Marvel’s Thunderbolts Director Clears Up Plot Confusion

Marvel’s Thunderbolts Director Clears Up Plot Confusion

There have been some awful plot descriptions revealed about the Thunderbolts movie and now director Jake Schreier clears up some of the confusion.

I suppose it would help if they either released an official plot synopsis approved by the director — or none at all.

As I previously pointed out, a synopsis released by Marvel.com stated, “Florence Pugh returns as depressed assassin Yelena Belova.” Yeah, who the fk wants to see that?

Another plot synopsis has apparently said Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina forms the team and they do bad things, which makes the flick sound a lot like DC’s Suicide Squad.

thunderbolts new still

What does Jake Schreier say about the Thunderbolts plot?

However, while speaking with Empire Magazine, Schreier at least cleans up the confusion surrounding Valentina.

“I’ve seen a lot of synopses out there that just say, as though it’s a fact, that it’s a team assembled by Valentina to go do bad things,” he explained. “I understand why that would be the assumption, but that is not the story.”

Schreier also confirmed Florence Pugh’s Yelena is the star of the movie, as some descriptions have offered Sebastian Stan’s Bucky might be the lead.

“She’s front and center,” said Schreier. “Yelena is in a certain place at the beginning of the film, and how she finds her way out of that place, and who she finds herself out of that place with, is at the heart of the story.”

Schreier compared Thunderbolts to two iconic films featuring team-ups where the characters don’t necessarily get along.

“It’s exciting to think of movies like Ronin or Reservoir Dogs, where you have a group of people that has no reason to trust each other,” he added. “Could they even learn to work together? What sort of conflicts would arise?”

thunderbolts poster

Kevin Feige addresses Thunderbolts

At the recent Disney APAC Content Showcase held in Singapore, Feige also addressed Thunderbolts.

“It’s taking characters from all different types of places and franchises and putting them together,” he said. “That’s what the Avengers is, that’s what Guardians of the Galaxy is.”

Thunderbolts gets released on May 2, 2025. The film also stars David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, with Lewis Pullman and Geraldine Viswanathan.

About Matt McGloin

Matt McGloin is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Cosmic Book News, the independent entertainment news site he founded in 2008. He covers movies, comics, TV, video games and pop culture and has reported major industry scoops over the years, including revealing the Avengers: Endgame title ahead of its official announcement. Through Cosmic Book News, he helped Marvel Comics promote Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova through exclusive previews, artwork, and interviews, with the site also quoted in solicitations and on comic covers. He also reported on Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again retooling before it was later confirmed by the trades.

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