For the past few years, even the most die-hard Marvel fans have quietly wondered if the magic was fading. Between the divisive Eternals, the chaotic overload of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and the lackluster response to Captain America: Brave New World, the MCU seemed to be spinning its wheels in search of its next big moment. The multiverse was messy. The stakes were muddy. And audiences were starting to tune out. Enter Thunderbolts*—Marvel Studios’ most unconventional team-up yet, and the film that finally shouts, “Marvel is back.”
Directed with swagger and emotional depth by Emmy winner Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* doesn’t just course-correct the MCU—it reinvigorates it. Gone are the multiversal MacGuffins and CGI bloat. In their place: a gritty, grounded, and unexpectedly soulful story about broken people trying to find redemption and purpose.
Led by a killer ensemble—Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Hannah John-Kamen—the film throws together a misfit crew of antiheroes who might be Marvel’s least likely saviors. But therein lies the brilliance. These aren’t gods or billionaires. They’re flawed, funny, human. And in that relatability, the movie finds its heart.
“They’re sort of your least anticipated group of Marvel heroes,” Schreier told Marvel.com. “But in that way, they’re like us… They’re people who have found themselves in a place they didn’t expect to be.”
What makes this team-up work isn’t just the action (though there’s plenty), it’s the brokenness. These aren’t Avengers 2.0—they’re screwups, survivors, and soldiers haunted by their pasts. And that gives the film a grounded intensity that’s more Rogue One than Age of Ultron.
But let’s get to the heart of it: Florence Pugh’s performance as Yelena Belova is the emotional anchor of the entire film. Whether she’s undercutting tension with her deadpan sarcasm or quietly confronting her own grief and guilt, Pugh delivers a layered, magnetic performance that reminds us why Yelena is one of the MCU’s most compelling characters. She doesn’t just hold her own—she holds the team together, emotionally and narratively.
The film’s tone is also sharp and confident, weaving together visceral action, dry humor, and real emotional stakes. Highlights include a standout showdown between Bucky Barnes and John Walker that rivals anything from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and a gorgeously constructed third act that’s as much about healing as it is about heroism.
Perhaps the most impressive feat of Thunderbolts* is how seamlessly it balances its ensemble. Every character has an arc. Every moment feels earned. There’s no bloat, no filler, no setup-for-a-sequel syndrome. This is Marvel storytelling at its tightest and most character-driven since Guardians of the Galaxy or Black Panther.
And just when you think you’ve seen it all, the film drops a post-credits twist that changes everything: the Thunderbolts aren’t just a team—they’re The New Avengers. The title change, teased by the mysterious asterisk all along, lands with weight and purpose.
“We really tried to treat it more on a character level,” Schreier said. “It’s about saving yourself and saving each other.”
Thunderbolts* isn’t just a win for Marvel—it’s a statement. It proves there’s still fresh, bold storytelling to be mined in the superhero genre when studios trust character over spectacle and vulnerability over invincibility.
Welcome back, Marvel. We missed you.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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