After holding a prominent position in the franchise through the comics and animated series, the Thunderbolts team is finally making its way to Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) . The Avengers have been in the MCU long enough, and their reign continues. However, it is supposed that with Tony Stark dead and Captain America lost in time, Avengers, as we know them, will be coming to an end. With masters of evil (The Thunderbolts) in the equation, will likely step up to the plate while maintaining peace within the world, and working under the government.
In the comics, Thunderbolts have gone on multiple adventures. Besides, the team keeps changing throughout the journey with numerous iconic inclusions. However, in the cinematic version, only a few members are confirmed yet. More characters will likely make it to the team with time. But that remains a mystery until the release. Let’s see which characters made it to the theaters and what their roles could be.
The Thunderbolts Have a Rich Comic Book History
Thunderbolts made their first debut in comics when Kurt Busiek and Mart Bagley introduced them in 1997’s The Incredible Hulk #449. From the start, Thunderbolts were portrayed as villains, turned into heroes to serve a greater cause. The creators first made a place for the team by killing the Avengers in 1996’s Onslaught. Eventually, in the comics, the group overthrew Baron Zemo, and Hawkeyetook the lead.
Thunderbolts’ rich comic history continued beyond just the early journals. In 2004 Marvel published a limited series book titled “Avengers/Thunderbolts.” Just one year later, Marvel launched the second part of its series, “New Thunderbolts #1.” This comic book unlocked the doors of opportunities for Thunderbolts and re-established their whole story that was tweaked earlier.
Which Version of the Team is Making it to the Big Screen?
Starting from 1997, the team changed quite a lot throughout its journey. Besides, the motives and aims of the team were also not constant throughout the franchise events. In comics, we saw over half a dozen iterations of The Thunderbolts that have gone by the names of Protectors and Dark Avengers. So, the number of possibilities about which version is making its way to the theaters are endless. Thanks to the D23 expo, the Thunderbolts line-up for the Phase 5 Thunderbolts movie was briefly announced to the fans.
The team revealed at the expo took the internet by surprise; while many of the castings where expected, there were also several notable exclusions. Overall, the upcoming movie’s unpredictability can serve as its door to success. Besides, the film will likely clear the way for potential Thunderbolt spin-offs. But it is too soon to say! Let’s wait and see how the Thunderbolts team would change the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thunderbolts will be released in cinemas on July 26, 2024.Hawkeye
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