Marvel Studios began teasing the formation of a Thunderbolts team within the MCU in 2021. The film was revealed to be in development in June 2022, when Schreier and Pearson were attached. The film's main cast members were revealed that September, followed by additional casting through early 2023. Lee joined to rewrite the film's script by March 2023, one of several creatives who returned to work with Schreier from the Netflix series Beef. Production was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, causing some actors to leave the project and be replaced in early 2024, when Calo joined. Filming began in February 2024 and will last until July at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as in Utah and New York.
Thunderbolts is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 2, 2025, as the last film of Phase Five of the MCU.
Premise
A group of antiheroes goes on missions for the American government.[1]
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian: A member of the Thunderbolts who is the Russian super-soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father-figure to Belova.[2] Harbour said the film further explores the complex relationship between Belova and Shostakov that was introduced in Black Widow (2021). He noted that Belova cannot stand Shostakov, but she needs someone to help her feel complete and Shostakov is able to fill that role.[5]
Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster: A member of the Thunderbolts with photographic reflexes that allow her to mimic opponents' fighting styles. She was formerly controlled by her father Dreykov to complete missions for the Red Room before being freed by Belova's sister Natasha Romanoff.[2]
By June 2022, Jake Schreier was attached to direct Thunderbolts,[1][18] from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, with Feige producing. Schreier was hired after a presentation that "blew away" Marvel Studios executives. At that time, the studio had been in contact with actors to discuss their availability to reprise their roles for the film.[1] Commentators suggested that the team could consist of characters such as Zemo, Belova, Taskmaster, U.S. Agent, Ghost, Abomination, Bucky Barnes, or Clint Barton, with de Fontaine or Zemo leading the team.[1][15][16][19][20]Deadline Hollywood also suggested that Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross could be recast for the film following original actor William Hurt's death,[1][20] since that character has strong ties to the team in the comics.[1]ComicBook.com felt Marvel Studios could replace Ross with the character Robert Maverick, the second character to become Red Hulk in the comics, rather than recasting Ross.[20] The film was officially announced in July at San Diego Comic-Con, with a release date of July 26, 2024. It was set to be the last film in Phase Five of the MCU.[21]
Pre-production
Concept art released at the D23 Expo in September 2022 featuring the main cast in costume as the titular team: (L to R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as U. S. Agent, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster
In September 2022, Justin Kroll of Deadline Hollywood described the film as a spin-off for Belova as she would lead the anti-hero team, with Pugh, Russell, and Brühl believed to be reprising their roles.[22] At the D23 Expo the same month, Pugh, Russell, John-Kamen, and Louis-Dreyfus were confirmed to star, alongside Sebastian Stan as Barnes, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster, all reprising their roles from previous MCU projects.[2] Harbour said the film would be unique in the MCU, describing the main cast as "a bunch of misfits and outcasts and losers and people who don't really live up to the super in superhero".[23] Pugh was set to be paid eight figures for Thunderbolts and another MCU film.[24] At the end of the month, Jeff Sneider of Above the Line reported that Harrison Ford was Marvel Studios' top choice to replace Hurt as Ross, and Marvel planned to announce his casting at D23 before Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy asked them not to because she felt it would detract from their promotion of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Sneider was unsure if Ford had since passed on the role.[25][26] In mid-October, Sneider reported that Ford had been cast as Ross and would first appear in Captain America: Brave New World (2025).[27] Ford's casting in Brave New World and Thunderbolts was confirmed shortly after.[6] Louis-Dreyfus confirmed in January 2023 that filming would begin in June,[28] and Ayo Edebiri was cast in an undisclosed role.[29]
