Fans that have been patiently awaiting the MCU rendition of the renowned ragtag group of supervillains and anti-heroes, Thunderbolts, were surprised by several announcements made at Disney’s 2022 D23 Expo. For starters, the official line-up of the ensemble, featuring notable characters of the franchise who dabble in morally ambiguous endeavors, was revealed by the President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige himself.
An intriguing inclusion to the team that quipped the attention of many and caused confusion to some would be Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier. Sebastian Stan, who has donned the role for over a decade now, was ecstatic to be a part of Thunderbolts. According to the actor, whose last MCU appearance was marked with 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the unconventional team consists of “a good troubled bunch.”
The Addition Of Bucky Barnes In Thunderbolts
It is interesting to note that while Sebastian Stan‘s character has had recurring appearances throughout all the phases of Marvel films and has fought alongside the Earth’s mightiest heroes, he was never seen as an official part of the Avengers. With Marvel’s upcoming endeavor which would serve as the conclusion to Phase 5, Stan expressed how he could finally be a part of a team, even if it consists of a bunch of “troubled” anti-heroes.
Here’s what he had to say at the D23 Expo:
“These are my kinds of people. They look like a good troubled bunch, and maybe I know a thing or two about that, and I’m just really glad to be back and, I guess, join a team of some sort.”
Resonating with the other characters in the film who seem to have a skewed moral compass, Stan elaborated how the Winter Soldier, who was a brainwashed puppet under Hydra’s control, forced to enact several cruelties, knows a few things about being “troubled.”
While fans are confused as to how exactly Bucky plans to work alongside Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it seems like Sebastian Stan is quite ecstatic to be a part of the anomalous, eccentric group of anti-heroes in the Jake Schreier-directed endeavor.
A Ragtag Group Of Unconventional Characters
When the line-up of the anti-hero team was revealed, fans wondered where Stan’s character fits in. When it comes to Bucky Barnes, he was only a “supervillain” under Hydra’s control. Best described as a “hero-turned-villain-turned-hero-again”, the character has been described by Kevin Feige as “the most stable” when compared to the other people in Thunderbolts.
In an interview with Extra, when asked about whether the film strictly features either supervillains or superheroes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the actress known to play Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, made a callback to how Feige used the term “ragtag” as a valid form of expression best encapsulating the essence of Thunderbolts.
Sebastian Stan, on the other hand, had the following to comment on the matter:
“Maybe that’s what the movie’s gonna answer, right? It’s always interesting when you as an audience member have to maybe decide whether we are villains or heroes. But I think it’ll be interesting, I think that’s what’s compelling—I guess, about the movie—is sort of that it’s very unconventional like that. It sort of starts out a little bit like ‘who’s really the protagonist or antagonist,’ I guess.”
The film is turning out to be a puzzle that the fans will only get to solve upon its much-anticipated release. The fans have been fascinated by what the dynamics shared between all the characters would look like. Besides the inclusion of Sebastian Stan-portrayed Bucky Barnes, Thunderbolts will feature anti-heroes, such as Taskmaster, Red Guardian, Ghost, Yelena Belova, and the U.S. Agent and be managed by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
While die-hard enjoyers of the anti-hero/supervillain team mourn the absence of Baron Zemo from the premise, most are actively looking forward to seeing what the 2024 MCU film will mount up to; whether or not it would provide a fruitful conclusion to the intensely awaited Phase 5.
Thunderbolts will mark its theatrical release on 26 July 2024.
Source: The Direct
