San Diego Comic-Con 2022 revealed the MCU’s roadmap going forward for Phases 5 and 6 of the franchise, which, along with Phase 4, make up The Multiverse Saga. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will close out Phase 4, and we now know that Thunderbolts will close out Phase 5, ultimately leading into The Fantastic Four, the first film slated for Phase 6.
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Before we get to Phases 5 and 6, and all the cinematic delight in store, let’s take a look at the Thunderbolts’ Marvel Comics lore, who is likely to be on the team in the MCU, what a Thunderbolts film might look like, and what role they may play going forward into Phase 6 of the MCU.
Who Are The Thunderbolts?
Marvel Studios
The Thunderbolts get their name from Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (having somewhat-prominent roles in the MCU in The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: Civil War). The passing of Thunderbolt Ross actor William Hurt leaves the MCU in a tough spot as to whether they will replace Hurt or not. This article will operate under the assumption that they may recast Thunderbolt Ross (again, we are not sure and want to reiterate that to our readers).
Marvel Comics shows us The Thunderbolts has been led by Baron Zemo, Norman Osborne, Wilson Fisk, and a few others. They first appeared in 1996’s The Incredible Hulk Marvel Comics series, subversively masquerading as heroes when the X-Men, Avengers, and Fantastic Four get sucked into another dimension and are presumed dead. The public begins to accept this group of new heroes until the twist is revealed: they were villains all along. Given that Thunderbolts is likely to feature previous MCU villains, we are unlikely to see that twist, as we already know they’re villains.
While the MCU version of the Thunderbolts will likely feature characters from the Thunderbolts comics, the storyline (we assume) will be a bit different. While one can compare The Thunderbolts to DC’s Suicide Squad, some major critical differences separate the two. For starters, not all the members of the Thunderbolts are what one would call “villains.” And as previously mentioned, the group has been run by noble leaders and worked to be a force for good. The Thunderbolts have also been run by heroes, like Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier, where they stayed on a more righteous path, actually being the heroes they claim to be. On the flip side, the Thunderbolts have also masqueraded as heroes in the past, secretly orchestrating everything from behind the scenes in an attempt to fool the public.
Who is Likely to Join the MCU Version
Marvel / Disney
The mysterious Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has, per CBR, slowly been planting the seeds for the creation of The Thunderbolts in the MCU. She first appeared in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, giving John Walker a new purpose after his fall from grace as the new Captain America, bestowing upon him the moniker of U.S. Agent and letting him know that she would be in touch. So, there’s about a 99.9% chance he will join the team.
The next time we saw Val was in the post-credit scene for Black Widow, where she met with Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. It was clear from their meeting that they were familiar with one another, and it appeared as though Yelena was already working for Val in some capacity — perhaps as an elite contract killer or bounty hunter. Regardless, Yelena would be a perfect addition to the team, as she scoffs at the whole superhero gig. However, if Val called her upon to save the world from some cataclysmic apocalypse, she would likely suit up and follow in the footsteps of her sister Natasha. Yelena is a perfect example of someone with a good heart, but willing to do what is necessary and make the hard choices in the heat of battle.
Next on the list of potential candidates is Baron Zemo. Last we saw him, he was being escorted by the Dora Milaje to the Raft, a floating ultra-max security prison (seen in Captain America: Civil War) run by none other than Thunderbolt Ross. Zemo’s intellectual superiority over much of the group may culminate with him being the group’s leader. However, we have a few other candidates in mind who might serve better as a leader whom the audience trusts to always make the right decisions. Zemo’s past deeds show that he has the capability to win a fight without actually fighting. Fans saw this in Civil War when he was able to fracture the Avengers from within, creating a split that would lead to half the population being snapped away, as Tony and Steve were still at odds at the beginning of Infinity War. Zemo is also a former Sokovian military man. He would make a great tactician in whatever threat the Thunderbolts face.
