. Helpfully for the Thunderbolts, there’s a countdown clock in the room.

Let’s pause for a second. Why would an incinerator — a device designed to destroy something completely — need a dramatic countdown clock? The room isn’t specifically designed for living beings to watch the moments of their life ticking away. Sure, we could get it if it was for anyone who worked there to be warned, but the doors are locked before the countdown is initiated. So, would Valentina’s staff just get cooked if they stumbled in there at the wrong moment? We wouldn’t put it past her to be honest.

This feels like peak movie logic. It’s the same school of thought that puts a self-destruct button in plain sight or requires a 12-step password sequence to close an airlock. This moment is so random that even fans on Reddit and Hero Haven have called it out, suggesting it’s a parody of spy tropes. But the movie plays it completely straight. No one jokes about it. No one questions it. It’s just there. And now we’re left wondering: was this simple cinematic tension, or did she just want rid of the clock as well?

The post 7 Things That Still Don’t Make Sense About Thunderbolts* appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* might not have performed as well as hoped at the box office, but the movie still received high praise, despite leaving two underdeveloped Marvel Cinematic Universe characters out of the adventure. Thunderbolts* hit theaters on May 2, 2025 as the final feature film in the MCU’s Phase 5, acting as an Avengers-style Phase-capper by bringing together several reformed villains and antiheroes as the first Thunderbolts team. In a shocking twist, the Thunderbolts were outed as the New Avengers, but two perfect characters weren’t present to witness this evolution.

Thunderbolts* marked the returns of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov’s Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr’s Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and John Walker’s US Agent (Wyatt Russell) as the titular rag-tag team. They were brought together by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who hoped to kill them all to destroy evidence of her activities. However, they ended up teaming up to quell one of Valentina’s rogue experiments, Robert Reynolds’ Sentry (Lewis Pullman), who unleashed his nightmarish Void across New York City.

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After they defeated the Void and restored Robert Reynolds, the team were revealed to the world as the New Avengers, a title they still hold 14 months later in Thunderbolts*’ post-credits scene. This completed their transformation into heroes after they previously all took on villainous or antiheroic roles in previous MCU projects. This wasn’t the only thing that changed from the team members’ previous adventures, as some of their best supporting characters were also absent from Thunderbolts*, even though it would have made a lot of sense to bring them back.

Thunderbolts* Was the Perfect Place for Bill Foster & Melinda Vostokoff to Return to the MCU

With the returns of Ghost, Yelena Belova, and the Red Guardian in Thunderbolts*, it would have also made sense for Bill Foster and Melina Vostokoff to come back. The last time we saw Ghost and the Red Guardian in the MCU, they were with Foster and Vostokoff, respectively, which makes their absence from the Phase 5 movie even more surprising and confusing. Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Weisz could have brought even more star power and notoriety to Thunderbolts*’ already-impressive cast, and could have even become members of the MCU’s New Avengers themselves.

In Marvel Comics and in the animated What If…? series – as well as in the MCU’s live-action history – Bill Foster became the size-changing superhero known as Goliath. It would have been fantastic to see this evolution come to fruition in Thunderbolts*, especially after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kind of tainted the pre-existing size-changing heroes of the MCU, who now need redemption. Foster was a father-figure to Ava Starr ever since the accident that provided her phasing ability, so his absence from Thunderbolts* doesn’t make much sense.

Melina Vostokoff’s story in Thunderbolts* could have been even more exciting, as she becomes the armored villain Iron Maiden in Marvel Comics. This storyline was explored in What If…? season 2, but she could have become a more heroic version of this character in Thunderbolts*. Her transformation could have continued Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) legacy in the MCU, as Melina was a mother-figure to Romanoff and Belova, while also introducing a new armored antihero, perhaps adding another thread to Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) legacy as Iron Man, too.

Why Didn’t Bill Foster & Melina Vostokoff Appear in Thunderbolts*?

Shortly after the premiere of Thunderbolts* in May 2025, screenwriter Eric Pearson revealed to Screen Rant that Bill Foster was intended to become Goliath in an early draft of the Phase 5 movie’s script. “There was a version where Bill Foster got involved as well with Ghost,” Pearson explains. “Bucky wasn’t in the first script. I think there was Bill Foster instead, and might’ve gotten swapped out. But, yeah, that’s it.” It’s hard to imagine Thunderbolts* without Bucky Barnes, but Bill Foster’s Goliath would have been a fantastic inclusion seven years after his MCU debut.

Things are a little different for Melina Vostokoff. Early speculation suggested that Thunderbolts* could have taken the form of a spiritual sequel to 2021’s Black Widow, and Belova and Shostakov’s prominence helped it fulfil this goal. Black Widow’s final moments saw Melina leave with Belova and Shostakov, but her current whereabouts in the MCU are unclear. Thunderbolts* would have been the perfect place to bring both these characters back to the MCU, and it’s a shame they were omitted, as they could have also become members of the New Avengers team alongside their antihero allies.

Do you wish Bill Foster and Melina Vostokoff appeared in Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments!

The post 2 MCU Stars Didn’t Appear in Thunderbolts* Even Though They Would’ve Been Perfect appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier addresses Taskmaster’s controversial death in the film and the backlash that followed. In an interview with Variety promoting the Thunderbolts* home media release, the filmmaker opened up on the decision to kill Taskmaster. He noted it was a change that was implemented following the Hollywood strikes of 2023. Schreier felt initial drafts of the script were “a little bloodless” for a story about contract killers. In an attempt to inject some drama and impact into the film, things were tweaked so that Taskmaster met an unceremonious end. Schreier admits it was a tough decision and praised star Olga Kurylenko.

“It was something that happened after the strike, when we were redeveloping the script,” Schreier said. ” I know that there are people that have reached out to let me know that they’re displeased with this, and I totally understand that. It’s not something we did lightly. As we looked at the script and tried to do a new version, it was a little bloodless. In order to honor these characters and what they do, being contract killers … to have that movie take place with no one showing what that means didn’t really feel like it would land with as much impact. We considered all versions of it.”

He continued, “Obviously, I think Olga is a wonderful actress. It’s a hard thing to do. It’s just showing that, for these characters, this is a thing that’s done, and they feel that all of their lives don’t have a ton of value.”

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During the build-up to Thunderbolts*’ release, many Marvel fans suspected Taskmaster would die, as the character was conspicuously absent from several marketing materials. In the film, Ghost shoots Taskmaster in the head early in the first act, before the rest of the characters realize they were lured into a trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Even though Thunderbolts* earned widely positive reviews, Taskmaster’s death received much criticism. Fans believed she deserved better, especially after Black Widow detailed Taskmaster’s traumatic past.

In late May, there was speculation that Kurylenko could be reprising Taskmaster in Avengers: Doomsday. The actress posted a photo of herself in Bahrain, captioned “Working on a Sunday.” Earlier this year, scenes for Doomsday were being shot in Bahrain. Kurylenko’s involvement in the Avengers film has never been confirmed; she was the only main Thunderbolts* star missing from the Doomsday cast announcement that took place in March. Kevin Feige has teased there will be more casting reveals at a later date.

Thunderbolts* is about a group of unlikely allies coming together and realizing that their lives have meaning and purpose even though they’ve all made some terrible mistakes and done horrible things. In order to provide a foundation for that arc, arguably one of the characters had to die early on when they first cross paths with each other. Ghost’s ruthless kill establishes that initially everyone in the ensemble is out for themselves. Later, they learn the value in working together and operating as a team. Though Taskmaster’s death definitely could have been handled better, seeing the characters evolve and become the New Avengers gives the film a satisfying payoff.

While Taskmaster’s death served a necessary role in the Thunderbolts* story, hopefully there’s some way to bring the character back to the fold at some point. With the multiverse in play, there could always be a Taskmaster variant introduced, which would be a fun dynamic to explore in Doomsday since the New Avengers will be prominently featured. There’s also so much untapped potential with the character. Her time in the MCU was cut well too short. If there isn’t a spot for Kurylenko in Doomsday, then perhaps the character could return after the MCU gets its reset following Avengers: Secret Wars. If Feige is open to recasting heroes like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, then it should be easy to correct past mistakes with Taskmaster.

The post Thunderbolts Director Finally Addresses That Controversial MCU Death (& Backlash) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been fighting for its life for the last couple of years. In a post-Avengers: Endgame world, Marvel Studios just can’t seem to make things stick, swinging and missing on properties like Eternals and Moon Knight. Part of the issue is that the MCU is continuously upping the ante without having a plan for capitalizing on all the new plot lines. However, despite coming out of the gate stumbling, Phase 5 of the MCU ends on a high note, setting the stage for massive things down the line, including a clash between Doctor Doom and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Doom won’t be walking into a multiverse without plenty of heavy hitters, though. From Thor to Captain Marvel, the MCU is full of powerful characters, and more than a few of them made their franchise debut in Phase 5.

7) Cassandra Nova

The Merc With a Mouth finds himself in the Time Variance Authority’s headquarters at the start of Deadpool & Wolverine, and after recruiting a Logan variant, they both find themselves on the wrong end of a Time Stick. Their journey to the Void puts them at odds with Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s sister, who also has telekinetic and telepathic abilities. She doesn’t use her powers for good, though, opting to rule over the Void and rip the skin off anyone who upsets her.

6) High Evolutionary

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 focuses on Rocket’s backstory. He was nothing but a regular raccoon before the mad scientist known as the High Evolutionary got his hands on him. After his creation turned on him, the High Evolutionary gave himself upgrades to make himself stronger. By the time the Guardians catch up to him in Vol. 3, he’s no joke, even causing problems for Adam Warlock, who first appeared in a cocoon at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

5) Red Hulk

Thunderbolt Ross may look a little different in Captain America: Brave New World, with Harrison Ford taking over for the late William Hurt, but he’s still got the same mean streak. His anger problems come back to bite him when he realizes Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, has made him into a Hulk. Ross’ red alter ego destroys a portion of Washington, DC, before Captain America appeals to his humanity and gets him to stand down.

4) G’iah

The Skrulls are once again in the spotlight in Secret Invasion, with a rogue shape-shifter named Gravik attempting to get back at Nick Fury for abandoning his people. G’iah, Talos’ daughter, goes undercover and uses Gravik’s Super Skrull Machine to upgrade herself. Being able to use the powers of several major MCU heroes and villains, G’iah makes quick work of Gravik and ends the Skrull threat before it can do serious damage to Earth.

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3) Sentry

The Thunderbolts bite off more than they can chew when they pick a fight with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. She attempts to get rid of all of her secrets at once, including the Sentry Project. However, she doesn’t know that one person, Bob, survived the experiments. Unable to control his powers, Bob lets the Void loose on New York City and nearly swallows the city whole. The only reason he’s able to stop is that his new friends save him from himself.

2) Mephisto

Riri Williams’ solo series seems pretty lowkey at first, following the young genius as she tries to find a way to earn money to upgrade her suit. She takes a job with The Hood’s crew and rips off a couple of wealthy people in Chicago. Everything changes when Riri realizes that she’s messing with an evil magical force, though. Mephisto reveals himself as the devil on The Hood’s shoulder and offers a sweet deal to Riri. He doesn’t show off everything he’s capable of, but his brief appearance in Ironheart makes it clear that he’s not someone to mess with.

1) Death

Agatha Harkness is one of the most powerful magic-users in the MCU, which means that anyone who can beat her is the real deal. Death pushes the witch to her limits in Agatha All Along and doesn’t even have to break a sweat. Being a cosmic being clearly has its perks, as there aren’t any movies that Death can’t counter. It’s only a matter of time before she causes major problems in another corner of the MCU.

Do you think the MCU characters on this list deserve to be considered some of the franchise’s most powerful? Which other Phase 5 characters deserve some love? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 Most Powerful MCU Characters Introduced in Phase Five appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a lot more than one team. Heroes like Ms. Marvel and Daredevil take to the streets every night without backup to keep their homes safe. Even stronger characters like Shang-Chi and Doctor Strange have to face world-ending threats alone. But there’s no doubt that the MCU is at its best when the Avengers are running the show. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes face down alien invasions, killer robots, mad titans, and everything in between without a second thought. The only problem with the Avengers is that they never seem to be on the same page when it matters most.

All of the Avengers’ bickering leads to the team breaking up and new ones forming. Each version of the Avengers still has plenty going for it, though, because fighting injustice is all that matters at the end of the day. However, participation trophies are no fun, especially when talking about superhero media.

5) Avengers 2.0

The second version of the Avengers forms at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron. After Tony Stark, Thor, and Hawkeye turn in their ID badges, it’s up to Captain America and Black Widow to keep things going. They recruit War Machine, Falcon, Wanda Maximoff, and Vision and set up shop in the Avengers Compound.

Despite having plenty of heavy hitters, the Avengers 2.0 fail to make an impact in the MCU. They only stay together through the beginning of Captain America: Civil War, and their first on-screen mission ends in disaster when Crossbones blows himself up and kills several people, including King T’Chaka.

4) The Multiverse Avengers

What If…? allows Marvel Studios to explore scenarios it wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Some of the notable examples include T’Challa becoming Star-Lord and Killmonger rescuing Tony Stark in Afghanistan. However, What If…? also spends plenty of time putting together its own Avengers team.

A rogue version of Ultron threatens the multiverse in What If…?‘s Season 1 finale. To stop him, the Watcher brings together heroes from various realities, including Captain Carter, Gamora, Stephen Strange, and Killmonger. The Guardians of the Multiverse, who are basically all Avengers, get the job done, but only having a few appearances in an animated series hurts their stock.

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3) The Secret Avengers

The Sokovia Accords tear apart what’s left of the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. They can’t agree on the best course of action, and just when Tony starts to see the error of his ways, Helmut Zemo pulls the rug out by showing the video of the Winter Soldier killing Howard and Maria Stark. The bombshell is too much for Tony to deal with, so he sends Steve away as a fugitive.

While on the run from the government, Steve breaks out Sam Wilson and meets up with Natasha Romanoff. They keep fighting the good fight until Avengers: Infinity War, when it’s clear that the time for squabbling is over. While the Secret Avengers only have one fight scene in the MCU, beating a couple of members of Thanos’ Black Order is no small feat.

2) The New Avengers

At the start of Thunderbolts*, the titular team has nothing going for them. They barely escape Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and only continue on because they don’t want anything bad to happen to their best friend, Bob. However, Bob turns out to be a big problem when the Void makes an appearance.

The Thunderbolts help Bob work through his trauma, and once they’re done, they set their sights on Valentina. She seizes the opportunity and announces that her would-be killers are the New Avengers. They operate as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for a year before Sam Wilson makes a stink about it, proving that they actually might have what it takes to protect the world.

1) The Avengers

The team that Nick Fury assembles in The Avengers is the cream of the crop. Despite having vastly different backgrounds, the heroes find common ground just in time to stop Loki from taking over the world. They also stop Ultron in his tracks, thwarting his plan to kill all of humanity.

While the original Avengers couldn’t get out of their own way, it’s going to take a lot of work for the MCU to put a team together to surpass them. It’s possible that the first six members of the group will go down as the best to ever do it.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe projects are streaming on Disney+.

Do you agree with this ranking of all of the Avengers teams in MCU history? How would you change the list? Let us know in the comments below!

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Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier offers his explanation for the film’s perceived continuity conflict with Daredevil: Born Again. On the Disney+ show, Wilson Fisk becomes mayor of New York and outlaws vigilantism, declaring a state of martial law in the city while his task force tries to take down costumed heroes. It was a significant development in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but one that Thunderbolts* ignored. The film also takes place in New York City, where the titular team faces off against the Void. Some fans found it curious that Thunderbolts* doesn’t address the events of Daredevil, but Schreier said it was in the best interest of keeping focus on the Thunderbolts* story.

