Marvel's Thunderbolts movie: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, story synopsis, and more news and rumors

Thunderbolts will storm into theaters in the near future. The next Marvel film is set to make its debut on May 1 (UK) and May 2 (internationally), so it's time for you to catch up on what we know about the Avengers-esque movie.

In this guide, I've compiled the latest news and rumors on the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) second film of 2025. You'll learn more about one of 2025's most exciting new movies, including what its various trailers tease, its official cast list, plot specifics, and how Thunderbolts* (don't ask about the asterisks) may set up events to come in the MCU.

Major spoilers follow for numerous Marvel projects, including Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS), Black Widow, and Ant-Man and the Wasp (AM&TW).

Thunderbolts release date

As mentioned, Thunderbolts – or, to give its official title, Thunderbolts* – will leap onto the big screen on Friday, May 2. Well, in most territories, anyway. UK fans will be able to watch it a day earlier on May 1. Huzzahs all around for those of us who live in that country.

Thunderbolts was first announced by Marvel in June 2022 and, initially, it was set to arrive in December 2024. However, the 2023 Hollywood writer and actor strikes led to multiple Marvel movies being delayed, including Thunderbolts*.

Owing to that months-long stand-off, plus the departure of Steven Yeun and Ayo Edebiri, who'd originally signed on to feature, filming didn't start on Thunderbolts until it had ridden out its creative storm in March 2024. Thankfully, it hasn't suffered further delays, so it's still slated to arrive in May.

Thunderbolts trailer

The official trailer for Thunderbolts was released during Super Bowl LIX. It teases plenty, too including lots of humorous, action-packed, and melodramatic incidents, as well as the revelation that its main villain is someone you probably expected to be a good guy.

Before that, Thunderbolts' first trailer was released publicly last September following its exclusive debut at D23 Expo 2024.

Two months later at the Brazilian edition of D23 Expo 2024, Marvel unveiled another look at Thunderbolts that suggested it'll help Marvel Phase 5 end with a bang rather than a whimper, too.

Finally, another trailer – titled 'Absolute Cinema' (yes, it's a play on that Martin Scorsese meme) – teases snippets of new footage and details the creatives behind this self-styled indie superhero flick.

Thunderbolts cast: confirmed and rumored

Potentially big spoilers follow for Thunderbolts. Major spoilers also follow for multiple MCU projects, including Captain America: Brave New World.

Here's the confirmed cast list for Thunderbolts* so far:

• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan as James 'Bucky' Barnes/The Winter Soldier
• David Harbour as Alexei Shoshtakov/The Red Guardian
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
• Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
• Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry/The Void
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel

Everyone except Pullman's Bob Reynolds and Viswanathan's Mel will be familiar to MCU fans. But, if you're new to the franchise or need a quick refresher on who they are, read on.

Pugh's Belova, aka the movie's lead, was first introduced in Black Widow. She's the sister of Natasha Romanoff, aka the MCU's original Black Widow. The popular Avengers sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame to allow Clint Barton/Hawkeye to retrieve the Soul Stone on Vormir. Belova was last seen in Hawkeye on Disney+ where, suspecting Barton was behind Romanoff's death, tried to kill him. However, when she realized he wasn't responsible for Romanoff's death, Belova ended her quest for vengeance.

Harbour's Shoshtakov and Kurylenko's Dreykov also made their MCU debuts in Black Widow. Shoshtakov is Romanoff and Belova's father, and he's also Russia's answer to Steve Rogers' iteration of Captain America – i.e. a super-soldier who wields a shield. Meanwhile, Dreykov is also known as Taskmaster, aka an individual who can mimic a person's combat skills.

Stan's Barnes needs no introduction. He's been an MCU ever-present since 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, appearing in nine Marvel properties. Another super-soldier with a vibranium arm, and formerly a brainwashed Russian assassin called The Winter Soldier, Barnes will either be running for Congress in Thunderbolts* or have been elected by its beginning. This story beat was revealed in Brave New World – read my Captain America 4 ending explained piece for more details.

Wyatt's Walker was an antagonistic figure in FATWS. He was enlisted as the new Cap in that TV show after Rogers gave up the shield, but eventually lost the title to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. He was later hired by Louis-Dreyfus' duplicitous CIA Director to become a black ops-like version of Cap called US Agent.

Speaking of Fontaine, she first appeared in Black Widow's post-credits scene and has since shown up in FATWS and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She's responsible for sending Belova after Barton, too. Oh, and she'll be helped by Viswanathan's Mel, who's her aide in this flick.

John-Kamen will reprise her role as Starr/Ghost, the primary antagonist of AM&TW whose abilities allow her to phase through solid objects. Like Belova and Walker, it appears Fontaine hires her to conduct secret missions.

