The Marvel Cinematic Universe had a major 2024 with the epic release of Deadpool & Wolverine. That was the MCU’s first $1 billion film since Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. Marvel Studios looks to continue that hot momentum into 2025. This year comic book fans will see three big screen adventures from them. These include Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. One of the more interesting films out of this trio is Thunderbolts* just given how many fan-favorite characters are included in this massive team-up adventure. Now a new image for the crossover mission gives us the best look yet at three returning MCU stars.
Revealed Exclusively by USA Today in their larger 2025 preview, the new Thunderbolts* image has Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker aka US Agent all suited up for action. They’re staring off at something in the distance and this part of the expansive government team looks to be in the middle of a dessert. A somewhat familiar location if you’ve seen the various trailers for the film. These three particular characters haven’t been featured in a while though. Both Yelena and John were last seen in 2021 in Hawkeye and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier respectively. This, all the while, Ghost hasn’t been heard from since Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018.
What’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ About?
Similar to their comic origins, Thunderbolts* follows a group of Marvel villains and misfits that are recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played once again by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, for a top secret government mission. Alongside Pugh, Russell and John-Kamen, the film also sees the return of David Harbour‘s Red Guardian (Black Widow), Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier (Captain America) and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster (Black Widow). While the marketing has teased a bit about what the team is after, if the poster and trailers are to be believed, the Thunderbolts might be spending just as much time fighting themselves on this mission as the actual “bad guys”. Also, even though the film features some big stars, Thunderbolts* remains a bit of a risk for Marvel. This is because it contains so many newer MCU characters. It’ll be exciting to see how it fares compared to the rest of Earth’s mightiest heroes at the box office.
When Does ‘Thunderbolts*’ Release?
Thunderbolts* is exploding into theaters on May 2, 2025. The most recent trailer can be viewed below. You can also currently catch up with the entire MCU on Disney+.
Thunderbolts follows a group of unconventional superheroes who emerge in a world without the Avengers. As this new team bands together, they navigate complex missions and moral dilemmas, seeking to establish themselves as protectors while uncovering hidden threats that could jeopardize global safety and stability.
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
- Director
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Jake Schreier
- Character(s)
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Yelena Belova
, James Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier
, Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian
, John Walker / U.S. Agent
, Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster
, Ava Starr / Ghost
, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
, Mel
, Bob / Robert Reynolds / The Sentry
, Bob’s Dad - Writers
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Lee Sung-jin
, Eric Pearson
, Joanna Calo - Budget
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$200 million
- Studio(s)
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Marvel Studios
- Distributor(s)
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Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel Cinematic Universe