Steven Yeun was cast in a significant role for Thunderbolts in February 2023, with the potential to continue in future MCU films.[30] Yeun worked with Schreier on the Netflix series Beef, and the director had the actor in mind when adding the character to the film.[31] The next month, Lee Sung Jin revealed that he had joined the film to rewrite the script at Schreier's request; Lee also collaborated with Schreier on Beef, which Lee created. Lee said there were "a lot of themes and exciting things" about the film that drew him to the project. He was working closely with Schreier on the script, but noted that, unlike Beef, Thunderbolts was Schreier's project and had different writing needs given the film's large scope and scale.[32] Sneider reported that Pearson's script had focused too much on the Black Widow characters that audiences were already familiar with, and Marvel Studios was looking for the other characters to have a more equitable role so it felt like an ensemble film.[33] Grace Yun was serving as production designer by April after doing so on Beef,[34] and cinematographer Steve Yedlin was working on the film in Atlanta, Georgia, by May.[35][36] Sanja Milkovic Hays served as the costume designer after previously working on Captain Marvel (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[37]
At the start of May, filming was delayed due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and was planned to resume after the strike concluded.[38] The following month, the Utah Film Commission announced that Thunderbolts was set to film in Emery County and Grand County, Utah, in mid-2023, spending over $4.5 million in the state. Executive producer Brian Chapek said it would be a more grounded film set across the world with several practical locations.[39] In mid-June, the film's release date was pushed back to December 20, 2024.[40] When the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike ended in November 2023, the film's release date was pushed back again, this time to July 25, 2025.[41] At that time, comic book writer Robert Kirkman, a close friend of Yeun's, revealed that Yeun had been cast as Sentry.[42] Russell expressed confidence that the film would be interesting, fun, and not a "straightforward" Marvel film,[43] and said he would begin filming in March or April 2024;[44] in January, Stan said he would begin filming "in a month or so".[45] Also that month, Yeun exited his role due to a scheduling issue caused by the film's delayed production,[46][47][48] but expressed interest in working on a future MCU film.[47] It was initially unclear if Marvel would recast or rethink Yeun's role,[49] but Lewis Pullman was revealed to be the studios' top choice to replace Yeun as Sentry by the end of January,[50][8] and his casting was soon confirmed.[7][9] Additionally, Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Weisz were reported to be reprising their MCU roles as Bill Foster and Melina Vostokoff,[10] and Geraldine Viswanathan was cast in the comedic supporting role of de Fontaine's assistant, replacing Edebiri after she left the film due to its delayed schedule.[9][7] In February, the film's release date was moved forward to May 2, 2025, swapping places with The Fantastic Four.[51]Joanna Calo was rewriting the script later that month. Previous drafts had centered on the titular team going on a mission during which they were intended to die.[52]
Filming
Filming was originally scheduled to begin in mid-June 2023 and last for six months.[38][28][53] It was initially not expected to be impacted by the writers' strike, with Marvel Studios reportedly planning to shoot what they could during principal photography and make any necessary writing adjustments during the film's already scheduled reshoots;[54] however, filming was ultimately delayed due to the writers' strike and subsequent SAG-AFTRA strike.[38][41] Harbour had planned to shoot his scenes for the film concurrent with the fifth season of Stranger Things, also in Atlanta,[55] before that production was also delayed by the writers' strike.[56]
After filming had begun in March 2024, Pugh and Marvel Studios released a set video in which she showcased her new Black Widow costume and an updated logo for the film with Schreier.[62][63] Kristen Lopez at TheWrap felt viewers would "start deconstructing the brief images she's shown immediately",[62] while Sabina Graves of Gizmodo felt the video was delightful and a fun tease for a scene featuring Belova. She also highlighted Pugh's short hair and the pair joking how they "really shouldn't be showing any of this".[63]Collider's Chris McPherson described Pugh's costume from the video as a "sleek greenish-grey" and "very military, quite tactical, perfectly suited for [a] group of ragtag mercenaries whose lives are essentially forfeit", while also noting that she had teal eyeliner.[64] Zoe G. Phillips at The Hollywood Reporter noted that commentators questioned the use of an asterisk in the logo, which was displayed as "Thunderbolts*", on a crewmember chair.[65]
Release
Thunderbolts is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 2, 2025.[51] It was previously scheduled for July 26, 2024,[21] December 20, 2024,[40] and July 25, 2025.[41] It will be the last film of Phase Five of the MCU.[21][better source needed]
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