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The first reactions from Marvel's Thunderbolts* are rolling in and Florence Pugh is blowing everyone away. The We Live in Time star has proven her acting chops time and time again, so I'm not surprised early reactions are calling her "stellar" and "compelling." The movie's coming soon so here's our movie review, and your official guide to seeing it this weekend!
Here's everything you need to know about Marvel's Thunderbolts* before it hits theaters May 2, 2025. Plus our Thunderbolts* review.
Brit + Co's Thunderbolts Review
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As Valentina Allegra de Fontaine tells us in Thunderbolts*, the Avengers aren't coming to save the day anymore. But honestly babe, that's okay because the Thunderbolts are here! The story follows Yelena and our other Marvel anti-heroes — Bucky, John, Alexei, Ava, and Bob — who are sent on a mission where they're each other's targets. AKA, none of them are supposed to make it out alive. When they realize who the real enemy is, they team up to escape, unknowingly bringing a dangerous entity with them.
At its core, Marvel has always been about fighting for good, and never giving up. That might sound like a Hallmark card, but it's true! And Thunderbolts* is a fresh and unexpected addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe because it keeps that classic Marvel DNA while examining what it looks like when your fight is against yourself, not a big bad guy.
We've seen the MCU foray into this territory a bit with Bucky Barnes' Winter Soldier, and I'd have loved to see Bucky and Bob bond over this connection a bit more, but Bob's relationship with Yelena is the true standout of the film. Both Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman are the true heartbeat of this story, balancing their own mental health struggles with wanting to keep each other safe. But like the ensemble film it is, everyone brings something to the table. David Harbour's Alexei adds some much needed levity, and somehow Wyatt Russell actually made John Walker more likable. But nothing felt more old school MCU than seeing Sebastian Stan on a motorcycle, which got some cheers.
Marvel Studios
Even though the first act, through the mission and into the group's escape, dragged, the movie really found its groove the darker the plot got, and the more emotionally intimate the characters became. A moment where John Walker and Yelena lock eyes says so much with literally no dialogue that it's one of the scenes I remember most vividly, as is an emotional argument on the streets of New York between Yelena and Alexei.
But even if you're not keen on the contemporary, emotional, A24 of it all there are a few Easter eggs for eagle-eyed Marvel fans! John says "on your left" during the escape (a callback to Captain America: Winter Soldier), while Alexei launches Yelena into the air just like Steve did for Natasha in The Avengers (and I can't pass up the opportunity to point out they naturally mimic the two people they constantly compare themselves to!).
Thunderbolts* is all about fighting the darkness, together — and the movie shines when its cast is front and center. It's not the flashiest or craziest movie the studio has released, but it's grounded, steady, and the perfect building block as we move toward Avengers: Doomsday. Tumblr users constantly argue over whether The Avengers are coworkers or family, but if you ask me, this movie proves the Thunderbolts are definitely family.
When does Thunderbolts come out?
Marvel Studios
Thunderbolts* hits theaters Friday May 2, 2025. But thanks to some early screenings, reviews are rolling in!
What are audiences saying about the movie?
Marvel Studios
Early audiences are loving Thunderbolts*! "It was AMAZING, SHOCKING, and AWESOME in every way," @chrisagwrites tweeted. "Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman are absolutely STELLAR in this film and they're the highlights of the movie. Also, that asterisk reveal will SURPRISE you and make sure to stick for BOTH POST CREDITS."
After Marvel fans criticized Avengers: Endgame for turning Thor's depression into a joke, it seems like Thunderbolts* takes a different approach.
"THUNDERBOLTS: finally a Marvel movie that treats mental health and depression as a serious matter and not like undercutting it for the sake of a quip," @rendy_jones tweeted. "A legit good character ensemble piece with a compelling Florence Pugh & Lewis Pullman performance in the center. Yay. I liked it."
What is Thunderbolts about?
Marvel Studios
Thunderbolts* follows Yelena and a group of rag-tag antiheroes who get sent on a dangerous mission. But it doesn't take them long to realize they've been set up to fail. And the movie deals with some serious subject matter.
"That freshness couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune time, when the franchise is in need of new blood and direction. It’s some of Marvel’s darkest material to date, dealing with the emotional wreckage of broken individuals grappling with their past choices and finding camaraderie amidst the emptiness of their lives," @NextBestPicture tweeted. "It may not be the flashiest, funniest, or strongest Marvel film, but its rough edges and imperfections somehow all feel fitting for this anti-hero team of misfits."
Who will be in the Thunderbolts team?
Marvel Studios
The Thunderbolts* cast is made up of some incredible stars, including:
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova: a Black Widow assassin who trained in the Red Room.
- Lewis Pullman as Bob/Sentry/Void: a mysterious new member of the MCU with dark secrets.
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent: a super soldier member of the Thunderbolts*.
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost: an anti-hero who can phase through objects.
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barns/The Winter Soldier: a super soldier who fought with Captain America in the '40s and beyond.
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian: Yelena's adoptive father and a Russian super soldier.
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster: a member of the Thunderbolts* who can copy her opponents' fighting.
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: the CIA director who hires the Thunderbolts* for a mission.
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel: Valentina's assistant.
What are Thunderbolts in MCU?
Marvel Studios
The Thunderbolts* are a brand new team-up of antiheroes in the MCU. Thaddeus Ross, former general and current President, also has the nickname of "Thunderbolt" because of his strength, prowess, and power as a general.
Is there a Thunderbolts post credits scene?
Marvel Studios
Yes there are two scenes to watch after Thunderbolts* ends — a mid-credits scene and a post-credits scene! So make sure you stay until the very end.
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This post has been updated.
