When is Marvel's Thunderbolts* released? Cast, plot and latest news

It may also see the culmination of a long-running storyline surrounding the sale of the Avengers tower in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, with the latest trailer suggesting it has been bought by Julia Louis-Dreyfus's character Val.

A team-up film for assorted anti-heroes including Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), the new 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" next 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.

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 Bon/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.

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! Two trailers have now been released, giving us a good look at the film, its central team and their dynamic together. You can watch both of them right here.

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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