Thunderbolts* may not feature a comic-accurate roster but it's quite easily one of Marvel Studios' most intriguing upcoming movies. Set to hit theaters next summer, the prevailing theory right now is that this team will ultimately be revealed as the Dark Avengers (hence the asterisk).
Marvel Studios didn't take Thunderbolts* to D23 but the first trailer did premiere at last month's San Diego Comic-Con. Now, nearly a month later, it's leaked online and the response from fans has been massively positive.
While the sneak peek is mostly comprised of action scenes, there are some big reveals in there which we're taking a closer look at in this feature. From The Sentry's MCU debut to what brings this team together, we have a lot to sink our teeth into and this movie has all the makings of being an absolute must-watch.
To read through this Thunderbolts* trailer breakdown, click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
6. A Family Reunion
The Thunderbolts* trailer opens with Yelena Belova tracking down her father, Alexei Shostakov. It doesn't appear he has much going on in his life since we last saw him in Black Widow, though he has finally made a home for himself in America.
"There is something wrong with me," Yelena tells her father. "An emptiness. I'm just drifting and I don't have purpose. I thought throwing myself into work was the answer."
As she says that, we see the former Black Widow making short work of various people she's presumably been sent to kill (meaning Yelena likely remained a contract killer following the events of Hawkeye). Could a team be what fills the void in her life?
5. "Fall Of A Hero"
During Yelena's voiceover, we also catch up with John Walker at home. He has a child now and, while sitting by her crib, he's reading a news article on his phone titled, "Fall Of A Hero: The John Walker Story."
In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, John was named the new Captain America but grew increasingly unhinged and eventually took the Super Soldier Serum. However, he also murdered one of the Flag Smashers, leaving him with no other choice but to give up the mantle and shield.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine later made him her "U.S. Agent" but whether the world at large knows that isn't clear. Bucky, meanwhile, is now a Congressman but appears similarly unfulfilled with where he finds himself.
4. An Unexpected First Meeting
We then find Yelena breaking into a mysterious facility of some sort. As she explores, U.S. Agent appears and attempts to gun her down, with a fight ensuing. The assassin is saved by Taskmaster when Ghost, who looks to be on John's side, also shows up.
This seems to be the first time this team crosses paths and it's confirmed that they were all "sent" there. After Yelena points out how they've all done bad things and someone must want them gone, the facility is suddenly put in lockdown.
A one-minute timer begins counting down and things aren't looking good for them; has an unknown foe set these four up to die or could this have something to do with the mysterious new character they encounter?
3. Bob
Before that lockdown begins, Yelena, U.S. Agent, Taskmaster, and Ghost meet Lewis Pullman's Bob. He wasn't sent there and it seems this is where he was being kept before everyone left.
Of course, we know that "Bob" is Robert Reynolds, a.k.a. The Sentry. The world's most powerful super soldier has an inner darkness called The Void, leaving us to wonder whether the apparent disappearance of the scientists and agents who once manned this facility is the villain's doing.
Were these four meant to save Bob, kill him, or simply retrieve him? We don't know, but we do see his iconic Sentry logo on a belt clasp a little later in the trailer, confirming he'll suit up. Bob is also confronted by a plethora of armed guards, though their hundreds of bullets have no effect.
2. Val Returns
Bucky attends a fancy shindig where one of the items on display is Loki's sceptre from The Avengers. He's keeping a close eye on Val, the C.I.A. Director who has made a move on Wakanda's Vibranium reserves and sent Yelena Belova to kill Hawkeye.
It's at this point her voiceover takes over: "We're brought up with this belief that there are good guys and there are bad guys. But eventually, you come to realise that there are bad guys...and there are worse guys."
The entire Thunderbolts team, including Bucky and Red Guardian, confront Val in a building which may or may not be Avengers Tower. Is this where she reveals that she was responsible for bringing them together as a team? Her own team of, say, Dark Avengers?!
Yelena doesn't seem thrilled to be reunited with her, anyway, but the trailer gives the impression that Val will be an Amanda Waller-style figure manipulating these wannabe heroes from the shadows.
1. New Costumes
Well, the Thunderbolts don't look like what you see above! Each of the characters has a new costume in the movie, with Ghost and Taskmaster undergoing the biggest overhauls. The latter is no longer hiding her femininity and now has a white skull-like mask.
Ghost, meanwhile, has a fully black suit with a smooth white helmet that isn't much like anything we've seen in the comics. Yelena isn't too different from previous appearances while U.S. Agents' suit has undergone only a few minor changes.
Bucky isn't wearing anything too exciting - he does, however, put his arm in the dishwasher at one stage - and Red Guardian's suit was shown off at Comic-Con. Is this the best costume design we've seen in the MCU? No, but the aesthetic from character to character is pretty consistent. We just hope The Sentry doesn't head down this black ops route.
Have you watched the leaked Thunderbolts* trailer? If not, you can do so here.