“We were definitely aware of it. But we felt like the one thing that…obviously, these questions always come up in these movies of, ‘Why wasn’t this person there?'” said Schreier in an interview with ComicBookMovie. “There are a lot of things in the world, and we always felt like our movie is so contained. The whole thing takes place within a matter of a couple of days, and so there’s an immediacy to the threat [of The Void] and to the problem. So not only did we try to build a story where this particular antagonist, [the Thunderbolts] are the perfect people for it, because it’s about common cause or an understanding of what that person’s going through.”

He continued, “I mean, no one else could even possibly get there like that. It’s such a particular moment in time, and it happens so fast that those questions of martial law or this or that, I mean, it’s all within an afternoon, and so we we could kind of not take that on and feel like it was still believable within that world, so that each story could kind of go on its own path, and wouldn’t feel like they were stepping on each other.”

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Shortly after Thunderbolts* debuted in theaters, screenwriter Eric Pearson offered his thoughts on why New York-based heroes such as Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Doctor Strange didn’t come to the aid of the Thunderbolts during the Void’s takeover of New York City. He chalked it up to the concept of time working differently inside the Void, saying, “I also think that the time of it is happening so much faster than you expect.” The implication is that the matter was resolved before Spider-Man or someone else had a chance to arrive on the scene.

Of course, at the end of Thunderbolts*, the titular team is no longer a group of vigilantes. They’re the government-sanctioned New Avengers and have been fully operational for months before they cross paths with the Fantastic Four (as seen in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene). The movie’s stinger likewise makes no reference to Fisk or what he thinks about Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s collection of heroes.

All projects in a shared cinematic universe need to strike a right balance between making connections to other titles and standing on its own merits. In the case of Thunderbolts*, it still needs to work as a movie, and pacing is a very important aspect in that medium. It might have been jarring if, in the midst of an emotional climax where Yelena Belova and the others help Bob overcome his dark side, the film paused to take a moment to explain what Fisk and his task force was up to and why they didn’t arrive to deal with the Thunderbolts. As Schreier says, the Thunderbolts* finale unfolds over a relatively quick period of time, and it was better for the purposes of the movie that the focus stayed exclusively on Bob’s plight, ensuring the film built to a poignant conclusion.

Marvel has also realized that it’s become too much like homework for viewers to follow the ever-expanding MCU storyline, with movies picking up threads from TV shows. Perhaps in an effort to simplify things, the decision was made to not reference Born Again in Thunderbolts*. That way, people who haven’t watched Daredevil wouldn’t be lost and could just enjoy Thunderbolts* as a movie. It’ll be interesting to see how Marvel handles Mayor Fisk moving forward, but it was the right call for Thunderbolts* to ignore him.

The post Thunderbolts’ Big MCU Continuity Conflict With Daredevil Finally Gets Addressed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts successfully brought together some fan favorite characters and created an endearingly dysfunctional team, and that team will continue to play a role in Marvel’s upcoming plans. Those plans include the heavily anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, and thanks to the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts, we’ve actually gotten the smallest hint of Doomsday and the role the Thunderbolts play in it. ComicBook caught up with Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier to discuss the film’s home video release, and he teased a possible new leader for the team and revealed what it was like watching the Thunderbolts cast on the Doomsday set.

The Russo Bros. are at the helm of both Doomsday and Secret Wars, and Schreier remembers a perfect analogy made by Yelena Belova star Florence Pugh in describing what it was like for Schreier to watch the Thunderbolts cast film that key scene on the Doomsday set.

“Florence joked, because I was there when they did the post-credits scene, but I was just on set in the background. She said it was like being dropped off at school by your parent and turning over your shoulder to wave goodbye. ‘Do well! Study!’ No, look, the thing is, all of, almost all of these characters were created before I came along, and I think that’s just part of the way these worlds work, and the Russos have done such incredible work in this space,” Schreier said.

“I think it’s fun for me because those movies have a different tone, and there is a different context to them. The goal was to see if we could take these characters from where they were in our new versions of them, and if we could bring them to a point where, again, even if it seems odd at first, if you squint, you’re like, ‘Well, maybe this could work, or maybe it can’t.’ We’re not saying that this is going to go smoothly. The fun is watching what on earth is going to happen with that going forward,” Schreier said.

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“For me it was fun that day just being on that set where, as big as our movie was, it’s a big movie for me, but there is this even bigger context to this world and all the other characters that are in it,” Schreier said. “To see those characters now in that context, there was a lot of fun to that, and it felt different in a way that it should feel different. So I’m just excited to see what happens. Yeah.”

A Potential New Leader

Now that the Thunderbolts are officially the New Avengers and are interacting more with the rest of the MCU thanks to Doomsday, Schreier was asked who he thinks could be the leader of the New Avengers if he had to guess. While there is one person who might be the best fit, that’s far from the only option.

“I think what’s fun with them is that everyone could realistically imagine that they are the leader, and I think that watching that kind of dynamic play out…Obviously it would make a lot of sense for it to be Bucky, but it’s not a role that he’s necessarily been comfortable with,” Schreier said. “I think that any one of them could imagine that it ought to be them, and they all bring something to that, but I have no insight whatsoever into what happens, and I think getting to watch the way all of those characters will play against each other will be really fun.”

Thunderbolts* is available on Digital now and will be released on 4K and Blu-ray on July 29.

Who do you want to see lead the New Avengers into the next chapter of the MCU? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Marvel and movies with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Thunderbolts* Director Reveals Reaction to Watching Cast on Avengers: Doomsday Set, Teases New Team Leader appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios somehow held back the surprise ending of Thunderbolts* until the movie premiered, despite the massive team working on the project and the constant speculation of superhero fans. Marvel is infamous for its secrecy and its strict non-disclosure agreements, but according to director Jake Schreier, the Thunderbolts’ evolution into the New Avengers was not protected all that carefully. He spoke to ComicBook.com this week to promote the movie’s release on Digital, and its upcoming release on 4K and Blu-ray on July 29th. Schreier said that a big part of guarding Marvel secrets is simply hoping for the best, and in this case, it worked out.

“It was in the first draft of the script that I read long before I got hired to work on the movie, so it had been there from the beginning,” the director said. “Obviously we ended up taking different routes to get to it. On one level, it’s one line instead of the end. So there’s one script page we have to protect. I think… it actually was in some scripts that it probably shouldn’t have been. But we just had it say ‘Thunderbolts’ in most of the sides that went out.”

The only other practical measure Schreier could recall guarding this secret was the schedule for the extras on the day they filmed that climactic scene. He recalled that “on the day, all the extras that were there, we sent them all off set. We just had Julia say ‘Thunderbolts,’ except for the close up takes, and we sent all the extras away from set.”

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“Otherwise, you just hope things don’t leak,” Schreier said simply. “And people kept it pretty well under wraps. I’m sure it snuck out there, here and there. And we know there’s a knowledge that these things eventually are going to get out there, but you just try to hold on to it as long as you can and build a movie that works, even if, you know, there are hints of those things out in the world.”

Fans speculated that the Thunderbolts* team would form into some version of the Avengers long before the movie came out, and to many viewers, it was not a surprise. Ironically, Marvel Studios itself got the most flack for spoiling this secret, as the marketing campaign pivoted after the movie’s first weekend in theaters. Billboards in major cities were altered to say “New Avengers” in place of “Thunderbolts*,” explaining the asterisk in the process.

Perhaps some fans will even be catching on this secret at home this month. Thunderbolts* is available on Digital now, and will be released on 4K and Blu-ray July 29.

The post Thunderbolts* Director Reveals How Marvel Kept the Film’s Final Moment a Secret appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s time to find out how your favorite visual effects in Thunderbolts* were brought to life. The film featuring a ragtag team of misfits from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced fans to Bob, played by Lewis Pullman. His superhero alter ego is Sentry, who has a villainous side called The Void. Bringing these parts of Bob to the big screen took a team of visual effects experts, along with some of the other epic scenes in Thunderbolts*. A movie on the scale of an MCU blockbuster involves a lot of special effects, and a new video demonstrates how many of these scenes were rendered.

ComicBook can exclusively reveal a Thunderbolts* visual effects breakdown video from Framestore. It begins with an outside shot of CIA Director Valentina Allegra De Fontaine’s secret vault, which is where the majority of the Thunderbolts* cast first meet each other. Of course, they’re sent to kill each other by Valentina, but they realize that later as they escape. Everything from the vault’s physical structure at the top of a mountain to the armed guards assembled to take out the Thunderbolts is digitally mastered.

We see how Ghost’s phasing abilities are created when she phases through the back of a jeep. Inside the Void, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova busts through a wall and then plummets onto a table in a different room, with string wiring helping to break her fall. More scenes take place inside the Void, as Yelena and Bob are attacked by the items inside Bob’s room. A note in the reel explains how practical curtains on the set are replaced in CG for the final effect of Yelena and Bob being choked.

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Back at the vault, we see the guards open fire on Bob, with wires whisking him high into the sky. Bob makes it above the clouds but passes out, falling fast and hard back down to Earth in a 100% CG environment. Finally, we end in a fully digital lab environment that was expanded, and ultimately destroyed, as the Thunderbolts battle the Void. Early FX tests show how the Void lab expands, along with the lab crumbling under the weight of Bob’s strikes against the Void. Yelena is able to escape her restraints and sprints to help Bob, bobbing and weaving through debris using parkour.

Thunderbolts* concluded with the big reveal that the asterisk in the title was to hide the team’s true name: The New Avengers. If you enjoyed Thunderbolts*, you’ll be happy to know the cast will return in Avengers: Doomsday, where the Avengers, New Avengers, Fantastic Four, and original X-Men cast battle Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. The post-credits scene in Thunderbolts* sets up the events of Avengers: Doomsday, with the New Avengers spotting the Fantastic Four’s ship entering our dimension.

Thunderbolts* is available for rent or purchase digitally, and it will be available to stream on Disney+ sometime in August.

The post Thunderbolts BTS Video Breaks Down the MCU Film’s Visual Effects (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new Marvel Cinematic Universe theory may explain where the Sentry’s powers in 2025’s Thunderbolts* actually originated from, connecting the new powerful hero to a formidable Phase 2 supervillain. Lewis Pullman made his MCU debut as Robert “Bob” Reynolds’ Sentry in Thunderbolts*, introduced as a manufactured superhero created by an experimental super-soldier serum developed by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and OXE. Sentry’s powers are almost unmatched, while the full range of his dark alter ego, the Void’s, abilities haven’t yet been explored, but this unpredictability could wrap up a loose end from 2017.

Robert Reynolds was a drug addict who became a test subject for OXE’s experiments with a trial drug, the Golden Sentry Serum, which promised to turn subjects into the best versions of themselves. It’s implied that de Fontaine’s OXE developed the serum, but a new theory suggests that the serum could have been derived from the remnants of Ego’s expansion from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. As a Celestial, Ego (Kurt Russell) certainly harbored the strength that would elevate Reynolds into the Sentry, capable of easily defeating the Thunderbolts and attacking all of New York City.

Back in 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 saw Ego, Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) Celestial father, initiate his plans to spread his consciousness across every world in the universe. This included Earth, but after his plans were thwarted by the Guardians of the Galaxy, the huge lump of Ego’s expansion was left in Missouri. Marvel Studios hasn’t addressed the remnant of this expansion at all in the eight years since, so it would be great for the Sentry’s abilities to be connected to Ego’s expansion, providing a clear and understandable source for Reynolds’ abilities.

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The piece of Ego’s consciousness covering Missouri is one of the MCU’s biggest loose ends. Connecting it to Thunderbolts* could have the same impact that revisiting the Celestial Tiamut in Captain America: Brave New World had – legitimizing this key event in the MCU’s history. Connecting the Sentry and Ego would be a wild departure from Robert Reynolds’ Marvel Comics backstory, which saw him expose himself to an experimental serum containing the power of a million exploding suns while searching for more drugs, but Marvel Studios isn’t afraid of making changes such as this.

The fact that Ego is the Celestial father of Star-Lord in the MCU is already a pretty huge change from Marvel Comics, so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to also connect him to the Sentry. Marvel only scratched the surface of Ego’s power back in Phase 2, and Peter Quill never developed his hereditary powers, as they were removed upon Ego’s demise. Robert Reynolds could be the perfect vehicle to demonstrate the full range of a Celestial’s powers in human form, and this could be shown off in Avengers: Doomsday when Lewis Pullman reprises the role.

Do you think the Sentry could be connected to Ego in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

The post Sentry’s Thunderbolts Powers Come From a Forgotten Phase 2 Villain in This Shocking MCU Theory appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios’ recent Thunderbolts* movie might have set up the perfect way for the much-wanted savage version of the Hulk to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, according to a new fan theory. Mark Ruffalo has played Bruce Banner’s Hulk since 2012’s The Avengers, a role originated in the MCU by Edward Norton in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. While he started his career as an uncontrollable and unhinged rage monster, the Hulk has been through some massive and polarizing changes over the last 17 years, but a new theory explains how he can revert to his original form.

Many want to see the Hulk let loose again, especially after Avengers: Endgame introduced the controversial Smart Hulk. A new theory shared by @comicodigy on Instagram suggests that the events of Phase 5’s Thunderbolts* movie set up the perfect way for the Hulk to revert, as the Void’s attack on New York could have thrust Bruce Banner into his worst traumas. Just as Yelena went back to her Red Room training, and Robert Reynolds experienced abuse at the hands of his father again, Bruce Banner could have relived harrowing experiences that brought back his unabashed form.

The last time we saw Bruce Banner’s Smart Hulk, he took a journey back to Sakaar in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law where he acquired his son, Skaar, and brought him back to Earth. He subsequently reunited with his family and met Matt Murdock at a family barbecue. Since then, it’s very possible that Banner returned to New York, where he has routinely operated as a member of the Avengers and as an ally to other heroes, particularly Wong and Doctor Strange. This means he could have been in New York during the Void’s attack in Thunderbolts*.

Bruce Banner’s history is full of traumatic events that could have spurred the savage Hulk to reemerge. His initial transformation into the Hulk at Culver University, his injuring of Betty Ross and being hunted by her father, his battle against the Abomination, and his spar with Tony Stark’s Iron Man through the streets of Johannesburg are just a few that we’ve seen on-screen. A deleted scene from The Incredible Hulk also revealed that Banner carried out suicide attempts, and reliving these would clearly be enough to push him back over the edge.

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This theory sets up a dark future for the Hulk in the MCU. There have been calls for Banner to return to the savage Hulk, and hopes that this will happen in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Mark Ruffalo hasn’t yet been confirmed to be returning, but there is also speculation he’ll be starring alongside Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, and Sadie Sink in 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Set in New York, this is the perfect project to explore the aftermath of the Void’s attack and its effect on the likes of Spider-Man, the Punisher, and the Hulk.

Do you want to see the savage Hulk return to the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel Has the Perfect Chance to Bring Savage Hulk Back in This Wild New MCU Theory appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*, now available to stream at home.] In 2021’s Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson’s former Red Room assassin Natasha Romanoff described Dreykov’s daughter Antonia (Olga Kurylenko) as “collateral damage.” Thought killed in a bombing in Budapest when Natasha defected to S.H.I.E.L.D., Antonia Dreykov survived her father’s attempted assassination as the chip-controlled cyborg that he dispatched as his “Taskmaster Protocol.” A mimic able to mirror the fighting styles of anyone she’s ever seen — whether it’s Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, Winter Soldier, Black Panther, or Spider-Man — Taskmaster was her father’s deadliest agent until Natasha and sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) freed her from Dreykov’s brainwashing.

