Thunderbolts* is one of the most anticipated titles of the upcoming Marvel movies heading our way in 2025. Thanks to an all-star cast, a super cool premise, and some exciting new footage for us to dig through, the future of the MCU looks pretty bright, especially as we round off Marvel Phase 5.
The film sees the likes of Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, and US Agent return, and judging by the newly released trailer, the tone seems pretty light-hearted, with action and humor taking the spotlight. We could be in for a Deadpool and Wolverine-style team-up movie, then. But, if you're still largely in the dark about the new movie, though, we have everything you need to know. That includes the Thunderbolts* release date, the lowdown on the latest trailers, the cast, and all the news and plot rumors circling around.
So, for all you need to know about this MCU movie about a team of beloved misfits, head to the below for all your questions answered.
Thunderbolts* release date
Thunderbolts* will be released in theaters this May 2, 2025. It's the last film of Marvel Phase 5, arriving before The Fantastic Four kicks off Marvel Phase 6. Jake Schreier directs.
It's also been delayed a fair few times, with an original release date of July 2024. That means it's landing almost a full year later than planned. Still, we can't complain. At least we have a release date that now looks pretty set in stone, unlike some other recent Marvel movie announcements (looking at you, Blade).
Thunderbolts* cast
The Thunderbolts* cast features some major returning faces, and most of them are big-time stars.
While we are still waiting to see if we'll be getting any surprise casting news and new characters, we have listed all the full and confirmed Thunderbolts* cast for you below:
- Florence Pugh – Yelena Belova
- Sebastian Stan – Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier
- David Harbour – Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
- Wyatt Russell – John Walker/US Agent
- Hannah John-Kamen – Ava Starr/Ghost
- Olga Kurylenko – Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
- Lewis Pullman – Bob/Sentry (rumored)
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
- Geraldine Viswanathan – Mel
Thunderbolts* trailer
The new Thunderbolts* trailer (which you can watch above) was released on November 9, 2024, during Disney's D23 Brazil event. The teaser is on the longer side, running for over three minutes and 40 seconds, so buckle in if you plan on watching for yourself.
If you aren't fussed about watching the clip above, though, here's our summary: it shows the team at first coming to blows and then ultimately teaming up together under Valentina's direction – along with newcomer Bob, who may or may not be Sentry. Bucky also seems to be keeping an eye on Valentina, and, at one point, he attacks the Thunderbolts*. Yelena, meanwhile, is searching for purpose. Oh and there is also a car chase featuring some jokes that lasts for about a minute as well.
Thunderbolts* plot
Not a whole lot is known about the Thunderbolts* plot just yet. Obviously, we know it'll see a band of misfits teaming up. Beyond that, though, it's a mystery.
Judging by the trailer, it looks like each of the Thunderbolts is searching for purpose, and of course, the mystery of Lewis Pullman's Bob and his true identity will likely make up a decent chunk of the plot. The Thunderbolts* also look to be going up against those "worse guys" Valentina is talking about in the footage.
However, to be honest, the trailer still doesn't give much away (despite being nearly four minutes long). We'll keep you updated as more details and story rumors head our way.
What does the asterisk mean in Thunderbolts*?
We don't know yet why Thunderbolts* has an asterisk in the title, but it's there for a reason. "We won't talk anymore about that until after the movie comes out," Kevin Feige teased at CinemaCon 2024.
However, we did get a clue about the asterisks in the recent trailer for the movie. In the teaser, we see the Red Guardian scream, "We are the Thunderbolts!" Bucky then shakes his head and says, "We can't call ourselves that."
An asterisk then appears on the film's title card after the exchange, suggesting a change could be coming before the film's May 2, 2025 release date. Marvel isn't afraid to change the titles of its movies or shows, so this isn't a ridiculous guess at all. However, only time will tell us if our hunch is correct or not.
That's a wrap on Thunderbolts*. For more, see our guides on watching the Marvel movies in order and the Marvel timeline.
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