Summary
The Marvel Cinematic Universeis introducing a new team of heroes withThunderbolts*, set to hit theaters on July 16, 2025. They may not be the Avengers—at least not yet—but they represent Earth’s best hope. After years of buildup through Phases 4 and 5,Thunderbolts*combines several darker heroes into a superhero team established by the government.
Like the originalAvengerslineup,Thunderbolts*features seven team members, each possessing unique skills and personality traits that help them stand out. Many of them are either failed super soldiers or former villains seeking redemption for their troubled pasts, including some beloved favorites from the MCU.
7Sentry
Earth’s Strongest Superhero Can Also Be Its Greatest Threat
Lewis Pullman is confirmed to be playing a character named Bob Reynolds, a mysterious man in a hospital gown that the Thunderbolts*encounter on their mission. However, fans of the comics will know Reynolds will eventually become the hero known asSentry,a Superman-like characterwho wields the power of a thousand exploding stars inside him.
Sentry has the potential for so much greatness, but he can also be one of the universe’s greatest threats thanks to his alternate personality: Void. Void is a demented yet powerful villain who can murder thousands of innocent people without blinking an eye. As a result, Sentry will be the biggest asset and threat to the team inThunderbolts*.
6Taskmaster
Photographic Reflexes Will Be Useful Against Villains
Thanks to her cold-hearted father, Antonia Dreykov was transformed into a mindless assassin who could analyze and replicate the fighting style of any opponent, including superheroes. She became known asTaskmaster,and she proved to be Natasha Romanoff’s greatest opponent in theBlack Widowmovie until she was freed from her programming.
It was a drastically different take on Taskmaster compared to the comics, which led to controversy since Taskmaster isa famous and iconic Marvel villain. However, it’s far from the first time the MCU has changed a character’s story from the source material. Now, she is set to be a Thunderbolt* and is shown wearing an entirely new suit compared to her Red Room design.
5Ghost
From Tragic Villain To Reluctant Hero
InAnt-Man and The Wasp,Ghostwas introduced as a tragic villain whose own powers of intangibility were killing her, which drove her into a state of mania until she was cured by Janet Pym. The movie ended with Ghost and her friend, Bill Foster, going into hiding, and it’s likely few expected her to return, since audiences initially found her to be a disappointing villain.
However, the great thing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that anybody can come back and villains can become superheroes. Ghost is not only set to come back inThunderbolts*,but she has beenconfirmed to be a part ofAvengers Doomsday, suggesting that her evolution will keep going.
4U.S. Agent
John Walker Is Trying To Redeem Himself
John Walker, also known asU.S. Agent, was meant to be the new Captain America, even donning the Stars and Stripes and showing potential, despite skepticism from Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. However, his egotism and need to prove himself resulted in many mistakes, including injecting himself with unstable super soldier serum. He killed someone in cold blood and tarnished the Captain America moniker.
InThunderbolts*, U.S. Agent is going further totry and make up for his mistakes, like he tried to do inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierafter the world abandoned him like a piece of litter. He’s an example of how someone can do wrong even if they are not a villain, with Wyatt Russell portraying the idea of a flawed superhero elegantly.
3Winter Soldier
The Thunderbolts* Are Going To Need A Leader
The longest-serving superhero on the team is Bucky Barnes, now a U.S. Congressman, who spent years as both a hero and a villain known as theWinter Soldier. Created by Hydra to be theevil counterpart of Captain America, he ultimately broke free from his programming and even joined the Avengers to confront the forces of Thanos.
For the Thunderbolts*, Winter Soldier will likely be the closest thing to their leader, since he has the most experience with superhero work and being on a team. Even in World War 2, Bucky was a skilled soldier who served alongside Steve Rogers on the Howling Commandos, and he didn’t have super-soldier biology or a cybernetic arm to help him back then.
2Red Guardian
A Foolish Super Soldier With A Heart Of Gold
David Harbour proved to be a highlight of theBlack Widowmovie, debuting as theRed Guardianand the surrogate father for both Natasha and Yelena. All he wants in life is to be a superhero like Captain America and, despite hisimmense strength as another super soldier, he is a clumsy oaf who rarely succeeds in doing so, but he never gives up on himself or the ones he cares about.
Red Guardian bounces between hilarious and serious, which is going to be a big part of his role inThunderbolts*; he’s even the one who comes up with the team’s name. While he finally gets to be part of a superhero team, he also gets to reunite with Yelena and try his best to be a good father to her, just as he did before.
1Black Widow
She Is Becoming A Star Of The Multiverse Saga
After appearing in both theBlack Widowmovie and theHawkeyeseries, Yelena Belova has becomea beloved character in Phase 4and Phase 5, as played by Florence Pugh. She is aBlack Widowwho was freed from her programming to become a hero, allowing her to take full advantage of her free will and carry the torch left behind by Natasha Romanoff.
Audiences quickly fell in love with the new Black Widow, which is likely why Marvel Studios have made her the focus ofThunderbolts*. In one second, Yelena can be as fearless and powerful as her sister, but rather funny in a charming yet awkward way the next, with Florence Pugh proving to be another powerful addition to the MCU’s long list of talented actors.