Kurylenko’s Taskmaster returned in Thunderbolts*, working on assignment for shadowy CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). It turned out that Val sent loose ends — Taskmaster, Yelena, U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) — to a vault that would incinerate all her “liabilities,” but Ghost shot and killed Taskmaster before the remaining operatives escaped the blast with Bob (Lewis Pullman).

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In a new interview, Kurylenko remarked that Taskmaster was once again collateral damage — this time of the Hollywood writers’ strike that stalled Thunderbolts* back in 2023.

“In the first script, my character was there until the end, but it wasn’t the same script at all,” the Ukrainian-born French actress said in a translated interview with Diverto. “After the strike, the script had nothing to do with it. They changed the concept, they changed the story, the places, where it took place. It wasn’t the same anymore. It’s a pity. It was a cool character.”

Eric Pearson, who wrote Black Widow and co-wrote the Thunderbolts* script reworked by The Bear’s Joanna Calo, confirmed in a previous interview that, in his drafts, Taskmaster survived and became a member of the team eventually renamed the “New Avengers.”

“That is the one biggest change,” he told The Hollywood Reporter about Taskmaster’s sudden death in Val’s vault. “I didn’t get to go to set and finish out this one. I was actually back in Burbank working on Fantastic Four [First Steps] at that point. When I saw the first cut, the biggest change was Taskmaster taking that shot, and I was shocked. In my drafts, Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster lived out the movie, and she had a bit of a subplot with Ava/Ghost. They’d both been raised in labs, and Ava big-sistered her into how to break free and be her own person.”

Pearson continued, “But I understand why they did it. It was probably just because of my audience reaction of being genuinely surprised. But everything else was exactly where I expected it to be, and [director Jake Schreier] said, ‘We wanted to surprise the audience and raise the stakes and say, Yeah, there’s danger here. No one’s safe. There’s a lot of saying that they’re bad people and seeing that they’re good people, so let’s make sure that we know that they’ve done bad things and have been living their lives doing harsh heartless things.”

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is now available on digital and PVOD, and the Thunderbolts the New Avengers will return in Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.

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Roughly an entire year before The Fantastic Four: First Steps hit theaters (and just as the film began principal photography), composer Michael Giacchino was announced to be providing the film’s score. Given the man’s extensive experience with scoring prior Marvel Cinematic Universe outings, as well as the two retro-superhero Incredibles films for Disney-Pixar, he was a perfect and much-hyped fit for the feature’s soundtrack. However, composers for the MCU don’t typically get this much hype.

For years now, video essays and articles have been published on the lackluster nature of MCU movie scores. Most Phase Four and Phase Five movies and TV shows in this franchise haven’t beaten these allegations and criticisms. Can anyone remember a single track from Rob Simonsen’s and Christophe Beck’s respective Deadpool & Wolverine and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania scores? However, a solution for giving these soundtracks a creative boost can be found in some of the best composers working today, not to mention the score of Phase Five’s final film.

Here’s the Problem With So Many MCU Film Scores

In general, mainstream American movie soundtracks have often been criticized for sounding too similar. In a very, very condensed nutshell, Hans Zimmer’s film score company Remote Control Productions has a massive amount of influence in Hollywood. So many major composers have emerged from this institution, including legendary modern film/television composers like Nicholas Britell and John Powell.

However, especially in the last 20 years, many have lambasted Remote Control veterans for being inescapable in Hollywood. Every major studio genre film now seems to be scored by the likes of Lorne Balfe, Benjamin Wallfisch, Tom Holkenborg, or other Remote Control old-timers. Such artists have been criticized for delivering scores that sound indistinguishable from one another. These artists, trained and largely experienced only in film scores, often craft scores determined to give audiences only what they hear. They provide hollow echoes of pre-existing music, not the excitingly new sounds informing the best film scores.

From the very beginning, the MCU has suffered from these criticisms. High-profile reviews of Ramin Djawadi’s Iron Man score lambasted these forgettable tracks for their lack of personality or musical audacity. From there, the MCU’s soundtracks leaned heavily on more uninspired composers choices like Brian Taylor, Henry Jackman, Bafle, and Simonsen. The most acclaimed MCU scores came from either older, classic movie score legends like Alan Silvestri or stepping outside of the box entirely with Ludwig Göransson.

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Rather than being a Hans Zimmer protege constantly mimicking what “normal” blockbuster movies sound like, Göransson’s revered Black Panther tracks were full of verve and personality. They didn’t harken back to Zimmer and John Williams tracks, they blazed a new trail for what film scores could sound like. It was an inevitable byproduct for a composer that had been (in addition to scoring films for seven years) largely worked as a producer and/or co-writer for an eclectic array of bands like Childish Gambino, Haim, and Chance the Rapper.

Göransson’s epitomizes what the MCU must do to get its soundtracks back hitting the high notes: get score composers who are not known first and foremost for their film scores.

MCU Soundtracks Should Take Come Cues From the Thunderbolts* Score

Some of the very best film composers today are the likes of Nine Inch Nails frontmen Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Radiohead veteran Jonny Greenwood, New York punk legend Tamar-kali, and video game music/TV theme song legend Daniel Pemberton (among others). These artists don’t exist to just mimic Hans Zimmer nor do they deliver film scores rigidly imitating what’s worked in the past. They mold the world of film scores to their exciting, bold visions, rather than diluting their creativity to be another Zimmer clone.

Bringing in relative “outsiders” to the feature film score game is a boon for cinema and music lovers everywhere. These artists break the rules and make iconic scores that never leave your head. While the MCU has usually featured scores that refuse to take such risks, Phase Five’s final movie, Thunderbolts*, embraced just this kind of offbeat score. For this feature, the electronica band Son Lux was hired to do the score. The trio of Son Lux had only collaborated together on two feature-length movie scores before, one of them being the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once.

However, for Thunderbolts*, Son Lux proved to be a perfect choice. Their tracks radiated with a distinctively dissonant and janky identity. Leaning heavily on fast-paced violins, eerie screeching noises, and ominous ambiances even for supposedly triumphant tracks like “It’s Bucky!”, Son Lux’s Thunderbolts* score captured the fractured, troubled psyche of its lead characters. Little touches, like how certain parts of some tracks sounded like they were being played in the far-off distance, just further accentuated the craftsmanship and distinctiveness of this soundtrack.

Best of all, it didn’t sound like a normal Marvel movie score. On the contrary, the Thunderbolts* score features several tracks that sound like interesting dissonant contouring of Alan Silvestri’s Avengers themes. Speaking of Silvestri, his outstanding MCU scores, not to mention Giacchino’s terrific work in this franchise, show there’s a place for film score pros in this franchise. However, if the MCU wants to finally shake off the criticisms of its original scores that have existed since the Iron Man days, then it’s time to embrace more composers like Son Lux who aren’t exclusively known for film scores. Embrace the new and audiences tend to admire rather than cower from the artistic bravery.

Thunderbolts* is now available to rent or purchase digitally, The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25.

The post The MCU At Least Learn one Major Lesson From Their Most Recent Box Office Disappointment appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have witnessed their fair share of tough character deaths, and some of these deceased heroes and villains should be resurrected. Among the MCU’s saddest moments are the deaths of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). Many fans would surely enjoy seeing these heroes return to the big screen, though the most obvious choices aren’t always the best ones. Beyond the MCU’s most popular characters, a number of supporting personas have been wasted, underused, and killed off far too soon. Death isn’t always permanent in a world that contains magic, superpowers, and the multiverse, so there’s a chance that some of the MCU’s most disappointing deaths could be reversed.

These seven MCU characters deserved to live longer, and they could still be resurrected to fix their stories.

1) Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver

Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) shockingly met his end in his MCU debut. Introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron as the brother of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), Pietro has amazing super-speed abilities, making him one of the MCU’s funnest heroes to watch in combat. But, Quicksilver’s untimely death during Age of Ultron‘s Battle of Sokovia dampens his legacy. The MCU’s Pietro cannot be brought back to life, but an identical variant of the character could serve a purpose in Wanda’s story in either the near or distant future. It’s a shame that the MCU never gave Quicksilver a real arc, but he should still reappear in some form. Fans were disappointed that Pietro died so quickly, so there’s a clear incentive to bring him back — even if it’s just a cameo.

2) Hela

Hela (Cate Blanchett) is among the MCU’s most underrated villains, and that’s likely due to her limited character development. The Asgardian Goddess of Death emerged in Thor: Ragnarok with plans to take over Asgard from her younger brothers Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in the wake of Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) death. When the prophecy of Ragnarok was unleashed, Hela died at the hands of Surtur (Clancy Brown) during the destruction of Asgard, swiftly ending her story. Ragnarok undoubtedly fulfilled Hela’s purpose, though it might be worth revisiting the villain in a different scenario. The MCU could enrich Thor’s corner of the franchise by fleshing out his relationship with Hela — which dates back centuries. Hela could also serve as a formidable adversary to other powerful MCU heroes. Gods are immortal, so the MCU could easily create a narrative loophole to explain how Hela survived Ragnarok.

3) Ikaris

Eternals pulled a juicy twist by revealing Ikaris (Richard Madden) as a hero-turned-villain bent on sacrificing the Earth and all its people for the Emergence of Tiamut. Ikaris did not succeed and ended up taking his own life by flying into the Sun. Eternals‘ poor reception decreases the likelihood of the titular group appearing again in the MCU, but if the Eternals ever come back, Ikaris should be with them. Given that they’re synthetic beings, the Eternals can be recreated by the Celestials. Thus, Ikaris’ death does not have to be final. Boasting Superman-like flight and laser-eye powers, Ikaris was a daunting force in battle. On the personal side of things, Ikaris shared a complicated, yet endearing, bond with Sersi (Gemma Chan), which could be explored in more depth should the characters return to the MCU.

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4) Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch

Wanda was presumed dead when she brought down Mount Wundagore on top of herself at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, the lack of her corpse and the virtually indestructible nature of the Scarlet Witch indicate that it’s unlikely she’s actually deceased. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Wanda’s MCU arc, which has seen the character endure immense loss and trauma while wavering from a hero to a villain. Such a complex and compelling character should play a pivotal role in the MCU’s future, and she has a rich comic history involving Doctor Doom and the X-Men among many other potential storylines to inspire her resurrection. The MCU needs to prioritize the Scarlet Witch’s return and bring her back to the big screen before it loses the chance to capitalize on her popularity.

5) Gorr the God Butcher

Thor: Love and Thunder epitomizes what it means to waste a talented actor and an interesting character. Propelled on a course for revenge against the gods after the death of his daughter, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) didn’t survive the movie’s ending, as he succumbed to the Necrosword’s power. Upon reaching Eternity, Gorr used his wish to bring his daughter back to life, so this could make it possible to revive him at some point. Gorr was criminally underused in Love and Thunder and his grim demeanor clashed with the film’s over-the-top comedic tone. A tragic and layered villain, Gorr deserved a chance to shine in a bigger way. Enlisting an esteemed actor such as Bale to portray a vicious and terrifying character appeared a certain success for the MCU, but Love and Thunder‘s script undermined it all. Gorr’s hypothetical return could see him resurrected for a redemption arc or a new crusade against the gods.

6) Agatha Harkness

Not many assumed that Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) would be a top-tier MCU character when she first appeared in WandaVision. The villainous witch’s solo series Agatha All Along cemented her as a layered protagonist, who’s wicked, hilarious, and sympathetic all at once. So, it was incredibly shortsighted to kill off Agatha at the end of her own show. Agatha’s sacrifice for Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) and embrace of her former lover Rio Vidal/Death (Aubrey) was fitting in some ways, but the MCU should have prolonged her arc beyond just two projects.

Of course, Agatha now exists as Billy’s ghost mentor, but this comes across as more of a gag than a satisfactory outcome. Despite Agatha’s ghost form originating from the comics, the MCU should have continued on its path of writing a new story for her on screen. From Agatha’s centuries-long romance with Death to her magic-stealing deeds, there are infinite possibilities for Agatha’s next chapter that don’t involve her following around a teenage boy as his ghost sidekick. MCU deaths aren’t always permanent, thus the franchise should take the first opportunity it has to return Agatha to her human form.

7) Taskmaster

Antonia Drekov/Taskmaster looked slated for a long MCU tenure upon her introduction in Black Widow, but Thunderbolts* did the unthinkable. Taskmaster died just minutes after first appearing in the movie, suffering a fatal gunshot wound from Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). Even though the MCU’s version of Taskmaster faced tons of fan backlash for deviating from the comics so dramatically, there was never a need to off her so quickly and brutally. Instead, a future project should reveal that Taskmaster’s mask blocked the bullet from reaching her skull and that she escaped the vault before the flames engulfed it. Alternatively, the MCU could introduce an entirely new, more comic-accurate, version of Taskmaster. Either way, Taskmaster needs to feature in the MCU in some capacity. With a unique power set derived from other heroes, Taskmaster has endless potential as a villain or anti-hero.

Which dead MCU characters do you want to see brought back? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Dead MCU Characters That Should Be Brought Back appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With the final episodes of Ironheart now available, Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has officially concluded, and the final tally confirms a worrying trend. This latest chapter of the Multiverse Saga stands as the lowest-grossing phase in the MCU’s seventeen-year history, earning a combined total of approximately $3.66 billion. For perspective, that figure is less than the $3.81 billion earned by the six foundational films of Phase 1 over a decade ago. That means that while the staggering success of Deadpool & Wolverine provided a massive boost, it couldn’t mask the underlying problem.

The issue with Phase 5 becomes clearer when you look past the cumulative total and examine the deep internal divide. The phase’s overall performance was heavily propped up by just two major successes, with Deadpool & Wolverine delivering a massive $1.34 billion, while James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brought in a strong $845.6 million. In contrast, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania finished with $476.1 million, Captain America: Brave New World earned $415.1 million, and Thunderbolts managed just $381.9 million despite critical and fan acclaim, all falling short of profitability. The most significant failure was The Marvels, which ended its run with a disastrous $206.1 million worldwide, becoming the MCU’s biggest box office bomb.

This trend marks a significant downturn even from the turbulent Phase 4. While also criticized for its lack of cohesion, Phase 4 still managed to gross over $5.8 billion, thanks in large part to genuine event-level films. Spider-Man: No Way Home became a cultural phenomenon by uniting three generations of Spider-Men, soaring to $1.9 billion. Similarly, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness crossed $955 million by leveraging the post−WandaVision hype and its connection to the multiverse. Even Thor: Love and Thunder ($760M) and Wakanda Forever ($859M) capitalized on the immense brand awareness of their successful predecessors. 

Sure, Marvel Studios didn’t even get close to the mindblowing $11 billion of Phase 3. However, the results of Phase 4 were still commendable. Now, Phase 5’s performance signals that the diminishing returns of the MCU are not a temporary dip but a clear symptom of a broken financial model, one that pairs nine-figure budgets with unrealistic expectations in a theatrical landscape that has fundamentally changed.

The Unsustainable Math of a Modern Blockbuster

The MCU’s box office decline doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The entire theatrical landscape has been reshaped since the pre-pandemic highs of 2019, a year that saw nine different films cross the billion-dollar threshold. In the six years since only ten movies have managed to do the same. Audiences have become more discerning, streaming windows have shrunk, and the cost of a night at the movies has soared. As a result, the billion-dollar hit is no longer a regular occurrence but an outlier.

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The core issue is that Marvel Studios has failed to adapt its financial strategy to this new reality. The studio continues to operate with pre-pandemic budget expectations, treating nearly every project as a quarter-billion-dollar event that demands a near-billion-dollar return. With production costs for films like The Marvels hitting a reported $270 million and even team-ups like Thunderbolts costing $180 million, the bar for profitability is set impossibly high. In this climate, a $400 million gross for a film like Brave New World is treated as a failure, when it should be considered a respectable return. This approach, where every film must be a grand slam, is simply no longer viable.

