Thunderbolts* (2025) Trailer Review

After a relatively quiet year for The MCU, Marvel Studios have today released the first trailer for one of their films next year Thunderbolts* There has been plenty of leaks and info released about the film but this is our first official look and here are my thoughts of this trailer for the upcoming film. 

Yelena & Bucky will be the leads

The beginning of the trailer makes it pretty clear that Yelena is going to play a major part in this film and after her redemption in Hawkeye, I am looking forward to seeing her in a leading role here. The end of the trailer also makes it clear that Bucky is once again going to be in the leading role. I do wonder how his character has got in this situation after the events of Falcon and The Winter Soldier but I am sure we will have plenty of time to find out. 

It seems like the characters lack purpose. 

We hear Yelena talking about her lack of purpose, while we see Bucky entering a court room and John Walker reading articles about his failure as Captain America. We also see Red Guardian with no work and down on his luck, it gives a decent reason for them all to get involved in the story. 

The Main Characters are set up

We See Yelena, John Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster & a man called Bob bought together seemingly trying to kill each other. They quickly realise that there dark histories has led to somebody wanting to kill them and take them off the board which will force there team up. 

Ghost & Taskmaster have new costumes

Ghost played by Hannah John-Kamen and Taskmaster played by Olga Kurylenko are two of the least used villains in The MCU and they are back for this film and they both have new costumes. I like the fact they have streamlined Taskmasters costume and actually makes it look like a woman is the one beneath the costume. The Ghost costume is completely different and I am not a huge fan and think it looks a bit clunky and cheap. 

We are introduced to Bob AKA Sentry

While the characters fight, we are introduced to Bob who will be played by Lewis Pullman. The characters know nothing about Bob and we are given hints to what we can expect from him. Sentry in the comics is similar to Superman and is extremely powerful, we even see the Sentry logo later in the trailer so it seems he will be a big part in the film. 

Bucky is on his own mission tracking Valentina 

We see that Bucky isn't with the other members of the group straight away and is on his own mission. The trailer makes it clear that he is spying on Valentina and trying to find out what she is up to. Valentina has basically been the Nick Fury assembling these characters together so that will be how these characters come together. 

Are the Thunderbolts working for Valentina?

Later on the trailer we see Red Guardian, Bucky, John Walker, Yelena & Ghost meet with Valentina and find out what is going on. It even links to a moment earlier in the trailer where Bucky asks Valentina what the plan is. 

Bob isn't in this shot, my initial theory makes me think that once he becomes Sentry he is going to turn and become the villain of the film and the threat that the group has to take on. 

What is the * in the title?

There was recently some big interest in a slight change to the title with the addition of an Asterix next to Thunderbolts. It seems likely that the group of characters that we see in the trailer aren't actually the Thunderbolts and they are going to go against the real group led by Sentry. 

Can it escape The Suicide Squad comparisons?

Ever since this film was announced it has drawn huge comparisons to DC's offering of The Suicide Squad and on the surface I can see why. Obviously, this is a different group of characters and I am hoping that this film does some things to stand out and be different then those other films. 

Overall

Overall, I am excited for Thunderbolts* and this trailer did add to my hype and I am looking forward to seeing this film and hopefully can be another hit for Marvel Studios.