Summary
Thunderbolts*is the MCU’s next big hope for a grounded project on the big screen, and it’s been described a bunch of different ways by the cast and crew, and the film’s central star has added a perplexing new anecdote to that list.
Thunderboltshas been the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most understated project, first being overshadowed by the preceding release ofCaptain America: Brave New Worldand then by the Disney+ release ofDaredevil: Born Again.Following the relative disappointment of the former and the latter’s weekly release schedule, fans are now paying more attention to the upcoming premiere ofThunderboltsand the film’s equally grounded tone. WhileBorn Againwas marketed based on its brutality, the upcoming team-up film is different, with project starSebastian Stan comparingThunderbolts*toThe Breakfast Club.
Stan’s description lines up well with the sort of vibe that fans have seen from the promo material and early descriptions from others working on the project. However, one other star has more to say. In a new interview withEmpirethat also featuredThunderboltsdirector Jake Schreier, Florence Pugh would offer another description of the upcoming project, saying that “it ended up becoming this quite badass indie, A24-feeling assassin movie with Marvel superheroes.” Schreier, whorecently comparedThunderboltsto theToy Story 3incinerator fire scene, also compared it to a previous project of his that seems to line up with Pugh’s comments. “There’s a certain amount of that Beef tone in it, that does feel different,” he notes, referencing his A24 project. “There’s an emotional darkness that we brought to this that is resonant, but doesn’t come at the expense of comedy.” That’s a lot to juggle with, and fans now have to imagine what the film’s tone will settle on.
Thunderboltsis set to return the ensemble team dynamic to the MCUahead of a new team of Avengers assembling (if they actually will) to battle Doom in the coming climax of the Multiverse saga. As such, there’s a lot of pressure for the film to hit the same sort of stride as the firstAvengersfilm, balancing a lot of different themes and moods to bring a bunch of disparate elements together in a believable way. This seems to be where the film is headed, with hints of comedy, action, emotional beats and more all brought in to make the Thunderbolts a new staple of the franchise. However, the idea of a street-level movie featuring the Sentry (and/or his nasty alter ego the Void) almost seems impossible. This falls in line with a recent trend of ‘grounded’ superhero shows that add in elements that just cannot be implemented in a truly grounded story, and it’s going to be the make-or-break point forThunderboltsas a vehicle for more grounded MCU stories in the future.Captain America: Brave New Worldalready failed at this, so fans will have to see howThunderbolts*shapes up.
Whichever way things go, there’s a lot to indicate that the film will be the success that the MCU has been looking for to rally the rest of the franchise. It so happens that recentThunderbolts*test screening reactions are reportedly very positive, which is a welcome change of pace from the reports that followedCaptain America: Brave New Worldduring the lead-up to its release at the start of the year. Fans will have to wait to see what the actual final product looks like, as the hodgepodge of comparisons and similar projects highlighted don’t form a concise picture at the moment, but if it connects with test audiences, then there’s a good chance it’ll be well-received overall.
