In a cinematic universe teeming with gods, geniuses, and super-soldiers, Marvel’s latest ensemble film, Thunderbolts*, dares to spotlight the outcasts. This ragtag team of antiheroes, each grappling with personal demons, offers a fresh perspective on heroism. But does this deviation from the traditional superhero narrative resonate, or does it falter under its own ambition?
Misfits Assemble
Thunderbolts* thrives on its ensemble, uniting a roster of morally grey characters who’ve all danced along the edge of heroism. Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova brings sharpness and emotional depth, making her both the group’s anchor and its spark. Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes continues his redemptive arc with quiet intensity, revealing the toll of years spent in the shadows. David Harbour’s Red Guardian injects humor without undercutting the film’s weight, while Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent remains a powder keg of insecurity and duty, adding texture to the team’s volatile dynamic.
One of the boldest additions to the mix is Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds, also known as Sentry. Pullman portrays a man grappling with overwhelming power and the looming threat of his darker half, the Void. His presence introduces a supernatural instability that keeps the team and audience on edge. As Bob teeters between savior and catastrophe, Pullman walks a tightrope, capturing both vulnerability and terror in equal measure. It’s a performance that adds emotional tension and stakes beyond brute strength.
What elevates Thunderbolts* beyond typical team-up fare is the uneasy but compelling chemistry among its leads. These aren’t heroes molded by principle, but by trauma and survival, and that creates friction that’s felt in every shared scene. Their interactions aren’t always smooth, but that’s the point. Watching them navigate loyalty, suspicion, and personal baggage offers a layered look at what it means to build trust when everyone’s wearing scars, not capes.
Grit, Humor, or Both?
Thunderbolts* walks a tonal tightrope, weaving gritty emotion with Marvel’s trademark humor, and for the most part, it holds steady. Director Jake Schreier taps into each character’s emotional baggage, from Yelena’s buried grief to Bucky’s quiet guilt. Themes like trauma, control, and moral grayness give the film a heavier edge than most MCU entries. This darkness isn’t just for effect, it adds genuine stakes and a grounded feel.
Just when things verge on too bleak, the film knows when to loosen up. Red Guardian’s ridiculous confidence, Yelena’s dry sarcasm, and Bucky’s awkward domesticity bring moments of well-earned levity. These aren’t just throwaway gags, they feel rooted in personality and timing. The humor never overwhelms the drama but acts as a release valve that keeps the film from collapsing under its own weight.
What makes this blend work is the group dynamic itself. These aren’t well-oiled teammates, they’re damaged loners learning to work together. The comedy often comes from clashes in ego and outlook, while the emotional moments hit harder because of shared history. It’s messy, but that’s the point. Thunderbolts* manages to embrace both cynicism and sincerity without losing balance.
A Familiar Formula?
It’s impossible not to draw comparisons between Thunderbolts* and DC’s The Suicide Squad, given the shared concept of assembling a group of morally gray misfits for a government mission. Both films feature reluctant heroes with checkered pasts and a tendency to clash, but Thunderbolts* leans more heavily into character introspection than chaotic spectacle. Where James Gunn’s squad revels in absurdity, Thunderbolts* lingers in emotional fallout, making it feel more grounded, even when the stakes escalate.
That said, Thunderbolts* still operates within the familiar bounds of superhero team-ups—there’s the expected third-act conflict, internal betrayals, and a mission that threatens to spiral. But what sets it apart is the restraint in how those beats are handled. Instead of building purely toward explosive set pieces, the film invests in quieter moments of reckoning. Scenes of vulnerability, like Bucky confronting a painful memory or Yelena hesitating before pulling a trigger, are given weight, offering a break from the usual punch-first, think-later formula.
By anchoring the story in personal stakes rather than just world-ending consequences, Thunderbolts* sidesteps the fatigue often associated with ensemble superhero outings. It’s not trying to outdo its predecessors in scale; instead, it’s retooling the formula to highlight emotional messiness over heroics. The result is a film that feels familiar in structure but distinct in its intentions, less about saving the world, and more about saving the people in it from themselves.
Fan Reception
Audience response to Thunderbolts* has been cautiously optimistic. Many viewers appreciated the film’s willingness to step away from the high-stakes, universe-ending formula and instead zoom in on personal trauma, fractured trust, and reluctant camaraderie. Characters like Bucky and Yelena are given space to breathe, making the emotional throughlines feel more earned than in previous ensemble efforts.
That said, not everyone was sold. Some fans found the pacing uneven and certain team members underused, especially in a film that hinges so much on group chemistry. The tonal shifts, from bleak and brooding to sardonic and quippy, may also feel jarring depending on the viewer. Still, for those craving more depth in the MCU, Thunderbolts* delivers enough grit to make an impact.
Financially, the film pulled in $162 million worldwide on its opening weekend, with $76 million coming from U.S. theaters. Given its reported production budget of around $110 million, Thunderbolts* has already entered profitable territory in just a few days. In a market where superhero fatigue is very real, its success suggests that smaller-scale, emotionally resonant stories may be the way forward for Marvel.
Misfits No More
The rebranding of Thunderbolts* to The New Avengers is more than just a new title. It signals Marvel’s shift in tone and storytelling. The post-credit scenes mark this change clearly, hinting at the team’s rise from misfits to Earth’s next heroes. With The Fantastic Four arriving soon and Sam Wilson’s Avengers looming, the MCU enters a phase of shifting allegiances and evolving dynamics.
As the New Avengers embrace their role, the future of the MCU feels more unpredictable than ever. The once clearly defined line between hero and antihero is beginning to blur, offering a glimpse of a universe where the very meaning of heroism is up for debate. With the rebrand, Marvel hints at an era where these misfits could be the ones to change everything, and we’re only scratching the surface of what’s to come.
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
