The MCU is going through a rough period with critical and commercial failures. From poor CGI work in movies and series to weak storylines, this is not the MCU the fans are familiar with. Marvel’s concerning state has also attracted the attention of the Bucky Barnes star Sebastian Stan. However, the actor is optimistic that his upcoming film may contribute to some positive change in the MCU.
Marvel Studios was known for delivering back-to-back hits. Unfortunately, the entire scenario changed after Avengers: Endgame. Projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels have earned questionable box office figures. The ardent fans are eager to watch the revival of the superhero universe, and Sebastian Stan thinks his Thunderbolts can play a primary role in it.
Sebastian Stan is hopeful about his upcoming Thunderbolts
Recently, Sebastian Stan appeared in an interview with Variety for his upcoming film with A24 titled A Different Man. During the discussion, the MCU star spoke of how the character of Winter Soldier played a significant role in the 41-year-old actor’s career. He also addressed that Marvel is struggling at the box office due to their inability to fulfill the fans’ expectations.
It cannot be denied that Marvel produced some iconic movies until the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. Projects like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War are still discussed among the fandom. Sebastian Stan explained that Marvel Studios have set a standard that has become too hard for even them to surpass.
“I’m excited. I’m going to go back basically in a month or so. I’ve missed it. It’s a great cast. The batting average is so high that it’s difficult to always land everything right away. It’s always been a great experience. With this one in particular, I think there’s a lot of good things.”
Sebastian Stan’s statement confirms that he is keen to return to the MCU and is confident about the outcome of his upcoming Thunderbolts. He thinks that the cast and the potential unique elements in the story can contribute to the success of the antihero team-up film.
A latest report also stated that Bucky will not appear in Anthony Mackie’s Captain America: Brave New World. The upcoming movie with Sam Wilson is the first Captain America movie that will not feature Sebastian Stan or Chris Evans. This has also raised a mixed reception on the internet.
What do we know about Thunderbolts?
Thunderbolts will focus on a set of antiheroes carrying out missions for the American government. Besides Sebastian Stan, the film has an ensemble cast consisting of Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko, Harrison Ford, and Lewis Pullman.
The team is also dubbed Marvel’s Suicide Squad. Some rumors also stated that the film may also follow the style of the Margot Robbie movie and have an R rating. However, trusted insider CanWeGetSomeToast reported that it is “not true.”
Not true.
The entire cast of ‘THUNDERBOLTS’ originate from PG-13 projects. It wouldn’t make sense to suddenly make their “Avengers” team-up movie only for adults. https://t.co/4H3kcVzOQL
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) December 21, 2023
The same insider also suggested that the film would not be similar to The Suicide Squad. However, fans may find its resemblance to James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Interestingly, James Gunn also expressed interest in a film based on Thunderbolts. However, later, he lost interest after making The Suicide Squad in the DCEU.
A story focusing on the team-up of misfits has been previously seen in the MCU, with the most prominent example being GotG. An R-rating can give it a more unique approach than the other MCU films. However, US Agent actor Wyatt Russell has also stated to The Hollywood Reporter that Thunderbolts will be different from the traditional MCU flicks. It will be exciting to watch if Sebastian Stan and Wyatt Russell’s words stay true.
Thunderbolts is slated to hit the theaters on May 2, 2025.
