With the premiere of Thunderbolts scheduled for May 2, we must note how much this film can impact the future of the MCU, and I’m here to break down what we know so far and how much it impacts the MCU.

What We Know So Far 

Just like The Suicide Squad of DC’s Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts tells a similar story of an unconventional team of antiheroes who find themselves caught in a trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and must embark on a deadly mission that forces them to confront their dark pasts.

Directed by Jake Schreier, the film stars Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov, aka Taskmaster, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr, aka Ghost, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov, aka Red Guardian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as The Sentry.

How The Film Impacts The MCU

 With the Avengers now gone, a huge void appeared in the MCU, and with new threats springing up, the need for a new team was made painfully obvious, leading to the birth of the Thunderbolts, an unconventional team filled with disillusioned castoffs and broken characters, to say the least, each with their individual stories.

The film also introduces Bob Reynolds, The Sentry, one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, said to possess the power of a million exploding suns, as well as The Void, his dark alter ego. Given Bob Reynolds’ unique backstory and defining fractured psyche, Marvel could dive into the character's origin story, delving into themes of mental health, addiction, and the burden of power. 

Final Take

Thunderbolts marks the conclusion of Phase 5, setting the stage for Phase 6’s multiversal chaos. Tying together Phase 5’s themes of antiheroes, government conspiracies (via Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), and the fallout from the Avengers’ absence. It also introduces The Sentry, whose instability could foreshadow multiverse-level threats in Phase 6.

I look forward to seeing this movie and how well Marvel Studios does in crafting and embodying Bob Reynolds' on-screen character, given the difficulty in portraying a powerful character with such complex duality. 

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.