The MCU Must Diversify Its Budget to Survive

If Marvel hopes to correct its course, the solution is not just to make better movies, but to make them more intelligently. The “one-size-fits-all” budget of around $200 million must be abandoned in favor of a more diverse and sustainable financial blueprint. The future of the MCU should be one where a project’s budget is tailored to its specific creative scale and audience appeal. After all, not every character needs a world-ending epic, and not every film needs a budget that reflects that ambition.

The most promising model for this new era is currently being developed by Marvel’s main competitor. Under James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new DC Universe is producing a Clayface film as a smaller-scale horror story with a budget reported to be around $40 million. With a lower financial barrier, the film doesn’t need to be a global phenomenon to become wildly profitable. It can focus on being a great, genre-specific movie that serves a dedicated audience and still be a huge financial success. Even if Clayface earns a modest $150-200 million box office, it will still be highly profitable, making executives happy and helping the DCU expand. 

This is the exact lesson Marvel must learn. By adopting a tiered financial model, Marvel Studios would not only lower the immense pressure on every release but also open the door to greater creative freedom. This strategic shift is a necessary evolution for ensuring the MCU’s financial stability and creative vitality for the next decade.

What kind of smaller-budget film do you think Marvel could make next? Share your ideas in the comments!

The post Phase 5 Broke an Unfortunate MCU Record (But Marvel Studios Can Learn From It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the course of the 2010s, the Marvel Cinematic Universe established itself as Hollywood’s highest-grossing franchise with a string of box office hits that starred everyone from Spider-Man to Ant-Man. During this decade, it seemed Marvel Studios could do no wrong, making household names out of even the most obscure comic book characters. However, in the years since Avengers: Endgame broke records, Marvel is no longer the box office juggernaut it once was. Some of the studio’s more recent titles — even those that are well-received — have struggled to sell tickets. Fortunately, the home media and streaming markets exist to give those films a new lease on life, and one Marvel flop is taking advantage.

The film in question is Thunderbolts*, which recently became available to rent and purchase on various platforms (including Amazon and Apple). Viewers didn’t come out in full force to support Thunderbolts* in theaters, but the movie’s proven to be a hit in homes. According to FlixPatrol, which charts the popularity of movies and shows on streaming services, Thunderbolts* is the No. 1 film on both the Amazon and iTunes storefronts. On the former, it has a slim lead over Final Destination Bloodlines, while it’s further ahead of Bloodlines and 28 Days Later on the latter.

Kicking off the summer movie season in early May, Thunderbolts* earned widely positive reviews (it has an 88% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes), with many praising it for its combination of genre entertainment and deep thematic material. Despite the strong word of mouth, Thunderbolts* had a relatively soft opening weekend (by Marvel standards) of $74.3 million domestically. It is one of the lowest-grossing MCU titles of all time with a worldwide haul of just $381.8 million, less than that of fellow disappointment Captain America: Brave New World.

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Thunderbolts* became available to rent and purchase digitally on Tuesday, July 1st. Physical copies will be released on Tuesday, July 29th. Disney has not announced when Thunderbolts* will stream on Disney+ as of this writing.

Seeing that Captain America: Brave New World (which earned mixed reviews) recently became the biggest movie on streaming according to Nielsen data, it isn’t surprising to see Thunderbolts* soar to the top of the PVOD charts. People are still interested in watching Marvel movies, keeping up to date with the ever-evolving storyline of the Multiverse Saga. Some viewers are just being more selective about what they go to see on the big screen. Marvel’s uneven quality over the last handful of years seemingly has dissuaded casual audiences from checking out every MCU movie in theaters. Hopefully, Thunderbolts* restored some good will for the franchise, paving the way for The Fantastic Four: First Steps to have a lucrative run later this month.

While Marvel would have liked to have seen Thunderbolts* become a box office hit, it’s nevertheless an encouraging sign that it’s a draw on home media. The film’s main characters are all set to return in Avengers: Doomsday, so viewers are doing their homework so they know what’s up with Yelena, Red Guardian, and the rest of the New Avengers by the time Doctor Doom arrives in the MCU. Thunderbolts* could catch on in living rooms even more once it becomes available on Disney+ and people can catch it for just the cost of a subscription.

The post Marvel’s Latest Box Office Disappointment Is a Streaming Hit appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios shocked fans when the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* title was revealed to be hiding the superhero team’s real name, The New Avengers. The twist has been used once in the comics, changing the already announced New Thunderbolts* comic to New Avengers for better synergy with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A similar twist is taking place with Thor. This week features the release of Immortal Thor #25, marking the God of Thor’s death. We already know that Thor #1 is launching in July, but the ending of Immortal Thor #25 reveals that it isn’t the comic’s real title.

The new volume of Thor has been retitled The Mortal Thor, with Marvel releasing three covers for the new series. As readers of Immortal Thor #25 discovered, Thor has been reborn as a mortal named Sigurd Jarlson. Mortal Thor comes from writer Al Ewing and legendary Thor artist Pasqual Ferry. After the God of Thunder underwent a hero’s journey worthy of Asgardian legend, he triumphed in battle against the Gods of Utgard. Just as Thor was on the verge of victory against the exiled Elder Gods, he was slain by Loki, fulfilling a dark prophecy. To protect Asgard, the Rainbow Bridge was shattered, wiping Thor and all of Asgard from Midgard’s memory.

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“Now that Immortal Thor #25 is on the stands for you to read – and please do – we can be a little more open about the exact nature of the second act of the story,” Ewing explained. “This was an idea that sprang into being from the original pitch; I wanted to treat Thor as a God, and give him a truly mythological story… but as well as the son of Odin, he’s the son of Gaea. So we find ourselves in winter. Thor is dead, and Sigurd Jarlson walks the earth – without power, without fame, without memory. And yet the fate of Asgard and Midgard rests on this mortal man making the journey to return the magic of the Gods to the Earth. And to get there – to even learn the nature of the quest – he’s going to have to fight.”

ComicBook spoke to Al Ewing ahead of the release of Immortal Thor #25, and while he didn’t give away the name change, he did discuss heading into Act Two of his sweeping Thor tale and the threats fans can look forward to.

“I’m going to dance around this one a little as well, because it’s based on faulty assumptions, but if you’re asking me to list some bad guys who’ll be in the book — well, the Enchantress is continuing her scheme, although that’s a background simmer for now,” Ewing said. “More immediately, we have the Sons of the Serpent making their first appearance in the story — and we haven’t seen the last of Cobra, Mister Hyde, Grey Gargoyle and Radioactive Man either.”

THE MORTAL THOR #1

• Written by AL EWING
• Art by PASQUAL FERRY
• Cover by ALEX ROSS
• On Sale 7/14
• THE LEGEND BEGINS! The Norse Myths tell of Gods who walked the Earth, doing great deeds for the mortals who believed in them. But Asgard isn’t real, and never was. The Gods never soared in our skies, never stood with our heroes, never fought for kindness or justice. It was all just a story. Nobody’s coming to help us. But somewhere in the city… a man is waking up. A man with a hammer.

THE MORTAL THOR #2

• Written by AL EWING
• Art by PASQUAL FERRY
• Cover by ALEX ROSS
• On Sale 9/24
• WHO IS THE MAN CALLED THOR? The Thunder Gods were hired to teach a simple lesson – make trouble for Roxxon Construction, and they’ll make trouble for you. Now somebody’s targeting the bike gang where they live. Somebody who won’t give up. Somebody calling himself “Thor.” Somewhere in the city, a man with a hammer is getting to work.

THE MORTAL THOR #3

• Written by AL EWING
• Art by PASQUAL FERRY
• Cover by ALEX ROSS
• On Sale 10/29

The Mortal Thor #1 goes on sale July 14th. Let us know your thoughts on the new title in the comments below!

The post Marvel Pulls a Thunderbolts Twist for Thor’s New Series Following His Death appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Whatever you call Marvel’s ragtag group of “disposable delinquents” dubbed the “B-vengers” — whether it’s the Thunderbolts or the New Avengers — you can’t call them unloved. The Jake Schreier-directed Thunderbolts* struck theaters in May, assembling a dysfunctional team comprised of Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman).

Like the characters themselves, described by CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as “loose ends,” Thunderbolts* tied together loose threads from the Marvel Cinematic Universe installments Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Widow, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier with characters who last appeared on-screen in 2018 and 2021. In revealing the meaning behind the title’s asterisk, Thunderbolts* also sets the stage for the team’s return in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

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Even with a strategic rebrand to *The New Avengers in the film’s opening weekend, the officially-titled Thunderbolts* underperformed at the box office. Grossing $189.8 million at the domestic box office and another $191.8 million overseas for a global cume of $381.6 million, Thunderbolts* just edged past 2021’s Black Widow ($379.7 million) to become the fifth lowest-grossing installment in the 36-movie MCU. (The Marvels‘ $199.7 million, The Incredible Hulk‘s $265.5 million, and Captain America: The First Avenger‘s $370.5 million are all on the lower end.)

That’s despite receiving a thumbs up from critics (it currently sits at 88% “certified fresh” on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the best for a Marvel Studios film since Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s 93% in 2021), a 90% on the Popcornmeter (from more than 10,000 verified audience ratings), and a decent A- CinemaScore from moviegoers.

Where to Stream Thunderbolts* Online

Fans who missed Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* (aka *The New Avengers) in theaters can watch the movie at home. Thunderbolts* is available for rent ($24.99) or purchase ($29.99) digitally on Premium VOD platforms like Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) and Amazon’s Prime Video — with Thunderbolts* as the official title and *The New Avengers prominently displayed on new marketing materials.

The Thunderbolts* digital version includes audio commentary by Jake Schreier, gag reel, deleted scenes, and the featurettes “Assembling a Team to Remember,” “All About Bob, Sentry & the Void,” and “Around the World and Back Again.”

Disney hasn’t announced when subscribers can stream Thunderbolts* on Disney+, but it’s expected to arrive on SVOD sometime in August.

In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes: Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts in order to find redemption and unite as a team.

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The post How to Watch Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* on Streaming appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After the superhero team’s debut in Thunderbolts*, there are many more incredible team members from Marvel Comics we’d love to see appear in live-action in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2025’s Thunderbolts* featured Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier, John Walker’s US Agent, Ava Starr’s Ghost, and Alexei Shostakov’s Red Guardian as the team’s first line-up in the MCU. This group was then rebranded as the New Avengers, opening the door for an honest-to-goodness Thunderbolts team to appear in the MCU, which could include some brilliant team members from the comics.

The Thunderbolts first appeared in Marvel Comics back in 1997’s The Incredible Hulk #449. They were introduced as a group of flamboyant new heroes who replaced the Avengers following their presumed deaths, however, they were later outed as Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil. While they began as villains, masquerading as heroes actually convinced the Thunderbolts to carry out good deeds and seek redemption, which is exactly what occurred in the MCU’s Thunderbolts*. Marvel Studios’ line-up was brilliant, but it would be great to see some of these iconic Thunderbolts members from Marvel Comics also join the MCU.

7) Flash Thompson’s Agent Venom

Eugene “Flash” Thompson has been a part of the MCU since 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, played by Tony Revolori, but he is yet to assume his Agent Venom moniker. Flash became Agent Venom after bonding with the Venom Symbiote in 2011’s The Amazing Spider-Man #654. Soon after, he became a member of the Red Hulk’s strike team-like Thunderbolts alongside Deadpool, Elektra, and the Punisher, all of whom had conditions that are incurable. It would be great to see Flash Thompson finally become Agent Venom, giving Revolori a more dramatic role, and bringing the Symbiote officially into the MCU.

6) Donnie Gill’s Blizzard

Since Agents of SHIELD is not considered canon to the MCU’s official timeline, it’s possible that Donnie Gill’s Blizzard, who was played by Dylan Minnette in the Marvel Television series, could be reintroduced. Blizzard became a member of Abner Jenkins’ Thunderbolts team, the second iteration, in 2004. Jenkins had been a member of the original group, and decided to form a new team to follow in the first’s footsteps, redeeming villains such as Speed Demon, Radioactive Man, and Nighthawk, alongside Blizzard, into heroes, though Donnie Gill soon turned back to a life of crime.

5) Satana Hellstrom

Human and demon hybrid Satana Hellstrom joined Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts team during the Heroic Age in 2010. She was recruited by Cage and Doctor Strange and joined the team on a time traveling adventure. Since Sydney Lemmon’s debut as Ana in Marvel Television’s Helstrom series wasn’t positively-received, it would be great to see the daughter of Marduk Kurios, the demon who repeatedly poses as Satan, and her brother, Daimon, reinvented for the MCU. Both these magic-wielding antiheroes would be incredible additions to Thunderbolts teams, especially with the MCU focusing more on supernatural characters and stories.

4) Abner Jenkins’ Beetle

Before he formed his own Thunderbolts team, Abner Jenkins was recruited into Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil and became a founding member of the Thunderbolts. Originally known as the supervillain Beetle, who wore an armor-plated suit that made him strong enough to fight the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. Jenkins rebranded himself as MACH-1 when he joined the Thunderbolts, and took on different monikers – MACH-2 through X – with each upgrade of his suit. Jenkins is one of the longest-running and most prominent Thunderbolts members, so he deserves a place in the live-action MCU.

3) Karla Sofen’s Meteorite

Alongside Abner Jenkins, Karla Sofen was also a founding member of the Thunderbolts in Marvel Comics. She started her villainous career as Moonstone, who gained her powers by fusing with a Kree-designed “gravity stone.” She became Meteorite in the Thunderbolts team, and then later took on the moniker of Ms. Marvel when she joined the Dark Avengers, so it would be fantastic to see Sofen debut in a possible Captain Marvel 3, teaming up with Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan. Meteorite was regularly the Thunderbolts’ field leader, so she could have a bright future in the MCU.

2) Melissa Gold’s Songbird

Prior to the release of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, rumors began circulating that Geraldine Viswanathan’s “Mel” could, in fact, be the MCU’s iteration of Melissa Gold, aka Songbird, an original member of Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts team. She wears a bird pendant on a necklace in the 2025 movie, perhaps hinting at her superhero identity. Songbird is one of the most well-known and popular Thunderbolts members, so it would be brilliant to see Viswanathan fully embody this identity in the MCU’s future, showing off her supersonic abilities and becoming a prominent member of the Thunderbolts for years to come.

1) Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider

We’re all waiting for Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider to make his debut in the MCU, and Thunderbolts* opened the door. Although better known as part of teams such as the Midnight Sons, the Legion of Monsters, and the Defenders, Blaze teamed up with the Thunderbolts from 2014’s Thunderbolts (Vol. 2) #20 onwards, joining forces with the likes of Red Hulk, Deadpool, Elektra, and the Punisher, all of whom have already appeared in the MCU. With Mephisto’s MCU debut speculated to be imminent, it may not be long before Johnny Blaze cuts his deal with the demon and becomes Ghost Rider.

Which characters do you want to see join the MCU’s next Thunderbolts team? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Great Thunderbolts Members Still Not in the MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* featured a group of castoffs from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with a new character played by Lewis Pullman. The Top Gun: Maverick star played Bob, a powerful character also known as Sentry and his evil counterpart, the Void. Bob is a complex character to pull off, but Pullman was more than up for the task. The cast and crew of Thunderbolts* were left impressed by Pullman’s performance, and fans of the MCU will get to see them rain praise down on the Sentry actor in a special featurette for Thunderbolts*.

