Marvel Studios continues to recalibrate its superhero storytelling with Thunderbolts* (the asterisk is important, we promise), a tightly framed and emotionally grounded entry that trades multiversal chaos and confusion for character and cohesion. Following closely on the heels of Captain America: Brave New World, the latest instalment of the MCU is a far more intimate affair, making use of an unlikely team-up to explore themes of trauma and redemption.
Florence Pugh is the undeniable standout, reprising her role as fan favourite Yelena Belova (Hawkeye, Black Widow), a cornerstone of this new generation of Marvel heroes. Pugh’s performance holds the whole ensemble together, bringing newfound depth and vulnerability to a character who has slowly evolved to become the new emotional heart of the MCU. It’s clear Marvel is wisely building much of its future around her.
The story follows Yelena as she tries to find a new purpose in life, doing one last job as a spy, and destroying evidence for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the soon-to-be-impeached CIA director. But unsurprisingly, getting out isn’t that easy, and she finds herself confronted by a collection of equally morally dubious mercenaries. However, the encounter leads to a surprising collaboration and a transformation from villains to antiheroes.
Louis-Dreyfus plays Val with delicious cunning, evoking shades of The Boys’ Vought-like manipulations, though tempered for a more family-friendly rating. Meanwhile, returning as The Winter Soldier, Sebastian Stan adds a grounding presence for both the chaotic characters on screen as well as for audience members yearning for the glory days of the MCU.
David Harbour’s Red Guardian provides comic relief and emotional heart that manages to balance the tone of the movie, never undercutting the film’s heavier themes, while Wyatt Russell’s John Walker is given space to evolve his character.
Unfortunately, not everyone gets their due, and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost feels underserved, though her unique powers at least offer visually inventive action.
What sets Thunderbolts* apart is its confident tonal balance. Director Jake Schreier manages to juggle humour and melancholy with surprising finesse. The film doesn’t shy away from the emotional scars its characters carry, but it also knows when to ease up, delivering moments of levity that feel earned rather than obligatory.
Visually, the film is tight and focused, and while there are no intergalactic vistas or quantum realms to explore, Schreier gets creative with the final-boss showdown in a way that feels stylistically fresh while in keeping with the marvel of Marvel.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Marvel movie without mid and post-credit scenes, and here they are once again purposeful. For the first time since Avengers: Endgame, there’s a sense of forward momentum, a glimpse at the promised cohesive future fans have been hoping for.
Thunderbolts* doesn’t try to recreate Marvel’s golden era—it moves beyond it. With a tighter lens, deeper emotion, and a cast of flawed, fascinating characters, it marks a turning point: not a return to form, but the start of a new one. It’s is not just an entertaining elevation of side-characters from their TV roots to the big screen, it’s a confident step back into character-driven storytelling that rewards fans with a promise of a brighter future for the MCU.
Thunderbolts* is out now in cinemas
