Ever since Thunderbolts was announced, fans believed the film would act as a spiritual sequel to Black Widow. However, director Jake Schreier assures he’s telling an entirely new kind of story.
The idea that Thunderbolts would be a direct continuation of Black Widow is an understandable assumption when fans realized nearly half the team debuted in that film with David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova all returning to their roles. However, Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier says that, while the characters have appeared before, it’s not a sequel:
“It was just a really different approach and a new kind of story to tell amidst that, which I know they’ve made so many things, but it’s not a sequel,” Schreier told Collider. “Yes, these characters have appeared before, but it is a new story being told and a story, I think, with a very different perspective than maybe people aren’t expecting, and I think that that felt exciting and felt like a real challenge worth taking on.”
Thunderbolts seems to be engaging in the age-old comics practice of turning what’s old into what’s new. While Black Widow characters may be appearing, it’s clear Jason Schreier and writer Lee Sung Jin have their own vision in mind for the film. Given their previous work together on Beef, it’s certainly a project to keep an eye on.
Who is attached to the Thunderbolts movie?
During Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con presentation in July, it was revealed that Jake Schreier would direct the upcoming Thunderbolts project. Eric Pearson, the writer for Black Widow, had previously written a draft of the script before being replaced by Lee Sung Jin.
Thunderbolts features a star-studded cast, including Julia Louis-Dreyfuss as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Hannah John-Kamen as the Ghost, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes and Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross. Ayo Edebir and Steven Yeun are also on board in undisclosed roles.
Thunderbolts is currently set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
