THE SUICIDE SQUAD Director James Gunn Reveals Why He's No Longer Interested In Helming A THUNDERBOLTS Movie

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Director James Gunn Reveals Why He's No Longer Interested In Helming A THUNDERBOLTS Movie

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn once expressed interest in helming a Thunderbolts movie for Marvel Studios, but he's now revealed why the project isn't one he's interested in tackling...

By JoshWilding - May 12, 2021 11:05 AM EST
Filed Under: The Suicide Squad

There was a time when Thunderbolts was a dream project for director James Gunn as he looked beyond his time working on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but that's no longer the case. Why not? Well, you can blame the DC Extended Universe or, more specifically, The Suicide Squad.

Answering fan questions on Instagram, Gunn was asked whether he would be interested in directing Thunderbolts for Marvel Studios.

"The Suicide Squad scratched that itch for me," he responded, confirming that DC Comics adaptation has filled his need for a comic book movie revolving around a team of villains. It's easy enough to see why, especially when Gunn would probably feel like he's retreading old ground with Thunderbolts

While the original iteration of the team was a group of bad guys posing as heroes when the Avengers disappeared, later versions were portrayed in almost the exact same way as Task Force X (with Luke Cage leading a team of "reformed" baddies who had been imprisoned in The Raft). 

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier dropped some hints about such a team eventually forming, with Baron Zemo and U.S. Agent two possible members of the group. Whether that happens remains to be seen, especially when Marvel Studios has yet to confirm any sort of Thunderbolts project for the big or small screen.

Which version of the Thunderbolts would you like to see in the MCU?

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MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 5/12/2021, 11:19 AM
I'm not good with picking directors but maybe it's for the best.
AgentZero
AgentZero - 5/12/2021, 11:47 AM
@MyCoolYoung - I think so too. After Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and what I saw for The Suicide Squad trailer I'm not overly a fan of him
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/13/2021, 5:46 AM
@MyCoolYoung - I just don't want to see him do a Thunderbolts movie. And if he did, I wouldn't want it to be anything at all like Guardians.

Thunderbolts shod not be a quirky, action comedy. (Neither should Suicide Squad, mind you, but I'm still excited for that) It should be more along the lines of Captain America The Winter Soldier's tone. These are villains we're talking about here.

My ideal Thunderbolts movie would be Zemo getting out of prison and forming a team of other villains/anti-heroes, disguising themselves as new heroes no one has heard about, and doing heroic things all the while pushing Zemo's master plan of getting rid of all superheroes. Disguising themselves as heroes would also help take the spotlight away from him when messed up things start happening due to his plan.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 5/13/2021, 6:56 AM
@CorndogBurglar - I actually like this idea a lot. What heroes do you think should bring them down?
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 5/13/2021, 10:15 AM
@MyCoolYoung - Eventually I think the newer version of Avengers, whatever that team will end up looking like. And this whole direction could be something happening slowly over time. Like, the first Thunderbolts trilogy could be this idea. Then in the third movie, make it basically Avengers vs Thunderbolts. (Kind of like how Cap 3 was Civil War and more of an Avengers movie than a standalone Cap film)

Also, doing that kind of makes it so that all of this is happening in the T-Bolts movies, while not interfering in whatever the new Thanos level threat is.

It could end with the Thunderbolts getting beaten by the Avengers, then the Government stepping in and putting together their own team of T-Bolts, including Zemo and some of the others.

Also, not making them government funded at first will significantly stop any fans saying Thunderbolts is just a Suicide Squad rip off.
dracula
dracula - 5/12/2021, 11:25 AM
disney should have never fired him. The Suicide Squad looks great. Will be nice to see a c (or D) lister get the spot light in Peacemaker, wonder what will be next for him at DC
Kozmik
Kozmik - 5/12/2021, 11:28 AM
Is it really easy to see why Gunn is no longer interested in doing a Thunderbolts movie (if it were a thing)? Using the logic from this article he wouldn't be doing any superhero movies at all, after all he's already directed the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and they're superheroes, so what's the point?
DanFlashesShirt
DanFlashesShirt - 5/12/2021, 4:25 PM
@Kozmik - ya but even GOTG is kinda in that same lane of criminals coming together to do some good. Writing/directing a THIRD version of that premise is a bit a much..
JonC
JonC - 5/12/2021, 5:18 PM
@Kozmik - i think Gunn has always had a darker side yearning to get out... he toyed with it in the Guardians movies and Suicide Squad finally allowed him to get it out. As long as DC keeps letting him make R rated versions of heroes he will be ok for a while... but eventually be bored again.
Kozmik
Kozmik - 5/13/2021, 1:01 PM
@JonC - Maybe. The logic still doesn't make sense though. Thunderbolts aren't the Suicide Squad, never mind the similaritis of the premise. The same way Batman is not Spider-Man, despite their similarities.
Kozmik
Kozmik - 5/13/2021, 1:03 PM
@whalers - And if Gunn or anyone else wrote the exact same thing you'd be right. Though that isn't happening. And as far as the premise goes, as I wrote elsewhere, Gunn supposedly isn't tired of superhero movies, despite the fact that the premise is pretty much exactly the same for every single one.