ComicBook has the exclusive preview of a Thunderbolts* featurette that puts the spotlight on Bob, Sentry, and the Void. Lewis Pullman kicks things off by saying that he had never heard of Sentry before he was approached by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier. “I did a bunch of research before I started this, and it was extra gratifying to start doing a deep dive, and only finding that I felt more and more for [Bob], the more I learned,” Pullman said. Images from Sentry’s appearances in the comics also flash on the screen.

“I think Lewis is absolutely genius,” Florence Pugh says. “I couldn’t quite imagine where Bob was going to go in this, and I think what Lewis has done was really hard work. He really had to fill in a lot of blanks, and he did a masterful job.”

“This is a really hard part, you’re playing three people, essentially, ” Schreier says. He goes on to add how he and Pullman would have weekly meetings to discuss story beats, to decide what beats would be centered on Bob, Sentry, and Void at any given point in the movie’s story.

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“Bob’s introduction is a pretty good one, I think, because you just get out of this massive fight sequence with all these superheroes, and then this weird guy just appears,” Pullman says. “The first act is trying to figure out is [Bob] a part of it, how can he help. A large part of Bob’s history is this repetition of wanting to help and wanting to be of service, but every time he tries, it always makes things worse.

While the movie is titled Thunderbolts*, the MCU movie revealed that the asterisk in the film’s name was just a placeholder. The team of misfits are officially the New Avengers, with Marvel Studios changing its marketing post-release to reflect the plot twist.

Thunderbolts* is available to buy digitally on July 1st, and you can own it on Blu-ray on July 29th.

The post Watch Bob Become Sentry (and the Void) in Exclusive Thunderbolts* BTS Featurette appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is wrapping up its theatrical run and is now preparing for its highly anticipated home debut. Thunderbolts*, the team-up featuring the film franchise’s iteration of the New Avengers, stands out as one of the most acclaimed MCU films since the Infinity Saga concluded in 2019. The ensemble picture focused more on dealing with issues like depression than solely moving the franchise forward, and fans loved it for its honest approach. Two months after its initial theatrical bow, Jack Schreier’s Thunderbolts* is going to be making the leap to digital platforms, followed by a full physical rollout that includes a fantastic 4K UHD SteelBook and a Walmart exclusive Blu-ray with pop-up packaging. Pre-orders for the entire lineup are available now, and additional details can be found below complete with info on special features.

Disney recently announced that Marvel’s Thunderbolts* is going to be available for purchase or rental on digital platforms like Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home beginning July 1st. Four weeks later, on July 29th, the film will be launch on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats. Read on for info on special features.

Marvel Studios Thunderbolts* on 4K UHD Steelbook, Standard 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD

See on Amazon

See at Walmart

The physical editions are going to include a slew of special features, including a full director’s commentary track and multiple deleted scenes. In addition, the 4K version will have two limited releases — a SteelBook that focuses on the New Avengers branding, as well as a “pop up” case that will be sold exclusively at Walmart. Here’s the full list of special features included on the Thunderbolts* Blu-ray release:

Thunderbolts Walmart Exclusive Blu-ray Packaging

See at walmart

• Deleted Scenes – Check out the scenes that didn’t make the final cut.
  • Door is Unliftable
  • Gary Announcement
• Assembling a Team to Remember – Spend a bit of quality time with the cast and crew of Thunderbolts* as they divulge how the film’s fictional team of superpowered mavericks, misfits and antiheroes was assembled.
• Around the World and Back Again – Discover the eclectic locations and astounding production design that helped make Thunderbolts* a rousing reality, including a visit to the sprawling sets in Kuala Lumpur where we join Florence Pugh performing stunts atop one of planet Earth’s tallest buildings and blowing up buildings on the streets.
• All About Bob, Sentry & The Void – Deep dive into the making of three different characters: Bob, Sentry, and The Void – all performed by Lewis Pullman.
• Gag Reel – Enjoy fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Thunderbolts*.
• Director’s Audio Commentary – Watch the film with audio commentary by director Jake Schreier.

Will you be grabbing a copy of Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel’s Thunderbolts Blu-ray Pre-Orders Launch With a 4K Steelbook and Pop-Up Exclusive appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Many characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have proven themselves to be highly-skilled and very impressive fighters. It’s hard to be a superhero in the MCU without having some hand-to-hand combatant skills, especially since some of the most terrifying and sinister villains in the franchise are also very experienced fighters. Many of Marvel’s heroes started out in the military, including the likes of Captain America, The Winter Soldier, Captain Marvel, and War Machine, while others have gone through comprehensive training to improve their fighting styles.

Since 2008’s Iron Man, dozens of superpowered heroes and villains have been adapted from the pages of Marvel Comics into the live-action MCU. Most of them have taken part in scenes involving incredible fight sequences, usually following months of professional training. While some characters use their smarts, intelligence, or brute, unrefined strength to take down their villains, including the likes of Iron Man, Bruce Banner, and Star-Lord, others have delivered some of the best fight sequences in the franchise.

10) Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow

Trained from a young age in the Red Room to be a formidable Black Widow assassin, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) was continually the most skilled, confident, and refined fighter on the MCU’s original Avengers team. Her fighting style is the same as her Black Widow sisters, including Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who has taken over from her following her death in Avengers: Endgame. Even so, her impressive skills during fights against the likes of Clint Barton, Bucky Barnes, and Proxima Midnight, to name a few, earn her a place among the MCU’s best fighters.

Natasha Romanoff received the same training as the other Black Widows, which means her fighting skills are not unique in the MCU. Rather, the same techniques, tricks, and surprises can be seen during fights with other Black Widows in projects such as Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Hawkeye, and Thunderbolts*, which featured Yelena Belova as a leader of the New Avengers. Because of this, Belova will be able to continue Romanoff’s legacy in the MCU perfectly as the new Black Widow.

9) Clint Barton/Hawkeye

Natasha Romanoff’s best friend during her time in the MCU was Clint Barton’s Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). As an elite SHIELD operative, Barton’s fighting skills are incredible, but these are enhanced by his natural marksmanship talents. Barton has impeccable aim, which means he seldom misses when using projectile weapons, such as arrows. His hand-to-hand combat skills are just as clean and impressive, however, presumably thanks to years of training as a SHIELD agent. Barton could even keep up with Yelena Belova in Hawkeye on Disney+, proving how good he is.

8) Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier

After falling from the train during World War II in Captain America: The First Avenger, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was taken captive by HYDRA, given a super-soldier serum, and transformed into the cold and calculated Winter Soldier. Quick, unpredictable, and unbarred, the Winter Soldier was one of the most aggressive and brutal fighters in the MCU. Even though Barnes has now turned to a life of heroism as a member of the New Avengers, he is still putting these brilliant fighting skills to work, most recently by battling the Void (Lewis Pullman) to save New York City.

One of the things that helps Bucky Barnes be such a powerful fighter in the MCU is his vibranium arm. Initially made of titanium – this version was destroyed by Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War – Bucky received a vibranium prosthetic arm by T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) after spending some time recovering in Wakanda. Bucky’s vibranium arm proves helpful in many situations as an addition to his super-soldier enhancements, though it’s also often used to make other characters appear stronger when they tear off the arm or use it against Bucky.

7) Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster

Antonia Dreykov (Olga Kurylenko) clearly wasn’t a good enough fighter to go toe-to-toe with Ava Starr’s Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) in Thunderbolts* – although she isn’t featured on this list. Even so, the Taskmaster first seen in 2021’s Black Widow, despite being very different from her Marvel Comics counterpart, was a very skilled and unique soldier who could perfectly mimic the fighting style of others just by watching. This meant she was able to copy Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow’s techniques, making her a formidable opponent, though this ultimately didn’t help save her from a bullet in the head.

6) Steve Rogers/Captain America

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) was just a skinny kid from Brooklyn before being given the world’s first successful super-soldier serum during World War II, which transformed him into Captain America. Rogers’ military training turned him into a very skilled fighter, however, even before becoming Captain America. Although, the muscles certainly helped. Prior to becoming Captain America, Rogers’ determination during a fight was clear, notably through his catchphrase, “I could do this all day,” and he has since proven his actual physical skill in battles against the Red Skull, Loki, the Winter Soldier, Crossbones, Thanos, and more.

RELATED: This Wild MCU Theory Explains How Chris Evans Can Return As HYDRA’s Captain America

One of the most exciting displays of Captain America’s fighting skills was shown in Avengers: Endgame, which saw Steve Rogers travel back to 2012’s New York on the Time Heist, where he battled his past self. This scene showed how much he’d grown as a fighter, as the styles of his past and former selves were quite different, while he also wasn’t afraid to fight a bit dirty. Sam Wilson’s new Captain America (Anthony Mackie), despite not having super-soldier serum, is also a gifted fighter, meaning Rogers’ legacy is safe in the right hands.

5) Wade Wilson/Deadpool

As a former operative in the Canadian Special Forces, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has a background as a skilled and aggressive fighter. He used these skills after leaving the Special Forces to become a respected mercenary working out of Sister Margaret’s School for Wayward Girls, and later to become the mutated antihero Deadpool. Deadpool’s unabashed, no-holds-barred fighting style is made more impressive and entertaining by his comedic and fourth wall-breaking antics, and he has put these skills to the test in fights against Ajax, Cable, Wolverine, and even variants of himself. His regenerative healing factor is also a huge advantage.

4) Matt Murdock/Daredevil

Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) blindness has never held him back, and has in fact enhanced his other senses to incredible levels, allowing him to become the crime-fighting vigilante Daredevil. The son of boxer “Battlin’ Jack” Murdock, Daredevil uses a blend of boxing and martial arts in his fight sequences, which allows him to get the upper hand on villains such as Nobu, Kingpin, Leapfrog, and Bullseye, though he is often messy and unrefined, too, which sometimes leads to mistakes. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 will provide more opportunities for Matt Murdock to show off his sometimes-brutal fighting skills.

3) Okoye

For most of her career, Okoye (Danai Gurira) was the General of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje, the elite all-female army that protect the Wakandan royals, including T’Challa and Shuri (Letitia Wright). She was a formidable warrior even just as a member of the Dora Milaje, but after 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Okoye is now a Midnight Angel, kitted out with an even more empowered suit. This makes her an even stronger fighter alongside Aneka (Michaela Coel), and one of Wakanda’s most respected figures.

2) Shang-Chi

Bringing the Master of Kung Fu from Marvel Comics to life, Simu Liu engaged in some of the MCU’s best fight sequences yet in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Shang-Chi is a martial arts expert, especially after learning the ways of his ancestors in Ta Lo and after acquiring the mystical and formidable Ten Rings. Shang-Chi was trained in many different kinds of martial arts by his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung), the Mandarin, so it almost unmatched when it comes to fighting. It’s exciting to see where Shang-Chi will be taken next in the MCU.

1) Robert Reynolds/Sentry

One of the newest characters introduced to the MCU is also one of the strongest. Lewis Pullman’s Robert Reynolds was a deadbeat who signed up to be a test subject in Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and OXE’s experiments with a new super-soldier serum. He was initially thought dead, but soon returned as the superpowered Sentry. Unfortunately, the serum also unlocked his dark alter ego, the Void, who posed a significant threat to the Thunderbolts – who became the New Avengers team – and the whole of New York City.

The Void didn’t just attack the Thunderbolts emotionally, but Reynolds also had the chance to show off some of his incredible new skills. He tore through the future New Avengers team, including super-soldiers Bucky Barnes, US Agent, and Red Guardian, Quantum-empowered Ghost, and Black Widow assassin Yelena Belova, while using barely any of his strength. His telekinesis, superhuman reflexes and durability, and flight abilities make him a keen and unmatched fighter, despite him not having any professional training. Sentry – if he manages to get his Void under control – will surely be a fighter to watch in the MCU’s future.

Who are your favorite fighters in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

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Concept artist John Staub has offered a look at alternative designs for the Sentry (Lewis Pullman) and his darker half, the Void, from Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, showcasing some striking visuals that lean heavily into comic book accuracy. Shared via Instagram, the artwork reveals a version of the Void hovering menacingly before a colossal dark cloud, a direct nod to the character’s initial appearances in the original Sentry comic book miniseries. Other explorations included a stark black version of the Sentry’s traditional uniform, presenting a more corrupted hero aesthetic. Ultimately, the film opted for a portrayal where the Void is depicted as an entity of pure darkness, with Pullman’s face obscured by shadow, leaving only two glowing eyes. This choice underscored the Void’s nature as an erasure of Bob Reynolds’ very being rather than just an alternate costume.

In Thunderbolts*, Robert “Bob” Reynolds fractured psyche is exacerbated by Project Sentry experiments, manifesting two immensely powerful personas: the heroic Sentry and the nihilistic Void. The Void serves as the movie’s primary antagonist, seeking to spread his despair through a dark dimension that forces individuals to relive their trauma. The plot hinges on the titular team, a group of reformed antagonists and anti-heroes, confronting this god-level threat. The narrative culminates with the Thunderbolts reaching out to Bob Reynolds, offering him support and human connection. This collective empathy allows Bob to gain a measure of control over the Void, causing the dark mist to dissipate. As a result, the choice to make the Void an all-consuming, featureless darkness powerfully visualized how Bob’s trauma threatened to erase his identity.

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While the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* shows Bob has been keeping the Void in check by never conjuring the powers of the Sentry, Pullman is part of the extensive cast confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. That strongly suggests that audiences have not seen the last of Bob Reynolds and his troubled alter egos. Plot details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, but it’s likely the Sentry, and the Void, will return for Marvel Studios’s upcoming crossover movie.

Thunderbolts* Critical Acclaim And Box Office Hurdles

Thunderbolts* garnered significant praise, achieving an impressive 88% critic score and an even stronger 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU Phase 5 project on both metrics at the time of its release. This positive reception, however, did not fully translate into blockbuster box office numbers. The movie concluded its theatrical run with approximately $381 million globally against a reported production budget of $180 million. While not an outright flop, this figure falls short of the typical break-even point for a film of this scale (often estimated at 2.5 times the production budget, which would be around $450 million), especially when factoring in marketing and distribution costs.

However, the critical success of Thunderbolts*, particularly the praise for its mature themes, character development, and direction by Jake Schreier, has had positive repercussions beyond the box office numbers. Schreier’s adept handling of the complex ensemble and the film’s emotional depth has given him the director’s chair for Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated X-Men movie. This move mirrors Marvel’s strategy with the Russo brothers, who transitioned from the critically acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier to masterminding the Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame saga. Entrusting Schreier with the introduction of mutants into the MCU, a cornerstone of Marvel’s future plans post-Avengers: Secret Wars, indicates the studio values proven directorial vision capable of delivering both quality storytelling and audience satisfaction, even if the box office returns for Thunderbolts* were not as robust as hoped.

What are your thoughts on these comic-accurate Sentry and Void designs? Do you think the final version in Thunderbolts* was more effective? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Reveals Wildly Different Sentry and Void Costumes That Are Comic Accurate appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WARNING: There are spoilers ahead for Thunderbolts* and for Captain America: Brave New World! It’s been a big year for Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who dropped in on audiences back in February to reveal he was running for the U.S. Congress, was elected by May, only to leave that job behind and join the New Avengers. Screenwriter Joanna Calo just discussed Bucky’s short-lived political career in an interview with Marvel.com. Calo co-wrote the script for Thunderbolts* along with Eric Pearson, who is credited for writing the story. She said that it wasn’t hard to imagine people voting for Bucky, even in the chaotic world of the MCU.

“All of these people have spent their lives trying to make the world better, and they’re also trying to come to terms with the bad they have done in the past,” Calo said. ” That is what all of our characters are trying to figure out. I really loved the idea that Bucky is still genuinely trying to figure out how to make the world a better place, but he doesn’t fit in. After the terrible thing happened to him almost a hundred years ago, he really hasn’t fit into life. He’s always been out of time. So, that’s where he finds himself in Congress.”

