Thanks to Marvel Studios’ presentations at San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Fan Expo, MCU fans are eagerly anticipating the debut of Thunderbolt, the final film in Phase 5.
This new outing will serve as the next stage of a team-up movie, rather than an Avengers-focused outing, featuring all of the darker characters from the MCU timeline in play alongside each other. Leading the effort will be Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, a breakout star from Phase 4, though she will also be accompanied by major luminaries such as Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier and Wyatt Russell’s US Agent.
The Thunderbolts movie has been in the rumor mill for the better part of the past two years, primarily being discussed after The Falcon and The Winter Soldier ended in April 2021. And while Marvel Studios is known for planning their stories ahead of their release. , it’s unclear how long some of its biggest stars have been officially signed to reprise their roles in next year’s summer blockbuster.
Now, one of the main cast members has shared exactly how long she’s been engaged, which sets her up long before any of her co-stars.
One Thunderbolts Star Cast Before Rest
In a chat with Extras from D23 Fan Expo, Thunderbolts cast members Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Sebastian Stan discuss how long they’ve known about their casting in the antihero team-up movie.
While Russell and Stan admit they didn’t know until recently, Louis-Dreyfus revealed that Marvel Studios informed her a while back that she would return as Val in Thunderbolts. Stan then commented on how Louis-Dreyfus’s early knowledge of the project is fitting given Val’s supposed role as a Nick Fury-type recruiter in the film:
Extra TV: “I feel like we’ve been waiting for this cast announcement for so long. How long did you guys have to keep it a secret and how was it there?”
Stan: “I don’t think any of us knew, maybe you…?”
Louis-Dreyfus: “I think … I really knew.”
Russell: “Oh good. Good. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
EXtra TV: “Really?”
Russell: “I mean, I knew…”
Stan: “It was cool, because it was kind of the kind of drama on the show that we had and had a plan for when you came, so that by now the reality was matching up nicely.“
The trio also spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about their experience at D23 and where they are in the process of actually making Thunderbolts a reality.
When asked about the reception he received on stage, Louis-Dreyfus called it “surreal”, while also admitting that it was “weird” because he had not done any work on the film yet.
Louis-Dreyfus: “Somewhat surreal and we’re happy to be here, but we haven’t filmed yet… so it’s a weird, laid-back experience, but we’ve stayed.”
Stan: “…it’s a really good thing I always forget, you’re like, it starts out really well and hopefully ends that way… but it’s good that People are excited.”
She and Russell also confirmed that they could not answer any questions about the script or story when asked if they had seen anything yet:
Louis-Dreyfus: “We can’t answer that question.”
Russell: “No, yes… There are so many questions we can’t answer. That’s number one we can’t answer.”
However, Louis-Dreyfus shared what was the best part of her experience being part of the Marvel family as well as her experience at D23, revealing that her kids are “more than what they are doing now as part of their work”. very impressed”.
Val Star knew about thunderbolt before
Julia Louis-Dreyfus first made her mark on the MCU as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in Episode 5 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, immediately establishing the potential for a Thunderbolts-related storyline upon her arrival. It only makes sense that she would be the first to know about her future film as the leader of the on-screen team, especially with the roster likely to work longer as the Multiverse saga together. had come.
With Thunderbolts still almost two years away from its release in theaters, it’s no surprise that the actors involved don’t know anything about the story yet, as filming probably won’t begin until sometime in 2023. . It also leaves time for other possibilities. Cast members to join the fray, especially with new story threads potentially being established before Phase 4 ends and through Phase 5.
After appearing in both Disney+ and the post-credits scene for 2021’s Black Widow, with Val already establishing himself as a key figure in the story, Louis-Dreyfus is already some of his co-stars. is ahead of the game in regards. Stars. Where she appears next is more of a question mark, but she is one of the most important characters to follow over the next few years.
