Marvel's Thunderbolts* release date, plot, trailer and latest news

Assembled by the sinister Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the Thunderbolts include Florence Pugh's (Black Widow) Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan's (The Winter Solider) James Buchanan Barnes, Wyatt Russell's John Walker, David Harbour's Red Guardian, and several other MCU characters.

Early reactions and reviews for Thunderbolts* have been overwhelmingly positive, with our own review describing the new movie as "a welcome return to the amusingly fractious action antics that made the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy so entertaining and watchable".

So, if you're curious to know more, here are all your essential details on the MCU's next big thing.

Alternatively, if you've already watched the new movie, and want a breakdown of that epic post-credits scene, then why not check out our explainer?

Marvel's Thunderbolts* release date UK

Marvel's Thunderbolts* is set to be released in cinemas in the US on Friday 2nd May 2025 but, in the UK, fans will get to see the film a day earlier on 1st May, according to the Film Distributor's Association (FDA).

The film moved around the calendar multiple times during production, but ultimately landed on the coveted May spot, where it holds the prestigious responsibility of commencing the summer movie season.

Marvel Studios once carried this out with aplomb year-in year-out, but the franchise has hit choppy waters recently, meaning that there's some pressure on Thunderbolts* to help whip it back into shape.

It is the second MCU film of the year, sandwiched between February's disappointing Captain America: Brave New World and July's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with the trio all feeding into next year's crossover Avengers: Doomsday.

Marvel's Thunderbolts* cast

Marvel's Thunderbolts* is a team film with a large ensemble cast led by Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova (the new Black Widow) and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

The film also features familiar faces from several earlier entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, seemingly hoping to develop some of the franchise's memorable supporting players.

David Harbour (Red Guardian) and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) return from 2021's Black Widow, while Wyatt Russell is back as John Walker (aka US Agent) after debuting in Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Meanwhile, Hannah John-Kamen reprises the role of Ghost from 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as the enigmatic CIA director Valentina 'Val' Allegra de Fontaine (last seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever).

Of course, the film will also add new characters to the MCU, with the most notable addition being Lewis Pullman (Outer Range) as troubled Bob Reynolds, better known as The Sentry.

The character, who tows the line between hero and villain in the comic books, was originally set to be played by Beef and Invincible actor Steven Yeun, who ultimately dropped out due to filming delays.

Another casualty of the Hollywood strikes was The Bear's breakout star Ayo Edebiri, who was initially set to play Valentina's light-hearted assistant Mel; the role subsequently went to Miracle Workers star Geraldine Viswanathan.

In addition to the confirmed names, there are several rumoured cameos for Marvel's Thunderbolts*, including Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff, Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster, Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross and Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo.

Alas, none are guaranteed to appear at the time of writing, so it would be wise to measure your expectations for now.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com on whether he will be making an MCU comeback, Brühl said: "Even if I could [say yes]… I couldn't, you know? The only thing I can say is [what] everybody knows: I'm not dead!"

Here's an overview of the confirmed Thunderbolts* cast members:

• Florence Pugh as Black Widow/Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier/James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes
• David Harbour as Red Guardian/Alexei Shostakov
• Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent/John Walker
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost/Ava Starr
• Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov
• Lewis Pullman as Sentry/Bob
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina "Val" Allegra de Fontaine
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
• Chris Bauer as TBC
• Wendell Edward Pierce as TBC

Marvel's Thunderbolts* plot – What is it about?

The official synopsis, courtesy of Disney, reads: "Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes— Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker.

"After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

"Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it's too late?"

An element of the plot that has provoked speculation is the inclusion of an asterisk (*) at the end of the film's title, which suggests that the Thunderbolts could be a codename or have a revelatory second meaning.

Producer Kevin Feige was coy when quizzed on the matter, telling crowds in April 2024 that "we won't talk anymore about that until after the movie comes out".

Notably, the Thunderbolts* trailer sees several characters express doubt about their team name, suggesting it could be replaced by something punchier at the end of the film.

Is there a trailer for Marvel's Thunderbolts*?

There is! Three trailers have now been released, giving us a good look at the film, its central team and their dynamic together, one of which aired during the Super Bowl. Check out that 'Big Game' teaser below:

You can also find the longer Thunderbolts* teaser trailer here:

Meanwhile, a so-called "special look" at the film was released online to mark Disney's fan event D23 as it took place in Brazil. You can watch that promo right now too:

MCU films are available to stream on Disney+. Sign up to Disney+ for £79.99 a year and £7.99 a month.

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