Rounding out the main cast is MCU newcomer Pullman, who'll portray Bob Reynolds. In the comics, Reynolds is an amnesiac middle-aged man who doesn't know he's also one of the world's most powerful superheroes, aka Sentry. However, Reynolds harbors a dark secret. Thanks to the super-soldier serum he receives in the comics, he also possesses a demonic persona called The Void. If it manages to mentally overpower Reynolds and Sentry, it uses its abilities to cause wanton destruction. We catch a very brief glimpse of The Void in action in Thunderbolts' final trailer, so don't be shocked if Reynolds ends up being this movie's Big Bad.

Want even more details on these characters and their comic book backstories? Check out our exclusive deal with Marvel Unlimited, the online service that grants you access to over 30,000 Marvel comics.

Thunderbolts story synopsis and speculation

Possible spoilers follow for Thunderbolts*.

Here's the movie's official plot brief: "In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes – Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?"

The "death trap" aspect won't come as a surprise to anyone who's seen the trailers. Indeed, the footage suggests Fontaine sends Walker, Starr, Dreykov, and Belova on a mission to eradicate Reynolds. Of course, the quartet doesn't know about Reynolds' abilities or dark side, so they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

The big question on everyone's minds is why Fontaine is sending these mercenaries to their apparent deaths. Is she simply trying to tie up some loose ends? In my view, that's the most likely explanation. The trailers indicate that Fontaine's plan goes awry, though, with the group escaping alongside Reynolds and, after teaming up with Barnes and Shoshtakov, confronting Fontaine at her new headquarters in the building formerly known as Avengers Tower. Yes, that's the same skyscraper that Tony Stark owned until his death in Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Empire magazine, director Jake Schreier says we'll learn why she's acquired and renamed it "Watchtower".

Anyway, each team member will be dealing with their own insecurities in this Marvel Phase 5 film. The trailer shows a disenchanted Belova going through the motions before she seeks out Shoshtakov for emotional support. Unfortunately, the wisecracking super-soldier appears ill-equipped to help as he struggles with his own demons of being a dead-beat dad and yearning for new adventures despite his aging body.

Walker will be grappling with his dark past and raising his son alone after his wife's death in FATWS, while Barnes will likely need to face up to his own murder-laden history and attempts to make a difference as a newly-elected Congressman. Then there's Reynolds who has his supervillain-esque internal issue to continually quell.

Thunderbolts won't be a wholly melancholy affair. There'll be plenty of trademark MCU humor to enjoy, especially once this group of oddballs join forces for the greater good. Per Variety, Stan has even likened it to the iconic 1985 teen movie The Breakfast Club, which featured a similarly eccentric group of misfits who realize they have more in common during a Saturday detention.

In another Empire magazine chat, Schreier also said the ragtag team's make-up is akin to Woody and Buzz's found family in the Toy Story films. Clearly, Marvel is going all-out to make this so-called "A24-feeling assassin movie with superheroes" (Pugh's word to Empire, not mine) to make Thunderbolts* stand apart from its contemporaries.

But back to something I mentioned many paragraphs ago: what does the asterisk allude to? Some fans believe it's a subtitle placeholder, which will be revealed in the third act or before the credits roll. Right now, fans have two suggestions: Dark Avengers or New Avengers. The former would befit this team of not-so-morally upstanding individuals. However, the latter appears more likely, especially in light of Fontaine claiming that the world needs a new Avengers-like team in Thunderbolts' latest trailer. We'll see if either of those theories is correct soon.

What Marvel movies and shows do I need to watch before Thunderbolts?

I've already hinted at the MCU movies and TV shows that you'll need to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services before the final Phase 5 film is released.

Nevertheless, here's a quick round-up of what you'll want to stream before Thunderbolts* arrives (NB: you can read more about each one in my Marvel movies in order guide, too):

• Ant-Man and the Wasp – introduction of Ava Starr/Ghost
• Falcon and the Winter Soldier – introduction of John Walker/US Agent
• Black Widow – introductions of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster
• Hawkeye – progression of Belova's MCU journey
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – more details on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's history and CIA role
• Captain America: Brave New World – details on Barnes' campaign to become a Congressman

How will Thunderbolts impact the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The short answer is: I don't know, but that won't stop me from speculating.

If Belova and company are installed as the newest version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, I wouldn't be shocked if some appear in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. The pair, which are currently set to release in theaters in May 2026 and May 2027, should bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga. Aside from Robert Downey Jr's shock casting as the villain in both films, plus the inclusion of Mackie's Wilson/Cap 2.0 and The Fantastic Four, there's no official word on which other heroes will appear.

It's possible, then, that the likes of Belova and Barnes (at the very least) will feature in these Marvel Phase 6 projects. Stan was in the last two Avengers flicks, while Pugh is one of the most popular actors around right now, so she's a shoo-in to appear. I'm not so sure if Russell, Harbour, or any other Thunderbolts* cast members will show up, though.

As for whether Thunderbolts will set up any story threads for Avengers 5 and Avengers 6, I don't think that's likely. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the final MCU film that'll land in theaters before Doomsday, so I'd expect it to do most of the heavy lifting (from a plot perspective) for that duo.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on the best Marvel movies and Spider-Man 4.