Marvel Studios has fans excited after dropping major details about its upcoming projects at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024. In addition to announcing Robert Downey Jr.’s new role as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and teasing Mole Man’s appearance in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the studio also highlighted its upcoming epic team-up movie Thunderbolts*. As this assembly of antiheroes promises to bring something big to the franchise, one of its lead stars, David Harbour, teases it will "fundamentally change" the MCU.
Marvel Studios is about to make a big change by introducing a group of reformed supervillains who will soon become the superheroes who will save the world in Thunderbolts*. The studio has been quietly building this team after featuring Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in several projects, like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, to recruit powerful individuals. So, now that this group of antiheroes will soon come, Harbour told ComicBook at SDCC 2024 that they are about to interact with something mysterious that will change the name of the game.
“Our characters are going to interact with something that we don't really understand, and it fundamentally changes the course of the way things expand,” he said. “That's all I'm saying. Oh my God, I'm getting calls tomorrow.”
Though it remains to be seen what this mystery Harbour is referring to, one of the mysterious aspects of the movie is Sentry. Initially supposed to be played by the Walking Dead breakout star Steven Yeun, he was reportedly replaced by Lewis Pullman. Though Pullman is now confirmed to be part of Thunderbolts*, his character is only named Bob. However, as Robert Reynolds’ nickname is known to be Bob, it is a subtle confirmation that he will be seen as Sentry.
That said, with his ability being dubbed as a “power of one million exploding suns,” he may have a game-changing role in the upcoming MCU movie. Sentry is one of the most powerful Marvel characters in the comics, and this may be a hint that he will be a big threat in the franchise.
Wyatt Russell Teases Bucky Barnes’ New Role in Thunderbolts*
Bucky Barnes was first introduced in Joe Johnston’s 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger as a soldier who served the United States in World War II. After his run with Hydra, he became the ageless assassin named The Winter Soldier. He returned in Anthony and Joe Russo’s 2016 Captain America: Civil War and was absolved of his mind control. Bucky headed to Wakanda to heal and return to the real world in Malcolm Spellman’s 2021 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Now, he’s taking on a new government role in Thunderbolts*, with Russell teasing that his character is a “congressman.” Though the actor didn’t delve further into his new role, it’s only fitting after his new team’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) has become the President of the United States in Captain America: Brave New World. As Bucky may now lead the President’s team, having a position in Congress will only strengthen their synergetic relationship.
Details about Thunderbolts* remain under lock and key about a year before its release. However, with these major teases, Marvel Studios may soon release more teasers and information about it. The film will feature Stan as Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as US Agent, Hannah-John Kamen as Ghost, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster.
Thunderbolts* is set to release in theaters on May 2, 2025.
