Marvel has had a bumpy ride lately. Between superhero fatigue and fans feeling a little “over it,” even the biggest names haven’t guaranteed big wins anymore. (Looking at you, Quantumania.) So, when the Thunderbolts trailer dropped, a lot of people — myself included — raised an eyebrow. Would this be another half-hearted swing, or is Marvel finally shaking things up?
Well, after watching the trailer a few times and chatting with friends who are hardcore Marvel nerds (and a few who just casually watch), I’m feeling cautiously excited. Thunderbolts might actually be good. Let’s dig into why.
Table of Contents
A Cast That Won’t Divide the Internet
One thing that jumped out right away? No big “actor drama” attached to this movie.
Marvel’s had a rough time lately with audiences turning on some of their stars. Even Chris Pratt, one of the biggest names around, has fans who flat-out refuse to support him because of his religious and political views. It’s crazy — he’s insanely talented and usually super likable on screen — but it’s reality.
Not to mention the issues with actors completely bombing media with insane viewpoints or drama/calling out fans such as Rachel Zegler, but be aware she may be coming to marvel even though rumors say Disney is kicking her out. — https://heroichollywood.com/marvel-rumor-rachel-zegler-role-mcu/
With Thunderbolts, though, the cast seems to be in the clear. Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), and David Harbour (Red Guardian) all seem to be pretty chill in the public eye. No major scandals, no weird interviews, no headline-grabbing drama.
That alone feels refreshing. Maybe we can actually focus on the movie itself instead of celebrity gossip for once.
The Trailer Vibes Are Different — In a Good Way
When I first watched the trailer, I braced myself for that typical Marvel formula: joke, explosion, heartfelt moment, more jokes.
And yeah, Thunderbolts still has humor. But it doesn’t seem like they’re going for the full-blown “haha every three seconds” treatment like they do in Deadpool or Guardians of the Galaxy.
The jokes here feel…more grounded? A little darker? They actually fit the characters and the vibe instead of forcing a laugh every two seconds.
That’s a really good sign, because honestly, Marvel’s constant humor has gotten a bit exhausting. Not every serious moment needs a punchline, ya know?
Especially when civilians are diving out of the way of the mayhem the “good guys” are creating when they “save” people; but again Deadpool’s whole character fit that role which is why we loved it, not everyone can.
The good news is they are a team of anti heroes so in a way it might just fit.
It Feels Like a Real Team-Up — Not a Cash Grab
Another thing I noticed? Thunderbolts doesn’t feel like it’s just throwing random characters together because they happen to be free on the Marvel calendar.
The team has real connections: Bucky is a super-soldier still dealing with massive trauma. Yelena is trying to figure out who she is after the Black Widow program. John Walker has serious anger and authority issues. Red Guardian is, well, a mess, but he’s trying. They’ve all got baggage, and it looks like the movie is actually going to lean into that.
It’s not just another “assemble the heroes, insert CGI villain, collect $800 million” situation.
At least, that’s the hope.
Could This Refresh the Marvel Formula?
Marvel desperately needs a win that feels fresh. Thunderbolts looks like it’s taking a different road — a little darker, a little grittier, but still accessible.
Kind of reminds me of when Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out. It wasn’t just a superhero movie; it was a spy thriller with capes. It surprised people.
If Thunderbolts can pull off that same “this feels new” vibe without losing the heart (or falling into endless sarcasm), it could honestly be a standout.
Plus, it’s coming at a time when people are ready for something besides the “multiverse” madness. After Loki, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, even die-hard fans are a little tired of timelines and variants.
Not to say it isn’t cool, but if we see it a hundred times in a row and it keeps getting more complicated and new rules and things…
Well let’s just say, it can be in a weak state where even I (a sci-fi lover) felt over it to a point where it stopped being a really neat idea and more of a way to hide extremely bad writing.
Secretly I Hope It Just Gives Us Something Else
Look, we have been in a situation lately where they start the movie and want to tell us all the backstory possible, especially with things like batman and superman for an obvious but un-marvel related example.
Do we need the origin of all these people to enjoy the movie? Can we just skip to the part where you are doing something, other than flashbacks and setting us up for 2 more movies you may or may not make?
I am perfectly fine not waiting another year or two for a continuation, where you finally get to enjoy what’s going on only to have the next movie flop.
I guess I am off topic but what I mean is, if it’s a two hour movie on a new set of people they feel the need to reserve about an hour of just “who are they” “why are they” and thing’s I feel like could be streamlined by just moving forward with the story.
For example Jason Statham movies are VERY practical and simple we don’t need a lot maybe a sentence or two and we are good to rock and roll with the plot. I even consider Indiana Jones the same way.
But I even still I have higher hopes than I typically have lately about this movie.
Some Worries Are Still There…
Of course, not everything looks perfect.
- Tone Balance: If they lean too hard into humor, it could end up feeling disjointed like Thor: Love and Thunder (which honestly felt like a 2-hour SNL skit at times).
- Character Overload: There’s a lot of characters. If the movie doesn’t give each one enough space, we could end up with another Eternals situation where you don’t really care about anybody.
- Villain Issues: Marvel hasn’t had a strong villain in a while, except for maybe Kang (and even that is complicated now with the Jonathan Majors situation). If the Thunderbolts don’t have a memorable, meaningful antagonist, the whole thing could fall flat.
But honestly? After seeing how carefully they seem to be setting this up, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Here’s What You Should Do Next
If you’re on the fence about Thunderbolts, here’s my advice:
- Watch the trailer again, but this time, focus on the character interactions instead of the flashy action scenes. The emotional beats are hiding there.
- Catch up on the characters’ backstories if you haven’t seen shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier or Black Widow.
- Manage expectations — go in hoping for a gritty team story, not another world-ending CGI fest.
- Be ready to enjoy a Marvel movie that might (fingers crossed) actually try something new.
And hey, even if it ends up a little messy, I think it’ll at least be interesting messy. Not boring.
Understanding Our Point of View
The honesty index aims to bring you closer to reality than other sites do, you are not a child, and you shouldn’t be treated like shit for enjoying something or having a hobby.
The goal with this article is to say since we are unbiased media and content we want to ensure you that we actually; DO believe you should be excited for this one BUT keep in mind to temper it abit.
We are still 60%-40% on the situation but favoring a good outcome seems like it’s not a bad thing here.
Also See:
Disney Movies Flopping 8 Uncomfortable Truths
Game Review – a quick link to our game reviews section.
Movie Review – a quick link to our movie reviews section.
Leave a Reply