Gunn can do what he wants. His statement for doing so just doesn't make any sense.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/12/2021, 11:31 AM
He gets way more freedom at DC right now. I mean he literally said Id like to make a HBO show on one of the characters from my film and WB is like OKAY. He has to adhere to many more variables within the confines of the MCU.
Zoldyck93
Zoldyck93 - 5/12/2021, 11:31 AM
Thank god
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 5/12/2021, 11:36 AM
Also said to expect Peacemaker in January 2022...



All my hype in that show depends on how The Suicide Squad turns out.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 5/12/2021, 11:37 AM
Also said there’s two more DC properties he’s interested in...didn’t mention he was if he was going to pursue them or not.
PicolasCage
PicolasCage - 5/12/2021, 11:37 AM
Thank god, last thing we need is cringey slapstick humor on Thunderbolts
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 5/12/2021, 11:37 AM
That's a fair answer
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 5/12/2021, 11:41 AM
That's cool. I mean he's great with obscure characters, but there's plenty of other talent out there. With that being said, I wouldn't seeing what he could do with a Dark Avengers project.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 5/12/2021, 11:44 AM
They need to get a new voice for this. With Gunn you know what you’re getting and I think Thunderbolts requires a difference perspective. Not that Gunn isn’t good, but I feel like with the Thunderbolts you could get a TWE situation with the right new people behind it like how The Russos relapsed Cap.

TheBlueMorpho
TheBlueMorpho - 5/12/2021, 12:28 PM
@BlackBeltJones -

I enjoyed that King in Black: Thunderbolts tie-in more than I thought I would.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 5/12/2021, 1:07 PM
@TheBlueMorpho - I haven’t liked King in Black much but I LOVED this tie in.
TheBlueMorpho
TheBlueMorpho - 5/12/2021, 2:29 PM
@BlackBeltJones -

Batroc was a highlight. Haven't read too much comics with Mr. Fear in them but I liked him. Taskmaster was fun as always. And Star worked in this. I hope they get teamed up again.
SirDuckAlot
SirDuckAlot - 5/12/2021, 11:49 AM
It's for the best
Luigi
Luigi - 5/12/2021, 12:14 PM
I like Gunn but I'd prefer a different style from The Suicide Squad. Maybe more Russo brothers-y
Shroombeast
Shroombeast - 5/12/2021, 12:25 PM
Well [frick].
Franshu
Franshu - 5/12/2021, 12:34 PM
Good. I like the Thunderbolts more sinister than the wacky version Gunn would've delivered (not that I dislike his approach to characters, just that I don't think I'd have enjoyed it when applied to the Thunderbolts)
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 5/12/2021, 12:45 PM
Not sure if he would be interested or even someone on Marvel's radar, but I think Dan Gilroy could make an interesting director pick for Thunderbolts.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 5/12/2021, 7:25 PM
The way Suicide Squad is going to go I’d really like a more serious take on this. So no Gunn and no Waititi, please. I love their films, but not for this.
HAUSMAN01
HAUSMAN01 - 5/12/2021, 8:22 PM
I'm in agreement with some of y'all in the thread saying no Gunn or Taika for this;I too love their work but the joke SHIT can be a tad too much and some would argue very VENOM like if they didn't have the MCU stamp on there properties. As for who'd I want for THUNDERBOLTS I'd like someone like Eric Kripke(The Boys showrunner)or an animated director in Jeff Allen (the Invincible director)
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