“People would vote for him!” she went on. “If you saw Bucky Barnes on the ballot, you’d probably vote for him! But he feels like he doesn’t really have the skills, and he feels like it’s not enough. I love that first scene with him where he doesn’t know how to talk to the reporters. He doesn’t have all the moves yet. I thought that was very charming.”

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This was Calo’s first time working on the MCU, though her other credits are impressive enough on their own — she wrote on the acclaimed Netflix original series Beef, and is a co-showrunner on Hulu’s The Bear as well. However, it doesn’t appear that Calo or Pearson are responsible for pushing Bucky into politics, as neither of them contributed to the story or script for Captain America: Brave New World. Even then, we have to assume the five writers credited for that movie were taking notes and directions from Marvel Studios producers in order to tie all these stories together.

Bucky’s brief career in congress has been a bit divisive among fans, despite how little it ultimately impacted the action. Bucky has not run for congress in Marvel Comics, and to some, the idea felt a little out of place in the MCU. To others, it felt a little to close to home, as the idea of celebrities and public figures taking a hand in politics is not too foreign in the real world these days.

Bucky’s charm, altruism, and charisma may have served him well in a political campaign, but it’s easy to imagine the issues raised against him as well. His history as a foreign spy might render him ineligible for office, and would certainly create security concerns among voters and colleagues. Some fans simply wished the MCU had put more of these debates on screen rather than cutting the political story short.

Now, it seems like Bucky’s political career is over already, as he is a full-time member of The New Avengers in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene. The movie is still playing in many theaters now.

The post The MCU’s Weirdest Plot of 2025 Explained By Marvel Writer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe X-Men reboot movie officially has as director. The news dropped as a footnote in a larger focus piece on the upcoming Marvel Studios release slate, which now includes four film releases set for the year 2028. That’s going to arguably be the most pivotal year in the history of the MCU, as Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to soft-reboot the entire franchise in late 2027, making 2028, ostensibly, the soft relaunch of a whole new MCU franchise. Phase Seven will be the place where the Marvel movie diaspora finally consolidates into one shared universe, where Sony’s Spider-Man universe and Fox’s former Fantastic Four and X-Men franchises finally co-exist alongside the Avengers universe Marvel Studios built. Every Marvel character is finally playing in the same franchise sandbox.

X-Men is going to be the biggest make-or-break release of that initial Phase Seven release slate – perhaps the final hope for Marvel Studios to score a billion-dollar and/or franchise-starter blockbuster hit. And, as earlier reports speculated, Marvel is trusting none other than Thunderbolts* director Jake Schrier with MCU X-Men movie’s director’s chair.

Is Jake Schreier The Right Director for X-Men?

Jake Schreier really scored his breakout hit directing and executive producing Netflix’s dark horse hit new series, Beef. That show’s method of blending seemingly disparate genres (drama, action, even some select horror-thriller vibes and gore), in order to achieve deep, probing character studies, was something novel and dynamic for viewers to experience. All box office debates aside, Thunderbolts* was also (at the very least) a novel and dynamic MCU character study, which once again showed that Schreier can string together seemingly contradictory genres (superhero fantasy, action, psychological horror, thrillers, drama) and bake them into a weird-but-wonderful viewing experience. “Weird but wonderful” should practically be the tagline for what this MCU X-Men movie hopes to be.

It must be noted that Jake Schreier’s success with both Beef and Thunderbolts wasn’t achieved alone; he’s been on a strong creative stride alongside Joanna Calo, who is the showrunner of FX-Hulu’s Emmy-winning hit The Bear, as well as one of the creative talents involved with Netflix’s BoJack Horseman and HBO Max’s Emmy-winning hit Hacks. There’s no word on whether or not Calo will partner with Schreier on the MCU X-Men movie, but given the strength of virtually all of her character-driven TV series, we have to hope she’s along for this X-Men project.

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The X-Men ’97 animated series was a test run for how a new generation of MCU fans responds to X-Men content. Fans who were raised on Avengers movies and only knew the X-Men from the Fox movies were somewhat surprised by the level of messy drama and socio-political insights that come with X-Men stories. It gave both fans and Marvel Studios a much-needed taste test, which Schreier can now build on. If he can wrangle a bunch of D-list characters and create Thunderbolts*, he can certainly work with Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wovlerine, Gambit, Rogue, and the rest.

As of now, the MCU X-Men Reboot is expected to be released in 2028.

Source: Variety

The post Marvel’s X-Men Reboot Officially Has A Director (and MCU Fans Will Be Happy) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite facing backlash throughout Phases 4 and 5, Marvel Studios is doing a good job of building the hype for Avengers: Doomsday. Of course, the big draw of the movie is that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but not as his original character, Tony Stark. He will bring Victor von Doom to life and torment the heroes who go up against his villain. However, despite most of the original Avengers being gone, Doom won’t have it easy. The Fantastic Four are about to join the fray, and they will have company in the form of Sam Wilson and his allies. Initially, both of those groups are going to have to take a backseat, though, because a new team is in town.

The end of 2025’s Thunderbolts* reveals that the titular team is now the “New Avengers.” Valentina Allegra de Fontaine puts the whole thing together to save her skin, but the anti-heroes take to their new roles pretty quickly. They have operated as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for over a year by the time the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene rolls around, revealing the Fantastic Four’s ship has entered the planet’s atmosphere. Doomsday is sure to pick up right after that, but information about the movie’s filming location reveals that things are going to get even more complicated for the New Avengers.

BBC News got its hands on some plans Marvel submitted to the council of Berkshire, England. The company wants to build a single house outside Bracknell Forest, which isn’t abnormal for a production as large as Doomsday‘s. What makes the plans noteworthy, though, is that they list a name for the structure, “Annie Reynolds’ House.” Now, there aren’t any notable heroes in the Doomsday cast list with the first name Annie, but Reynolds just so happens to be the last name of the MCU’s strongest character, Sentry.

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The Void May Return to the MCU Sooner Than Anticipated

The reason the public is so quick to embrace the New Avengers is that they save New York City from the Void, Bob Reynolds’ evil alter-ego. Valentina tries to kill Bob after he defies her, which blows up in her face because her attack unleashes the Void. The dark entity begins absorbing everything it can, but Yelena Belova can’t just stand by and watch. She lets the Void take her and realizes that it forces anyone inside to relive their worst memories. Yelena finds Bob in his childhood home, where his dad is abusing him and his mother, Annie. It’s trauma that Bob just can’t move past, but with he help of his new friends, he sends the Void packing and begins the healing process.

To ensure the Void doesn’t get out again, Bob gives up being Sentry and hangs out in Avengers Tower while his friends defend the planet. He seems fine with the arrangement, but if his childhood home returns in Doomsday, that means something isn’t right. The best-case scenario is that Bob visits his mother for a long-overdue conversation. However, Doom probably isn’t going to let powerhouses like Sentry move around freely, so there’s also a chance that he realizes Bob’s potential and takes control of him somehow, forcing his enemies into the Void. In any case, Bob going back home isn’t a good omen because it’s hard to put that genie back into the bottle.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

How would you feel if the Void returned in Avengers: Doomsday? Is there any other reason for Annie Reynolds’ home to be part of the movie? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Avengers: Doomsday Filming Details Include a Location Important to One Hero’s Past appeared first on ComicBook.com.

By now, everyone knows the Thunderbolts are actually the New Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that was a big secret during the film’s production. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Thunderbolts* star Florence Pugh recalled how the cast and crew shot multiple versions of the movie’s ending scene, where Valentina Allegra de Fontaine publicly introduces the newest iteration of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. One take, which was filmed with extras portraying a crowd of excited onlookers, featured Val giving the team a different name. Then, once the extras were dismissed, the actual version was shot where Val welcomes the New Avengers to the MCU.

“We shot a version where she was like, ‘The New Thunderbolts!'” Pugh said. “And everyone was like, ‘Woo!’ And then we took all of the background [actors] out and shot [Julia Louis-Dreyfus’] line, which was kind of cool.”

The New Avengers ended up being the truth behind the mysterious asterisk in the Thunderbolts* title that fueled fan debates for months. The film’s post-credits scenes deal with the fallout of the characters’ new status, teasing a legal dispute with Sam Wilson (who has assembled his own separate Avengers team). There’s also a montage of news clippings reacting to the revelation, plus a humorous bit where Red Guardian tries to convince someone to buy New Avengers cereal.

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Unsurprisingly, the New Avengers are going to be integral figures in the MCU moving forward. Thunderbolts* stars Pugh, Harbour, Lewis Pullman, Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan, and Hannah John-Kamen are all set to reprise their roles in Avengers: Doomsday. The New Avengers are just one superhero team that will be present in the film, which will also sport Sam Wilson’s Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.

Marvel is always protective of spoilers, which is why the decision was made to shoot multiple versions of the final Thunderbolts* scene. Given the secrecy surrounding the asterisk, the studio didn’t want the twist coming out ahead of time. Curiously, however, Marvel wasted no time publicly embracing the twist after the Thunderbolts* premiere. Only a few days into the movie’s theatrical run, it was rebranded as *The New Avengers with a series of new posters. Disney defended the controversial choice, but some fans felt it would have been better to hold off on the reveal until further down the line.

One crucial detail in the Thunderbolts* ending was Yelena telling Val that the New Avengers “own” her now, a threat to reveal Val’s dark secrets to the world. It’ll be interesting to see if that thread is followed up on in a future MCU project. Louis-Dreyfus was not one of the actors confirmed for the Avengers: Doomsday cast during Marvel’s livestream in March, but there are future casting announcements to come. Perhaps there will be a spot for Val; her dynamic with the New Avengers is exciting and rich, and it would be a shame if it was underserved in the larger Multiverse Saga.

The post Marvel Shot Another Thunderbolts Ending With a Different New Name for the MCU Team appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The ending of Thunderbolts* delivered one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most welcome surprises, but Kevin Feige’s new comments have spurred theories suggesting all may not be as it seems. Thunderbolts* – or The New Avengers – brought back several antiheroes and reformed villains as a brand-new superhero team who protected New York from Robert Reynolds’ dark alter ego, the Void. However, the New Avengers wasn’t the only team introduced in Thunderbolts*, as the movie’s post-credits scene also teased the Fantastic Four. A new theory posits that the version of the Fantastic Four seen in Thunderbolts* is actually from Earth-838.

Earth-838 is the alternate universe that was home to the Illuminati team in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Among the Illuminati members was John Krasinski’s version of Reed Richards’ Mister Fantastic, the leader of the Fantastic Four, though he was ultimately murdered by the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). A new theory shared on Instagram suggests that the Fantastic Four ship seen at the end of Thunderbolts* could be the remaining team members from Earth-838 coming to avenge the death of their leader, not the upcoming iteration of the team from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This theory might be supported by Marvel boss Kevin Feige’s new comments in the July 2025 issue of Empire Magazine. “The name of their ship is the Excelsior, and there is a Fantastic Four ship entering the MCU in the tag,” Feige noted in reference to the appearance of the Fantastic Four ship, presumably from First Steps, in Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene. However, he then states, “But I’m not sure they’re the same ship,” which has cast doubt on whether this is, indeed, the group’s vessel from First Steps.

While the Excelsior from The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the Fantastic Four ship in Thunderbolts* do look remarkably similar, eagle-eyed viewers might notice that they do have one major difference: First Steps’ Excelsior has three legs coming from the back of the ship, while the vessel in Thunderbolts* has four, hinting as these ships being from different realities. It would make sense for Marvel Studios to revisit Earth-838’s heroes from Multiverse of Madness, as there’s no way they’d simply forgive and forget the Scarlet Witch’s brutal murder of Mister Fantastic, Professor X, Captain Marvel, and Captain Carter.

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There has been speculation since 2022 that the other heroes of Earth-838 would come into the MCU’s main continuity of Earth-616 to seek vengeance. 2026’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and its 2027 sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, would be the perfect place for this to occur, and Thunderbolts*’ post-credits scene may have already set this up. This could bring alternate versions of Magneto, Carol Danvers, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four into the MCU, explaining some of Doomsday’s already-confirmed cast – while they’ll also be joined by the MCU’s official Fantastic Four team after First Steps‘ July 2025 release.

Are you excited to see the Fantastic Four finally debut in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

The post Epic MCU Theory Twists Thunderbolts’ Ending & Resolves a Huge 3-Year-Old Multiverse Loose End appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s expansion onto Disney+ has fundamentally changed how fans meet new heroes and villains. No longer confined to two-hour theatrical blocks, the streaming platform allows for deeper character introductions, intricate backstories, and a chance for lesser-known figures from the comics to shine in extended narratives. This shift has not only enriched the MCU’s tapestry but has also rapidly introduced a wave of compelling personalities who have quickly become fan favorites or pivotal players in the overarching saga. As a result, the Disney+ TV shows have proven to be an effective MCU launchpad, giving characters the necessary screen time to establish their motivations, powers, and place within the vast interconnected universe.

From street-level heroes to cosmic entities, some key MCU characters demonstrate the diverse storytelling potential that Disney+ service has unlocked, offering fresh perspectives and exciting new dynamics within the established Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here’s our pick for the best MCU characters introduced on streaming first.

1) Kate Bishop

Making her debut in the Hawkeye series, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) immediately shot her way into the hearts of viewers. As a highly skilled archer and a longtime admirer of Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), Kate brings a refreshing blend of youthful enthusiasm, determination, and surprising competence. The series masterfully establishes her origin, driven by the events of The Avengers‘ Battle of New York, and showcases her natural talent for combat and investigation, even before fully stepping into the hero life. Steinfeld’s portrayal perfectly captures Kate’s charm, wit, and underlying vulnerability, creating a compelling dynamic with Renner’s seasoned Avenger.

Kate Bishop’s introduction is a prime example of how Disney+ can effectively pass the torch and expand the MCU’s roster of heroes. The extended format of a series allowed ample time to develop her relationship with Clint, explore her family background, and firmly establish her as a capable successor to the Hawkeye mantle. Her presence signals a bright future for the next generation of Avengers, and fans are eagerly anticipating where her journey will take her next within the wider cinematic universe.

2) Moon Knight

The arrival of Moon Knight in his self-titled series brought a distinctly darker and more psychologically complex hero to the MCU. Portrayed with incredible versatility by Oscar Isaac, the character grapples with Dissociative Identity Disorder, primarily manifesting as the mild-mannered gift shop employee Steven Grant and the ruthless mercenary Marc Spector, both serving the Egyptian moon god Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham). The series delves into themes of mental health, mythology, and moral ambiguity, setting it apart tonally from many other MCU projects. Plus, Isaac’s ability to seamlessly switch between personas, each with unique mannerisms and perspectives, gave fans a standout performance.

Moon Knight demonstrated Disney+’s capacity to explore more mature themes and unconventional hero narratives within the MCU framework. The show’s focus on trauma and the supernatural offered a fresh flavor, with the mystery of Jake Lockley, the third dominant alter, adding another layer of intrigue. Moon Knight’s introduction expanded the mystical and supernatural corners of the MCU, proving that Disney+ is fertile ground for characters who operate outside the traditional superhero mold, bringing with them a unique set of internal conflicts.

3) She-Hulk

Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) smashed her way onto screens in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, offering a unique blend of superhero action, legal comedy, and fourth-wall-breaking meta-commentary. As a lawyer who accidentally gains Hulk powers, Jennifer navigates the complexities of her new green form while managing her career and personal life. While the series’ reception was divisive, Maslany’s performance is a highlight, effortlessly embodying Jennifer’s wit and occasional exasperation with the absurdities of her situation.