The next possibility is Abomination. Being held by Thunderbolt Ross, Abomination would provide a lot of muscle for the team and be a valuable asset if he can be controlled. He is set to appear in the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, after having a brief cameo fighting Wong in a cage during Shang-Chi. That was the first time audiences have seen the character since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. It would be delightful to see Tim Roth’s Abomination forced to work as a team alongside fellow anti-heroes and convicts.
Another possibility is Ghost from Ant-Man and The Wasp. This would be the perfect team for Ghost to join, as she can be ruthless when necessary, but can also show compassion. Last we saw Ghost, Hank, Janet, Hope, and Scott were attempting to help cure her using quantum technology. Unfortunately, they were all dusted. We haven’t seen Ghost since, and this would be a great way to bring her character back.
These last three characters would fit in perfectly as the leader with a pure heart to steer the team in the right direction. First, there is Bucky Barnes. Last we saw Bucky, he was free from Hydra’s mind control (thanks to the help of the Dora Milaje) and fighting alongside Sam Wilson’s Captain America, so his track record as a soldier is unmatched. The second hero we have in mind is Hawkeye. Hawkeye is another trained assassin who uses a bow, arrow, and sword to fight aliens and killer robots. Regardless of how much heat Hawkeye gets for being the weakest Avenger, there is no doubt that he is still as deadly as they come and willing to do what is necessary to get the job done.
Lastly, we have the man without fear, Daredevil, as a potential nominee for the Thunderbolts roster. Daredevil’s Disney+ series entitled Daredevil: Born Again, which is set for 18 episodes, is set to air in the spring of 2024. Thunderbolts, which closes out phase 5 of the MCU, has a preliminary release date of July 25, 2024. As such, the two projects may overlap, and we could see Daredevil as a late recruit brought in to try to lead the team — because if there is anything we know about Daredevil, it is that he is a protector of the innocent and has a pure heart.
The Necessity of The Thunderbolts
Netflix
The formation of the Thunderbolts will likely be a last resort measure that will probably result from something that happens in Captain America: New World Order, as the two films are set to release roughly two months apart. The superheroes we know and love may be wounded, missing, or even deemed criminals by the world’s governments, leading to the necessity of The Thunderbolts. This will be Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross’s opportunity to unleash his version of the Avengers upon society and be able to exert control over the team, essentially a group of super-powered individuals and deadly assassins that will likely report directly to Ross.
The necessity could even force Ross to collaborate with criminal masterminds like Wilson Fisk in order to help him control the team. This would be an interesting twist. Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, made his MCU debut in Hawkeye. He was presumed dead after being shot in the face by his former protegee Maya Lopez, but we know better than that. Kingpin has survived this injury in the comics, temporarily going blind but eventually returning to full strength. It is a near certainty that we have not seen the last of Kingpin in the MCU. In fact, he would be a great addition to the Thunderbolts team, even if he wasn’t chosen as a leader or adviser. We all know Kingpin can throw down with the best of them, possessing a near inhuman strength and durability. Whether he is boots on the ground, or observing from above, we would love to see Kingpin in The Thunderbolts.
In the comics, we’ve seen Thaddeus Ross take on the moniker of Red-Hulk, but seeing Red-Hulk in live action would be another treat that Thunderbolts could deliver on. The necessity of the Thunderbolts could even lead to a Red-Hulk Thaddeus Ross. Whether the necessity becomes great enough for Ross to feel the need to transform, there is no telling what could happen.
Avengers / Thunderbolts Assemble
Thunderbolts is the final film in Phase 5 for a reason in this writer’s opinion. Phase 4 was largely about introducing new heroes to join in the fight when the next big bad comes to Earth. Phase 5 will build on that, adding additional characters. Phase 6 will introduce The Fantastic Four, and maybe the X-Men, but then all of these heroes built over this 40+ show and film cinematic universe will come together in an Avengers Assemble to the power of 10, with a Multiversal battle in Avengers: Secret Wars. This is all speculation, of course, but it makes sense to introduce the Thunderbolts as an individual team — like the Guardians, they are separate from the Avengers but still fight together. Throw in the Multiverse and variants to the equation, and the possibilities are infinite. While these films are still roughly two years away, it is still an exciting time to be a fan of the MCU.
