Thunderbolts* Jolts the MCU Back to Life

It’s no secret that Marvel has struggled since Avengers: Endgame (2019), its greatest cinematic achievement. When Bob Chapek succeeded Bob Iger as Disney’s CEO in early 2020, he pushed longtime president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige to release significantly more Marvel content multiple times per year in the form of miniseries to fill up the Disney+ streaming service catalog, a decision that ultimately did more harm than good. Feige was forced to prioritize quantity over quality, leading to a jumble of scattershot films and shows with few meaningful connections. Even the most die-hard Marvel fans lost interest in the franchise, unable to contend with the constant barrage of mediocre content. 

However, ever since Iger was reinstated as CEO in late 2022, Feige has shown progress in revitalizing the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) by hiring credible creatives and giving more directorial freedom—a welcome departure from the producer-driven, soulless corporateness of many post-Endgame projects. Marvel’s latest entry, Thunderbolts* (2025), is the first film with these changes implemented, as confirmed by Feige himself—and it’s all the better for it. With exhilarating action, deep storytelling, and an instantly lovable band of misfits, Thunderbolts* is easily one of the strongest films Marvel has released in the post-Endgame era.
The film immediately opens with Black Widow’s foster sister, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), trying to find her place in the world through covert operations for Valentina “Val” Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a corrupt government official. When Yelena finally wants to break free from Val, her last assignment is to kill Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), a supervillain first introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2019). However, Ghost, disgraced former Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and mercenary Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) are all sent by Val to kill each other and eliminate evidence of her criminal activity. Instead, they form a reluctant bond and meet Robert “Bob” Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), a mentally unstable yet unassuming man with hidden yet devastating superpowers. The team manages to closely avoid death and capture, with Bob using his newfound abilities to enable their escape. However, he is captured and transformed into Sentry, a drug-infused superhero at Val’s service. Meanwhile, Ghost, John Walker, and Yelena escape captivity, joining forces with Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena’s foster father, and newly appointed Congressman (as well as former Winter Soldier) Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who convinces them to confront their pasts and fight for a greater cause. However, when the crew returns to New York, they are vastly outmatched by Sentry, who easily beats them. As Sentry recognizes his true power, he begins to disobey Val, who attempts to kill him. Nonetheless, this attempt fails, and he instead turns into the darker half of his mental struggle, the Void. Together, the Thunderbolts must save New York and their friend, risking everything in the process. 

The emotional journey of Thunderbolts* resonates most because of the strength of its characters. The MCU has repeatedly introduced seemingly major characters only for them to not reappear since, such as Shang-Chi, the fan-favorite protagonist of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). This leads to underdevelopment and lack of focus in the saga, especially when compared to the early days of the MCU. Thunderbolts* subverts this trend by primarily utilizing returning actors who played side characters in other films. Of course, this isn’t Marvel’s first foray into team-ups, but the concept feels fresh in Thunderbolts* due to the film’s unorthodox yet entertaining team dynamic. Many of the individual members still shine on their own, each earning their place on the lineup. Red Guardian, despite seeming annoyingly irreverent in the trailers, quickly grows on the audience through his hilarious comedic timing and earnest nature. John Walker, the former Captain America, delivers a heartbreaking story of losing everything after publicly executing a terrorist who murdered his best friend. While the rest of the team is excellent, Pugh’s Yelena remains the standout due to her ability to be both charismatic and emotional. She’s still a quippy jokester, but is portrayed as more than just comic relief; she’s deeply lost, yearning for family and connection. This blend of humor and tragedy adds powerful nuance to the character and makes her arc one of the film’s most impactful.

The MCU had clearly lost its initial character-driven focus, instead prioritizing cameos, such as in Deadpool and Wolverine (2024), over substantial development. This made Thunderbolts* all the more refreshing due to its intrinsic focus on its core characters and their complicated journeys with fractured mental health. Many of the Thunderbolts members suffer depression, including Yelena, due to her troubled past of being trapped in the Red Room, and John Walker, who feels he’s lost everything after his family left him following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). This trauma is visualized through their interactions with the Void, who forces each of the characters to confront their darkest memories. Furthermore, after they escape their trauma and find Bob drowning in his, they help him defeat his darker half and realize that depression can’t be fought alone. While this could have easily felt like a cheap, derivative “power of friendship” ending, the impeccable writing and acting make this story instantly resonant and therefore extremely powerful.  

The MCU typically relies on last-minute CGI for its action sequences, so traditional stunt combat hardly gets to shine. Thunderbolts* breaks this mold, crafting carefully choreographed sequences, such as Yelena fighting the rest of Val’s assassins. Through its use of practical action, the film makes many of the characters truly feel like outcasts through their unorthodox styles and unique usage of their skills. Pugh specifically shines with her stunt choreography, effortlessly showcasing Red Room training with her fights, and even jumping off the Merdeka 118, the world’s second tallest building. While the third act does transition more towards CGI for its action, the quality is maintained through excellent effects and storytelling regarding the team’s inner struggles. 

While Marvel has struggled in recent years, losing much of its viewership and fragmenting its audience, Thunderbolts* shows real promise for the future of the MCU. One glaring unanswered question in fans’ heads throughout Phase Four was who the Avengers would be, but clearly, Marvel has a plan. The end of the film shockingly reveals that the Thunderbolts will become the New Avengers, a new team of heroes working alongside Val. This change is extremely important due to its significance for Avengers: Doomsday (2026), as signified by both the title marketing changes and the post-credits scene. Thunderbolts* is certainly not perfect, as it could have been slightly longer to even further develop the plot in the second and third acts, but it still provides an outstanding experience. The film is proof Feige can deliver on his promises regarding the future of the MCU. By subverting MCU conventions on every level through a deeply emotional story, practical action, and complex character arcs, Thunderbolts* signals a bright future for the franchise.