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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law utilized the Disney+ format to experiment with genre, delivering the MCU’s first true half-hour comedy. This approach allowed for a character study that explored themes of identity, sexism, and the challenges of being a female superhero in a public-facing role. Despite controversies, Jennifer Walters’ introduction provided a much-needed dose of humor and self-awareness, showing that the MCU can successfully host characters whose stories are as much about everyday struggles as they are about saving the world.

4) US Agent

John Walker (Wyatt Russell) made a tumultuous entrance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, initially presented as the government’s chosen successor to Captain America. Walker’s arc is one of the most compelling and complex in the Disney+ era, as he grapples with the immense pressure of the shield, his own insecurities, and the desire to live up to an impossible legacy. Russell delivers a powerful performance, portraying Walker’s descent from a decorated soldier into a morally compromised figure, eventually adopting the moniker “US Agent.”

The Falcon and the Winter provided the narrative space to explore the darker aspects of patriotism and the psychological toll of being a super-soldier without the inherent nobility of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). John Walker’s journey from a symbol of hope to a flawed anti-hero was a nuanced character study that Disney+ facilitated perfectly. His return in Thunderbolts* promises that Marvel Studios will continue to explore characters who operate in the grey areas of heroism.

5) Sylvie

Loki introduced a host of fascinating characters, but none made quite the immediate impact as Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). A variant of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) who has been on the run from the Time Variance Authority for her entire life, Sylvie is driven by a fierce desire for revenge against those who pruned her reality. Her cunning, resourcefulness, and emotional depth quickly established her as a formidable and sympathetic figure. In addition, Di Martino’s portrayal captured Sylvie’s hardened exterior and underlying vulnerability, creating a captivating dynamic with Hiddleston’s Loki.

Sylvie’s introduction was pivotal not just for the Loki series but for the entire Multiverse Saga. Her actions directly led to the fracturing of the Sacred Timeline, unleashing cosmic chaos upon the MCU. Disney+ provided the ideal platform to unravel her tragic backstory and showcase her central role in events of universe-altering significance, an arc that couldn’t fit as a side story in a two-hour movie. As such, Sylvie stands as a testament to how these series can introduce characters who immediately become integral to the MCU’s grand narrative.

6) Ms. Marvel

Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) burst onto the scene in Ms. Marvel with an infectious energy and a uniquely vibrant perspective on the MCU. As a Pakistani-American teenager from Jersey City who idolizes Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Kamala’s journey into heroism is filled with charm and relatable coming-of-age struggles. Furthermore, Vellani’s performance is a breakout, perfectly embodying Kamala’s enthusiasm and endearing awkwardness.

Ms. Marvel highlighted Disney+’s ability to introduce a new generation of heroes and bring much-needed representation to the forefront. The series beautifully wove Kamala’s powers into her personal story of self-discovery. Her successful transition to the big screen in The Marvels further solidified her place as a key young hero, showcasing how the Disney+ shows can effectively launch characters into larger MCU adventures.

7) Death

The cosmic entity Death made her striking MCU debut in Agatha All Along, portrayed by the consistently excellent Aubrey Plaza. Initially appearing as the enigmatic Rio Vidal, an old flame of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and the original Green Witch, her true nature as the embodiment of death and decay was gradually revealed over the weeks that followed. Plus, Death’s long history with Agatha, including a tragic past involving their son Nicholas Scratch (Cooper Friedman), added a surprising emotional complexity to the character. 

Plaza’s performance masterfully conveyed Death’s ancient power, her profound connection to the natural order, and her complicated feelings for Agatha. Agatha All Along allowed for an exploration of Death’s motivations, particularly her role in maintaining universal balance and her conflict with those who defy it, like Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke). By personifying such a fundamental force, the MCU not only expanded its mystical lore but also introduced a character whose influence could have far-reaching consequences across the universe, all developed within the focused narrative of a character-focused streaming series.

Which Disney+ MCU character has been your favorite new addition so far?

The post 7 Best MCU Characters That First Appeared on Disney+ Shows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite positive reviews, Thunderbolts* is poised to go down as a box office failure, a result that could lead to significant changes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A new piece in Variety detailing Thunderbolts*’ commercial performance and the potential fallout notes that Thunderbolts* is one of the lowest-grossing MCU installments to date. As of this writing, it has earned just $377.6 million globally. Variety states it needs to earn $425 million in order to break even. Seeing that the film’s box office run is winding down, that seems unlikely to happen, meaning Thunderbolts* is Marvel’s second box office disappointment of the year, after Captain America: Brave New World.

As Marvel looks to rebound, it could consider a couple of strategies. Variety posits the possibility the studio of adapting a “go big or go home” mentality by only moving forward with films headlined by premier characters that are a virtual lock to be a box office success (i.e. Spider-Man, Avengers, X-Men, etc.). It’s also possible Marvel looks to scale back on production costs, as it can be easier for movies with smaller budgets to turn a profit.

Thunderbolts* kicked off the 2025 summer movie season in early May, grossing $74.3 million over its opening weekend. Though word of mouth was strong (88% score on Rotten Tomatoes), the film did not have strong legs at the box office. After only a couple of weeks in theaters, Thunderbolts* was overshadowed by new arrivals like Final Destination Bloodlines, Lilo & Stitch, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, titles that either exceeded expectations or set new records. For the weekend of June 6th-8th, Thunderbolts* came in 10th on the domestic charts.

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Thunderbolts* Forgot to Explain A Wild MCU Mystery From 3 Years Ago

As of this writing, Thunderbolts* ranks ahead of only Captain America: The First Avenger ($370.5 million), The Incredible Hulk ($264.7 million), and The Marvels ($206.1 million) on the MCU’s all-time worldwide charts. Captain America: Brave New World grossed $415.1 million globally during its run earlier this year.

It’s disappointing to see Thunderbolts* end up in the red, especially after many felt it was a fun return to form for the MCU. From a storytelling perspective, it is one of Marvel’s stronger films recently, balancing genre entertainment with heavy themes in a satisfying way. But given its box office performance, Marvel is likely going to have to change things moving forward. Reducing budgets could work, but it’s worth pointing out Thunderbolts* was already cheaper than some of its Multiverse Saga contemporaries ($180 million). Marvel can probably go a bit below that figure, but you can only cut costs so much on a high-profile studio tentpole designed to be a global blockbuster. Those types of movies need to be heavily marketed to raise awareness.

Marvel is already making an effort to dial back its output, scaling back the number of movies and TV shows that are released each year. Even Kevin Feige realized it had become too much like homework to follow the MCU’s sprawling storyline, so he decided to focus on quality over quantity. The rest of the Multiverse Saga’s film slate is set, featuring titles like Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Avengers: Secret Wars, which should all be sizable box office hits when they open. Perhaps that is the way forward for Marvel, prioritizing features that center on the landmark characters. For those who have enjoyed seeing more obscure characters like Shang-Chi and the Eternals get the spotlight, this would be an unfortunate turn of events, but even some die-hard MCU fans might admit the franchise became too diluted with an overabundance of films and shows. The film industry is a business, and Marvel can’t keep losing money on its movies. Building projects around marquis heroes could ensure those projects turn healthy profits, and lower tier characters could always team up with Spider-Man or Wolverine.

The post Thunderbolts’ Box Office Failure May Lead to Big MCU Changes (& It’s About Time) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Scarlett Johansson finally explained her missing producer credit on Thunderbolts* in a new interview published on Tuesday. The actress had a conversation with David Harbour published by Interview Magazine, and he was quick to praise her for her influence on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest team-up movie. Johansson was named as an executive producer when the film was first announced years ago, but she was not in the credits when they rolled and was not included in the publicity leading up to its release. Even Harbour didn’t seem to understand how that happened, but Johansson explained that it was her choice.

“It’s the opening day of a movie that basically you are the seventh Thunderbolt in. Your character is all over this movie. Have you seen it?” Harbour asked Johansson. When she revealed she hadn’t seen the movie, Harbour replied, “Okay. You are an executive producer on it. Congratulations,” but Johansson corrected him.

“I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn’t involved,” she said. Johansson has been taking on more and more work behind the camera in recent years. After more than a decade in the MCU, she got her first executive producer credit on Black Widow, which introduced Harbour’s character Red Guardian and Florence Pugh’s character Yelena, both of whom starred in Thunderbolts*. However, it sounds like Johansson was reluctant to accept a credit she didn’t feel she had earned.

[RELATED: Scarlett Johansson Wants To Return To Marvel In a New Role (& It’s Perfect)]

Harbour, on the other hand, seemed to feel she deserved it. He joked that she asked to have her producer credit removed because she “hated the movie that much,” before saying, “I think you’d be proud of us.” He and Johansson then discussed her unique place in the MCU and her mixed feelings on her role in hindsight.

“Some of the films that I did for Marvel engaged my character more than others,” Johansson said. “Like in [Captain America: The] Winter Soldier with Chris [Evans], we were really dynamic. In some of the other films, the cast was so enormous and there was so much plot to serve that you start to feel like you’re a device to move it along. And if you’re committed to five and a half months of that, it’s like, ‘Okay. I can’t paint my nails, I can’t get a haircut.'”

“These sound like silly problems, but your identity is wrapped up in this job for a long time, and if you’re not doing engaging work as an actor, you feel a little cagey sometimes,” she concluded.

Still, Johansson has not given up on big franchise work entirely, as she is set to star in Jurassic World: Rebirth premiering on July 2nd. Thunderbolts* is still playing in theaters now.

The post Scarlett Johansson Had Her Name Removed From Thunderbolts* Credits (& Reveals Why) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios had the perfect opportunity to address a three-year-old mystery in Thunderbolts*, the most recent movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the chance was missed. Released in May 2025, Thunderbolts* brought together Yelena Belova, Ava Starr, Alexei Shostakov, John Walker, and Bucky Barnes as a brand-new superhero team, later confirmed to be the New Avengers. Bringing back these classic MCU characters tied up many loose ends, but there was one huge mystery that Marvel failed to address in the Phase 5 crossover movie.

Back in 2022, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special caught up with the titular cosmic team in the gap between 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While Drax and Mantis tried to get Kevin Bacon as a Christmas present for Peter Quill’s Star-Lord, Nebula gifted Rocket Raccoon something far more intriguing: Bucky Barnes’ vibranium arm. Director James Gunn confirmed this was canon to the MCU, meaning Nebula actually stole Bucky’s arm, which had last been seen in 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, Thunderbolts* completely ignored this MCU plot development.

Rocket’s obsession with Bucky Barnes’ arm began during Avengers: Infinity War, where the pair first met on the battlefield in Wakanda. Bucky and Rocket then fought together during the Battle of Earth in Endgame, but it was still surprising to see Rocket actually get the vibranium limb as a Christmas gift in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Nebula, with an “overabundance of Christmas spirit,” as James Gunn put it, removed the arm by force and took it back to Knowhere. An act this aggressive and transformative for Bucky would have surely left its mark, but he hasn’t mentioned it at all.

RELATED: This Captain America & Winter Soldier Reunion Needs to Happen in the MCU

Bucky Barnes’ evolution into a Congressman is somewhat unbelievable enough, but side-stepping his arm being stolen and him somehow acquiring another one makes this storyline rather confusing. Bucky should have addressed the fact that his arm was stolen in Thunderbolts*, especially since some focus was put on his arm, such as it being in the dishwasher or being forcibly removed by Lewis Pullman’s remarkably strong character, The Sentry. Bucky’s arm has been taken off his body several times, besides by Sentry, including by Aya in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and by Nebula (off-screen).

Sebastian Stan is set to return as Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier, now a member of the New Avengers, in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday. While the Guardians of the Galaxy haven’t yet been revealed to be coming back, it’s possible Bucky could come face-to-face with Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) in the MCU’s Phase 6 event films. This could provide the perfect opportunity for Marvel Studios to finally address this plot hole, three years after it was first created in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

What do you think really happened to Bucky Barnes’ arm? Let us know in the comments!

The post Thunderbolts* Forgot to Explain A Wild MCU Mystery From 3 Years Ago appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new theory reveals the next perfect member of the New Avengers team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after their debut in Thunderbolts*. That might seem odd, given the team were built on a strong foundation of almost family ties, they will be forced with a gaalxy-shaking threat and a civil war for the Avengers name. So expansion would be logical. And while the hero didn’t join the Thunderbolts, now the New Avengers, in their self-titled Phase 5 movie, a new theory suggests the team will grow in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.

Geraldine Viswanathan made her MCU debut in Thunderbolts* as Mel, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) right-hand, and she has become the subject of major theories that suggest she is actually Melissa Gold, Marvel Comics’ Songbird.

Posed on Reddit, this theory is informed by previous speculation about Mel’s true identity. Throughout Thunderbolts*, Mel wears a necklace with a bird pendant, which caused many to ponder about her true nature as the MCU’s Songbird. As Songbird, Viswanathan could have a very bright future in the MCU, especially if this theory comes to fruition and she joins the ranks of the New Avengers in Phase 6. This would not only benefit Mel, however, but would also improve the power-set and expertise of the New Avengers team itself.

Melissa Gold first appeared in Marvel Comics as Screaming Mimi in 1979’s Marvel Two-in-One #54. Back then, she was a villain, but her time as a member of the original Thunderbolts team, which started as Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil disguised as heroes, ultimately transformed her, and many of her teammates, into legitimate superheroes. Changing her moniker to Songbird, Melissa Gold became a consistent member of various Thunderbolts teams, so it would make sense that she’d make her MCU debut in Thunderbolts*, and perhaps even end up joining the team.

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

While this didn’t occur in Thunderbolts*, and there were no signs to Viswanathan’s Mel having any superpowers, it’s possible Marvel Studios could have been laying the foundations for her to become a formidable hero in the MCU’s future. This could prove to be a huge asset to the future New Avengers/Thunderbolts team, as, currently, their collective power-set isn’t all too varied, but Songbird’s inclusion would change that. The New Avengers primarily comprises super-soldiers at the moment, including Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), US Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Red Guardian (David Harbour), but Mel’s involvement can bring more variety to the team.

In Marvel Comics, Songbird has bionically altered and enhanced vocal cords that allow her to emit sonic screams capable of immense destruction, while she can also create solid sound constructs and has perfect pitch. Along with Ghost’s (Hannah John-Kamen) phasing abilities and Sentry’s (Lewis Pullman) wide range of unpredictable powers, these abilities would make Songbird a unique and interesting member of the New Avengers. After Thunderbolts*, there has been a lot of speculation about the team’s line-up changing and developing in the future, and Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel could make a fantastic addition, should she become the MCU’s Songbird.

Do you want to see Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel become Songbird and join the New Avengers? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel’s New Avengers Team Gains a Powerful New Member According to Shocking Avengers 5 & 6 Theory appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Thunderbolts* concept art reveals an alternate look for Taskmaster, one that’s scarier than what’s seen in the final film. Taking to Instagram, Marvel concept artist Aleksi Briclot shared some drawings he did during the film’s development. In the post caption, he explained his inspiration for this particular design, stating that he drew from Taskmaster’s previous appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and tried to update it in more of a BlackOps style. Briclot wrote about attempting to strike the right balance between “artistic license” and realistic, citing how Taskmaster’s mask would likely be an obvious target for enemies.

