‘A really, really beautiful experience’: Florence Pugh promises ‘Thunderbolts*’ might give the Avengers a run for their money

Fans have had to test their patience with the arrival of Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, but it may have been well worth the wait. The new ensemble film has pulled fan-favorite characters from the MCU.

In addition to the addition of the long-suffering Bucky Barnes, (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) returns to the Marvel stage after her last appearance in Hawkeye. As in the comic, the Thunderbolts is a team-up among the world’s mightiest anti-heroes. While these characters may chafe upon first meeting, Pugh reported having a different experience. While on the podcast, She MD, the Dune: Part Two actor reflected on filming the comic book film.

Comic book movies may have plateaued in interest in the past few years, but the same cannot be said for the passion of its actors. Along with the Winter Soldier and a Black Widow in the mix, Thunderbolts* will also feature David Harbour reprising his role as The Red Guardian, Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Wyatt Russell returning as Agent Walker, and the introduction of Lewis Pullman as the mysterious Bob. While an entirely different group dynamic than the famous ensemble before them, the Thunderbolts could mean a new phase in the MCU.

Are the Thunderbolts the new Avengers?

In retrospect, The Avengers had a relatively short shelf-life. After coming together in 2012’s The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron shows the cracks beginning to show in the partnership. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) self-destructs and the team separates, segueing into Civil War. Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) Avengers were more often not a team than they were one, with Tony’s (Robert Downey Jr.) death making this a permanent state. What truly made the Avengers a team was the chemistry between the characters. This is the most meaningful in Endgame when the stakes are at their peak.

The Thunderbolts may do more than measure up to their predecessors. Bucky and Yelena are already proxies for Captain America and the Black Widow. Even better than that, they have more in common. Bucky and Yelena were both brainwashed by a Russian program that led them down their dark paths. They have also lost the people most important to them around the same time. While Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) and Bruce’s dynamic was the most forced relationship of the series, Yelena and Bucky should have a far more natural connection.

Unlike the Avengers, the Thunderbolts’ friction also makes a lot more sense. The original ensemble team always appeared to have cause to fight, even though they were on the same side. The Thunderbolts, on the other hand, first come together under duress. Each one of them is a lone wolf, and being part of a team isn’t in their repertoire. The joy of seeing them come together is putting these characters out of their element in this group setting. All of these factors could mean that Thunderbolts makes more sense as a team than the Avengers in the MCU, and could even bring love back to the franchise. One thing is for certain. The Thunderbolts residing at Avengers Tower sure make them poised to take over in that regard. The only question now is if Young Avengers is ever going to take form. Viewers can catch the new team-up when Thunderbolts* premieres in theaters on May 2, 2025.