Thunderbolts*
"Everyone deserves a second shot."
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Yelena Belova leads a team of anti-heroes against the Void (Bob Reynolds / Sentry's shadow). They emerge as the New Avengers. This is the team going into Doomsday.
Why It Matters in the MCU
The franchise's reluctant-anti-heroes ensemble puts a team of characters defined by failure, guilt, and complicity into a story about the costs of suppressing rather than processing those things. Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova finally gets her own film in everything but name, and the ensemble's dynamic — people who have reasons not to trust each other, forced into proximity — gives the action sequences earned stakes. The Bob/Sentry arc introduces one of Marvel's most conceptually interesting characters into the MCU with a treatment of dissociation and self-erasure that is considerably more thoughtful than audiences might expect.
Where It Fits in the MCU
Thunderbolts* sits at position 126 of 133 in the MCU's story-chronological order, placing it within the Phase 5 — The Multiverse War (2025–2026) era. It is rated Essential — must-watch for following the main MCU narrative. Watching in story-chronological order provides the most coherent character development experience — individual arcs build naturally toward the franchise's major crossover events, with each film's post-credits scenes carrying forward into what follows.
Official Trailer
Cast
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