“On this one I’ve started from her previous look, tried to keep some elements of hints (shapes, dynamic lines…) and I was going for a darker BlackOps,” Briclot wrote. “Trying to catch the good visual vibe for the movie after reading the script. There is always some artistic licence like the bright skull face (it would act like a target in real life) but for this kind of movie, it’s about finding the right balance between realism and fun and iconic.” Check out his post in the space below:

After making her MCU debut in 2021’s Black Widow, Olga Kurylenko returned to portray Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster in Thunderbolts*. The character dies early in the film; many suspected that would happen given Taskmaster’s conspicuous absence from marketing materials throughout the Thunderbolts* marketing campaign. The twist was done to give the film a sense of stakes, but fans criticized Taskmaster’s unceremonious end, feeling that Marvel had wasted an opportunity to develop and intriguing character.

[RELATED – Kevin Feige Hints at Unexpected Twist to Thunderbolts’ Fantastic Four Post-Credits Scene]

Now that Thunderbolts* has been out in theaters for a while, artists who worked on the film have been sharing their work on social media, highlighting alternate outfits for other characters. As he alludes to in his post caption, Briclot took an interest in BlackOps designs, tapping into the characters’ status as secret operatives working for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Other Thunderbolts* concept art revealed a more comics-accurate look for Sentry.

While there are similarities between Taskmaster’s look in the final film and this concept art, the latter arguably strikes a more sinister mood, with Antonia’s skull-inspired mask standing out amidst an otherwise all-black outfit. It would have been cool to see this costume in action, and the artwork will likely only further fuel the calls to reverse Taskmaster’s demise. Fans who want to see the character return could get their wish. Kurylenko was recently photographed in Bahrain, which is being used as a location for Avengers: Doomsday. This has led some people to theorize Taskmaster will appear in Doomsday.

The odds of the Sacred Timeline’s version of Antonia ever returning are slim, but with the multiverse in play, Kurylenko could portray a Taskmaster variant — perhaps one decked out in the costume Briclot showcases here. Avengers: Doomsday already has a lot on its plate balancing multiple superhero teams and introducing Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, but most viewers would agree Taskmaster is in need of a do-over. If there’s room for her in the story (and Marvel has confirmed there are more Doomsday casting announcements), it would be great to see the filmmakers do the character justice.

The post Thunderbolts Concept Art Gives Taskmaster a Much Scarier Look (Could She Return?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Despite appearing like a movie with little stakes, Thunderbolts* has a lot going on. Not only does the titular team have to save New York City from The Void’s rampage, but they also have to deal with their own demons. However, the biggest surprise comes toward the end of the movie, when Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announces to the press that she’s finally ready to reveal the New Avengers to the world. While the members of the team are caught off guard, they take to their new roles quickly, finally embracing their heroic sides after years of suppressing them. In fact, they’re so on top of their game that they’re ready when a mysterious ship arrives in Earth’s atmosphere in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene.

Yelena Belova and Co. learn that the ship isn’t from their universe, so they’re immediately on edge. Adding to their confusion is the logo on the vehicle, a number 4, which doesn’t mean anything to the New Avengers but does to the audience. The post-credits scene seemingly marks the Fantastic Four’s first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige doesn’t want anyone to jump to conclusions.

After the excitement surrounding the post-credits scene died down, frustration grew in its place. Fans believed that Thunderbolts* spoiled the end of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, revealing that Galactus destroyed the Earth that Marvel’s First Family calls home and sent them out into the multiverse to seek help. Feige has another theory, though, one that posits that the ship at the end of Thunderbolts* may not be the same one that appears in First Steps.

While speaking to Empire for its July 2025 magazine issue, Feige was asked for his take on the connection between the two 2025 MCU movies, specifically whether the Excelsior, the ship the Fantastic Four own in First Steps, is already in the Sacred Timeline. “The name of their ship is the Excelsior, and there is a Fantastic Four ship entering the MCU in the tag,” he said. “But I’m not sure they’re the same ship.”

Since Thunderbolts* doesn’t show the occupants of the ship, Feige is able to play coy for the time being. However, by the time First Steps comes out in July, all of his cards will need to be on the table.

[RELATED – Marvel’s New Avengers Spoilers Defended by Disney Exec After Aggressive Thunderbolts* Marketing]

Marvel Studios Can’t Hide the Fantastic Four Forever

While there’s a slim chance that variants of the Fantastic Four are on the ship making a beeline toward Earth in Thunderbolts*, the more likely scenario is that Marvel Studios isn’t ready to show the state the heroes are in just yet. After all, they’re preparing to go up against Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, which is no small feat. There could be major character moments in the movie that affect the titular team deeply. Fortunately, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel because the entire Fantastic Four is set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

Without knowing how the events of First Steps play out, it’s difficult to determine just how significant a role the group will have in the MCU’s next team-up movie. It’s safe to assume they’re not going to be standing in the background the whole time, though, as their arch-enemy from the pages of Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom, is going to be Doomsday‘s villain.

First Steps director Matt Shakman claims that Doom is not part of his movie, meaning it may be up to Doomsday to set up the rivalry. But Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier likely thought the Fantastic Four weren’t part of his project at one point. It’s just hard to take anyone working for Marvel Studios at their word these days.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

Do you think the ships in Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are the same one? What do you think will happen in the MCU’s next movie? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Kevin Feige Hints at Unexpected Twist to Thunderbolts’ Fantastic Four Post-Credits Scene appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Those who saw Thunderbolts* on opening weekend learned the meaning behind the asterisk in the title. The team was actually the New Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It came as a surprise to some, but it was an even bigger surprise when Marvel Studios officially spoiled the twist in new marketing materials that came out shortly after Thunderbolts* opened. It was a controversial decision, but one that Disney has defended. Speaking with Empire for the magazine’s preview coverage of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the studio’s senior vice president of marketing Ryan Stankevich discussed the move, revealing that there were plenty of fans who enjoyed it.

“Discourse is a great part of the Marvel fan experience,” Stankevich said. “For as many people who complained, we saw a large percentage say they thought it was really clever. Some people also complained we didn’t do *The New Avengers with a ‘z’! But we welcome healthy debate.”

There were many theories about the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* title in the months leading up to the film’s release. It took nearly the entire run time for its meaning to be revealed. At the end of the movie, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine publicly introduces the team — consisting of Yelena, Red Guardian, John Walker, Bucky Barnes, Ghost, and Bob — as the New Avengers as a way to save face following the Sentry debacle. In the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, audiences learn Sam Wilson has formed his own Avengers team and takes issue with the New Avengers running around.

[RELATED – One MCU Character Could Change Everything in the Avengers vs. New Avengers Fight]

The typically secretive Marvel went against the grain just a few days after Thunderbolts* opened. The film was officially rebranded as *The New Avengers on various promotional materials, including posters.

In some ways, running with *The New Avengers fits the outside-the-box methods Marvel used to market Thunderbolts*. Prior to the film’s release, the studio ran a unique campaign that included a trailer riffing on A24’s style and a poster designed as a Wheaties box. However, it’s easy to understand why some fans were upset about this. Not everyone is able to see a film the weekend it comes out, and while people have gotten savvy about dodging spoilers on social media, few expected official Marvel channels to do the spoiling. Early into a movie’s theatrical run, Marvel’s social media accounts usually don’t post anything too revealing in an effort to maintain the film’s surprises. The New Avengers twist is one some viewers wanted to experience for themselves.

That said, Marvel arguably spoiled the events of Thunderbolts* in a far more significant way when the Avengers: Doomsday cast was revealed during a record-breaking livestream event. Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, and Lewis Pullman were all confirmed for Doomsday, but not their Thunderbolts* co-star Olga Kurylenko. That all but guaranteed Kurylenko’s Taskmaster would die in Thunderbolts*, making the character’s unfortunate demise an unsurprising development. It would have been nice if everyone got to experience the New Avengers reveal unspoiled, but this shouldn’t prevent people from enjoying the film.

The post Marvel’s New Avengers Spoilers Defended by Disney Exec After Aggressive Thunderbolts* Marketing appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Thunderbolts had a rag-tag look at the climax of their movie, but they concept art by Aleksi Briclot shows several characters with a more sleek “black ops” look. Briclot shared the images on Instagram recently, remarking on how the designs changed in production and what remained the same. The biggest differences were in his designs for Red Guardian (David Harbour), who looked much more put-together in Briclot’s drawings. He also shared his original designs for Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Along the way, he explained how these drawing influenced the final character designs we saw on screen.

Briclot is credited for working in the art department on Thunderbolts*, and he has worked on other Marvel productions before. He started sharing his art for this movie on the night of the premiere back in April, showing his earliest design for Sentry. He just got back to this team in late May, starting with an early drawing of Ghost. “I’ve started from her previous look and was going for a BlackOp vibe following her dramatic development as well as the tone of the movie, “he explained.

Ghost didn’t look too different from her final form, though it’s hard to say if the cut and patterning of her costume matched with the drawing. However, the differences really showed in Alexei Shostakov, who was pictured with a lot more black muting his red costume. Even the star on his chest was almost obscured in black-on-black coloring and blended into his harnesses.

[RELATED: 10 Best MCU Anti-Heroes, Ranked]

“I was dealing with a darker vibe on this proposal, less red and more dark following the tone of the movie,” Briclot explained. “Less Santa Claus and more Spec Ops. This was exploration!”

Finally, just last week Briclot shared a look at his concept art for Bucky, which was very similar to the character’s final design. He wore motorcycle riding leathers over a t-shirt, though the color was a bit brighter in Briclot’s drawing. “I was going for a dark casual look, avoiding the Black Ops look I’ve used for the other teammates,” he explained. “Part of the brief was that at some point you couldn’t notice him in the crowd, avoiding any super hero look. (Except fog the arm as it seems an important visual signature for him, I know it’s tricky…)”

Briclot’s captions made it clear that these early designs were a starting point for the movie itself, and the they evolved over time. As he pointed out, it made sense for Bucky’s outfit to stand apart from the rest of the team, as he was the last to join. In the end, it also made sense for Alexei’s old costume to look out of place, since he was not going out on secretive missions like the rest of them.

Thunderbolts* is still playing in many theaters around the U.S. There’s no word on when it might be released on PVOD stores or streaming, so fans will want to catch it while they can.

The post Thunderbolts MCU Black Ops Costumes Revealed (Why Aren’t They in the Movie?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Unlike a lot of projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts* avoids using a mustache-twirling villain hellbent on world domination. The titular team’s biggest challenge is Bob, a chill guy who really doesn’t want to cause any trouble but has a dark alter ego who consumes everyone and everything in his past. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, now a mainstay of the MCU, tells Bob what he wants to hear and offers him the opportunity to become Earth’s Mightiest Hero. Donning a gold suit and slick hair, Bob adopts the Sentry persona. However, the character almost looked very different in his first MCU appearance.

Concept artist Constantine Sekeris has been sharing the work he did for Thunderbolts* on social media, revealing alternate looks for Ghost and Taskmaster. His most interesting posts, though, feature costumes that Sentry could’ve worn if the production had made a different choice.

The first two looks aren’t too different from what made it to the big screen. Both feature larger logos and the character’s iconic long hair from the comics, but the idea of turning Bob into a hero is present in the designs. The third piece of concept art takes things in a very different direction, using as much black as gold and making Sentry look much more like a villain. Sekeris even appears to be borrowing from Adam Warlock’s MCU design, giving Sentry a gold face to match his costume’s color scheme.

While all the designs are great, it’s obvious why Thunderbolts* went with the one it did. Bob’s ultimate goal was to be a hero, and despite running into a bit of trouble, his new friends got him back on track. Now, he’s ready to take the MCU by storm in his new role.

[RELATED – Deadpool Director Details His X-Men Horror Movie That’s Home Alone Meets Alien]

Sentry Will Have a Major Role in the MCU’s Future

Valentina tricks Bob into thinking she believes he can be a hero to save her own skin in Thunderbolts*. The government is looking into her shady business practices, and the only way out is to provide the world with a new hero. Once Bob wises up, he isn’t able to control himself and gives control to The Void, who goes on a rampage in New York City.

The only reason the entire world isn’t sucked into The Void is that Yelena Belova takes a liking to Bob and risks it all to save him. She enters The Void, which inspires her teammates to do the same, and together, they help Bob begin to work through his trauma. With new friends in his corner, Bob feels confident enough to take back control and frees everyone from The Void.

Unfortunately, the Thunderbolts don’t get to celebrate their victory for long because Valentina avoids their wrath by announcing to the press that they’re the “New Avengers.” Without much choice, the members of the team find themselves on the cover of magazines and cereal boxes. The one silver lining is that Bob gets to take a breather because keeping his Sentry costume in the closet means The Void can’t return.

Bob won’t just chill in Avengers Tower forever, though. He’s going to return in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, where he’s sure to play a major role in the fight against Doctor Doom. As the MCU does, it’s sure to make some tweaks to Sentry’s look, but it’s not going to have to do much because Sekeris’ early designs make it clear that the franchise never had any intention of letting the character down.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Which of the alternate designs for Sentry is your favorite? Are you happy with the one that ended up in Thunderbolts*? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Thunderbolts* Concept Art Reveals VERY Different Look for The Sentry by Marvel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Sentry made his grand MCU debut in Thunderbolts, and Lewis Pullman’s turn as the Marvel powerhouse was mostly well-received. There were a few criticisms of the costume, as there are with any translations from comics to the big screen, and now fans have received a look at a more comics-accurate costume from artist John Staub. The artwork was posted by Constantine Sekeris, who was a part of the Marvel Studios Vis Dev team during the development of Thunderbolts, and as you can see in the post below, it looks a bit more comics-accurate than the final suit that appeared in the movie.

This version of the suit was part of early exploration of the Sentry costume, and it will appear in the Thunderbolts art book when it is released. On Instagram Sekeris wrote, “Hello, Family and friends ….posting very early exploration of Sentry which final design was done by the great @johnstaubart from Thunderbolts/New Avengers film when I was working at Marvel Studios Vis Dev ….This project was lead by @andyparkart who was very kind to bring me on his already very talented team of artists from @ryan_meinerding_art @wes_butt @johnstaubart @rodneyimages @jsmarantz @jwsze @jiheleeart ………this character wasn’t easy to concept on for many reason but had a great time exploring options for Andy and the production….take a look at the art book of Thunderbolts when it’s out and u can see all the amazing design work done from everyone involved….more to come …humbly thank u……#marvel #thunderbolts #newavengers #conceptart #sentry #characterdesign #zbrush #keyshot #photoshop”

There are a number of changes between this costume and the final costume, but the two biggest changes are the S symbol on the belt and the longer hair. The lines on the suit have more of a comic style as well, and the collar is also closer to the comics version, with both looking like they were inspired by the New Avengers run that brought the character back into the fold. Personally, I love this Sentry symbol and think it works better than the one seen in the final design.

Granted, this is all subjective, but it’s actually important to point out that the final approved costume design was not too far from this. If you look at the final design post from Staub, the gold of the suit really stands out and pops, and even the more MCU-style lines and accents look great. Again, the belt stands out as my least favorite element, especially the S logo, but the biggest difference is the actual color of the suit.

[RELATED: Thunderbolts*: Sentry’s Creator Talks Work on The Film, Origin of The Character]

If you look at the costume in the film, the subtlety in the color shades is completely different, and even the darkest parts of the suits don’t look gold. They are more of a yellowish color, and that only increases towards the middle of the suit, which looks even less like gold. In this final design, this looks gold across the board, even if the tone slightly changes in different parts of the suit, but that subtlety seems to have been lost a bit in translation to the big screen.

Both suits are great, but the ultimate suit for me would be taking the final design suit and adding the belt and Sentry symbol from the earlier version, as well as the longer hair. That takes this costume to an even higher tier, so perhaps we’ll see something closer to that when Sentry returns down the line.

Which costume do you prefer, and what did you think of Sentry in Thunderbolts? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Marvel with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Thunderbolts Concept Art Reveals Comics-Accurate Sentry (Now We’re Disappointed) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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.

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