When is Marvel's Thunderbolts* released? Cast, plot and latest news
There's a new super-team in town in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This week marks the release of Captain America: Brave New World, but the marketing campaign is already warming up for the second MCU film of 2025: Thunderbolts*.
The film – which will see a number of established anti-heroes from across the franchise team up – was one of many major movies to be treated to a brand new trailer during the Superbowl coverage on Sunday 9th February. And it looks like it might well have revealed the mysterious threat the newly formed squad will be going up against.
In the clip, they are reluctantly recruited to take on a villain who very much looks to be Sentry aka The Void, played by Lewis Pullman. And it doesn't look like it's going to be especially plain-sailing for the gang, with the trailer teasing all sorts of infighting and squabbling between them, against a backdrop of Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now. You can find the trailer further down this page.
The motley crew includes Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), and Red Guardian (David Harbour), and the movie is notably sporting an asterisk at the end of its title – something Kevin Feige has cryptically teased won't be explained further "until after the movie comes out" in May.
It's also expected that any surviving characters from the film will go on to feature in the next two Avengers films – subtitled Doomsday and Secret Wars respectively – meaning the movie could prove a vital addition to the ongoing MCU storyline.
So, which actors are set to star in the movie and what can fans expect? Read on for everything you need to know about Thunderbolts*.
In the meantime, if you are keen to catch up on every MCU entry so far, we have you covered with our Marvel movies in order guide.
Marvel's Thunderbolts* release date
Thunderbolts is set to land in cinemas on Friday 2nd May 2025 after having its release date moved up slightly from Friday 25th July 2025.
It's a positive sign for the film, which has previously seen production delays related to the 2023 strikes.
Previous shifts in production meant that the project lost two major cast members, with Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) and Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) exiting due to scheduling issues.
The film was originally confirmed in July 2022 for a 2024 release, but got pushed back due to the entertainment industry strikes in 2023.
It was then moved up in February 2024 when it swapped dates with The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
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Marvel's Thunderbolts* cast
The following cast members will appear in Marvel's Thunderbolts*.
- Florence Pugh as Black Widow/Yelena Belova
- Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier/James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes
- David Harbour as Red Guardian/Alexei Shostakov
- Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost/Ava Starr
- Wyatt Russell as US Agent/John Walker
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina 'Val' Allegra de Fontaine
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
- Lewis Pullman as Bob/Sentry
A selection of characters from throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe will return for Thunderbolts*.
Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova after her appearances in Black Widow and Hawkeye, while Stan is back after featuring in the Captain America trilogy, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Elsewhere, Black Widow stars David Harbour and Olga Kurylenko are also back, while Hannah John-Kamen returns as her Ant-Man and the Wasp antagonist Ghost.
Meanwhile, Wyatt Russell returns as the brutish John Walker after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which saw him recruited by the mysterious Val, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who also recruited Belova in the post-credits scene of Black Widow.
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Val was revealed to be the new director of the CIA.
Meanwhile, following the death of actor William Hurt, Star Wars and Indiana Jones legend Harrison Ford was cast as Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross in Captain America: New World Order. His return has not been confirmed for Thunderbolts*, but it would certainly make sense for him to appear, given his connection to the group in the comics.
Another person who has not been confirmed to appear is Daniel Brühl as Baron Helmut Zemo, despite the character's ties to the Thunderbolts.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com on whether he will be making an MCU comeback, Brühl revealed: "Even if I could… I couldn't, you know?"
He added: "The only thing I can say – everybody knows – is I'm not dead!"
Maybe he could return after all...
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) had joined the cast of Thunderbolts* in an undisclosed role, but it was announced in January that she had quit the project due to scheduling issues, with Miracle Workers and Blockers star Geraldine Viswanathan set to take her place.
Edebiri isn’t the only star to leave the film. The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun was lined up to have a part significant to the MCU in the film, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts as a result of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, with Top Gun: Maverick star Lewis Pullman set to replace Yeun in the role – playing the villain of the piece.
Speaking to Variety, Yeun explained his departure, saying: "I think, for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it... but Jake [Schreier], I know, is going to do an incredible job."
It is also expected that Rachel Weisz and Laurence Fishburne will return as Melina Vostokoff and Bill Foster, respectively. However, this has not yet been confirmed.
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. You can watch them all below – beginning with the newly released Superbowl trailer.
What is the plot for Marvel's Thunderbolts*?
The official synopsis for Marvel's Thunderbolts* is described as: "A group of antiheroes [that] goes on missions for the government."
In Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts was originally a team of supervillains disguised as heroes while the Avengers weren't around, but in reality were the Masters of Evil, led by Baron Helmut Zemo.
However, this time around it appears this team has been organised by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who has already recruited Yelena Belova and John Walker to work for her.
Considering that Thaddeus Ross is a politician, he is probably in league with Val, which is made more likely by their more extreme approach to issues in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Authors
Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
