Marvel's Thunderbolts* is coming to theaters in 2025, featuring an impressive new team of characters with dark pasts that have largely been covered in past MCU movies. Presumably brought together to work for the interests of the U.S. government, each member of the Thunderbolts has quite a history marked by darkness and hardship. However, it's been a while since certain members of this new team were last seen in the MCU.
Custom Image by Kevin Erdmann
Coming from director Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is set to release on April 30th, 2025. Thus far, only the core roster has been revealed to the public via concept art released by Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022 alongside more recent exclusive Thunderbolts* footage that was revealed at SDCC 2024. While this footage debuted new characters like Lewis Pullman's "Bob" (most likely the MCU's powerful Sentry), each known member of the Thunderbolts has already made one or more prior appearances in the MCU. To that end, here's each member of the Thunderbolts roster explained where we last saw them.
Yelena Belova
Sister of Natasha Romanov's Black Widow
First appearing in 2020's Black Widow, Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova was revealed as the estranged adoptive sister of the Avengers' Natasha Romanov aka Black Widow. A trained Black Widow herself and a product of the Russian Red Room, Yelena reunites with Natasha in Black Widow, working together with their adoptive father (Red Guardian) and mother (Melina Vostokoff) to dismantle General Dreykov's Red Room once and for all. Yelena made a subsequent appearance in 2021's Hawkeye.
Having been given a new contract from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) in Black Widow's post-credits scene, Clint Barton's Hawkeye became Yelena's next target, a target she had no problem carrying out as she blamed him for her sister's death in Avengers: Endgame. However, Yelena and Clint eventually make peace in 2021's Hawkeye, serving as Yelena's most current appearance in the MCU ahead of her confirmed role in Thunderbolts*.
The Winter Soldier
Bucky Barnes aka White Wolf
The best friend of Steve Rogers and one of Captain America's Howling Commandos during WWII, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was also kept alive into the modern era, having been captured by Russian agents of Hydra who enhanced his body and brainwashed his mind, turning him into one of their most deadly assassins known as The Winter Soldier. Sporting an advanced metal arm to replace the one he lost in WWII, Steve eventually finds and helps Bucky regain his mind with assistance from Wakanda as seen in Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
Given the name White Wolf by the Wakandans, Bucky was last seen in 2021's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier where the former Winter Soldier helped Sam Wilson's Falcon truly accept and take on the mantle of Captain America, as Steve Rogers had chosen Sam to wield the shield as seen in Avengers: Endgame. Having worked hard to reconcile his dark past and those he'd killed, it will be interesting to see how Bucky becomes involved in this new group being assembled for 2025's Thunderbolts.
Red Guardian
The Soviet Union Super Soldier
The adoptive father of Natasha Romanov and Yelena Belova, Alexei Shostakov was the Soviet Union's Red Guardian, a successful super soldier with enhanced strength and reflexes not unlike Steve Rogers. Played by David Harbour, Shostakov made his MCU debut in 2020's Black Widow, seeking revenge on General Dreykov who had betrayed him and thrown him in a Siberian prison to rot before his daughters broke him out. To that end, the exclusive SDCC footage suggests that Alexei will be the most enthused about joining the Thunderbolts, seeing this new team as a chance to reclaim the glory he was ultimately denied.
Taskmaster
Dreykov's Daughter
Also debuting in 2020's Black Widow, Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) was the primary operative serving General Dreykov as the Red Room's commander. However, it was later revealed that Taskmaster was Dreykov's own daughter Antonia, having been turned into a lethal killer via a chip that granted her uncanny photographic reflexes, allowing her to mimic the movements and abilities of any rival she sees or comes across. With Natasha having freed her mind from Dreykov's control alongside the other Widows using the Red Dust, it will be interesting to learn more about how Antonia rebuilt her life and what she's done ahead of Thunderbolts*.
U.S.Agent
The Former Captain America
Chosen to be the next government-sanctioned Captain America after Sam Wilson initially gave up Rogers' shield, John Walker's Cap (Wyatt Russell) clashed with both Falcon and the Winter Soldier while wielding the shield, working to take down the anti-nationalist group known as the Flag Smashers. Eventually giving in to his feelings of inadequacy, Walker secretly injects himself with a dose of super soldier serum. However, this serves to make Walker more unhinged in 2021's Falcon and the Winter, resulting in his public murder of one of the Flag Smashers who had been actively surrendering.
Walker was stripped of his rank by the U.S. government and dishonorably discharged. While he initially sought revenge, Walker does end up helping Sam Wilson's Captain America and the Winter Soldier prevent the Flag Smashers' attack on the GRC as seen in the show's finale. However, the aftermath also sees John Walker agreeing to work for Valentina, becoming the MCU's U.S.Agent who will continue serving the country in a more covert capacity, a relationship that will most likely continue heading into 2025's Thunderbolts*.
Ghost
Former SHIELD Stealth Operative
Played by Hannah John-Kamen, Ghost hasn't been seen in the MCU since her debut in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp. A former shadow operative who worked for SHIELD before its fall, Ava Starr attempts to cure her painful intangibility from a quantum accident by using the quantum tunnel built by Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne. Eventually, Ghost's affliction was stabilized by the movie's end thanks to Janet van Dynce who was successfully rescued from her years in the Quantum Realm, though Starr's whereabouts in the MCU have largely been unknown 6 years later ahead of her upcoming appearance in Thunderbolts* (though she will have a new suit).
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Director of the CIA
Having made her first appearance in 2021's Falcon and the Winter Soldier recruiting John Walker, the next appearance of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina was in Black Widow where she pointed Yelena in the direction of Clint Barton's Hawkeye. This suggests that Val has slowly been gathering agents at her disposal to be used in this upcoming team of operatives. However, her most recent appearance was in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever where it was revealed that Val is none other than the MCU's Director of the CIA, the implication being that the Thunderbolts will likely be a black ops meta team assembled to work in the interests of the U.S. Government.
Honorable Mention: Red Hulk?
President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
While he's by no means the founder of the Thunderbolts in the comics and hasn't yet been confirmed for the MCU movie, it's worth noting that Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross will be returning to the MCU in Captain America: Brave New World which will immediately precede Thunderbolts*. It's also been revealed that Ross will finally be transforming into the Red Hulk, just like his comics counterpart. Having first appeared in 2008's The Incredible Hulk as the classic general hunting Bruce Banner, the late William Hurt's Ross would later be featured in both Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Black Widow as the US Secretary of State.
Now, Harrison Ford has taken up the role of Ross who will have recently been elected as President of the United States in Brave New World. To that end, perhaps Ross will indeed be the founder of this new and seemingly sanctioned team of superhumans, especially if his desire to bring back the Avengers with Sam Wilson (as teased in Brave New World's trailers) ultimately falls through. Likewise, it's also worth noting that Red Hulk was once a member of the Thunderbolts on the page as well.
