The Avengers aren’t coming, so it’s time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) latest group of heroes – or, rather, anti-heroes and reformed villains – to take on the mantle of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Introducing the Thunderbolts*, a crack team of emotionally damaged misfits who’ll take center stage in the final Marvel Phase 5 film. Right now, it’s called Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie, but we all know there’s a secret meaning behind that mysterious asterisk…
But I digress. Ahead of the next MCU flick’s arrival in theaters on May 1 (UK) and May 2 (internationally), I’ve compiled a guide to the characters you’ll see, which actors are playing them, and where you might have seen its cast members before.
No major spoilers follow for Thunderbolts*, but there are spoilers for a variety of other MCU projects. So, if you haven’t watched every single Marvel film or TV show to date, proceed with caution.
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Appearing in her third Marvel production after 2021’s Black Widow and 2022’s Hawkeye, Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova, aka the sister of deceased Avenger and former Black Widow Natasha Romanoff.
Another traumatized product of the assassin’s guild known as the Red Room, Belova has been working as a black-ops agent for CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (more on her later) since Romanoff’s death. However, as we’ve learned since Thunderbolts* first trailer was released in August 2024, Belova is struggling with feelings of loneliness and disillusionment heading into this flick.
An actor whose star has risen rapidly since her breakout role in the 2019 folk horror Midsommar, Pugh has appeared in many acclaimed and money-spinning films in recent years. Oppenheimer, Don’t Worry Darling, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, We Live in Time, Dune Part Two, The Wonder, and Little Women are just some of the other films you’ve likely seen or heard her in.
Pugh’s time in Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut won’t end here, either. Indeed, she was part of March’s original 27-strong cast reveal for Avengers: Doomsday, so you’ll see her again in May 2026.
Sebastian Stan as James ‘Bucky’ Barnes / The Winter Soldier
An MCU character who needs no introduction. The long-time friend – and occasional adversary – of Steve Rogers, aka the first Captain America, James ‘Bucky’ Barnes is an instantly recognizable face to many Marvel fans. Stan will reprise his role of Barnes / The Winter Soldier for the 10th (!) time in Thunderbolts*.
We last saw Bucky making a brief cameo in Captain America: Brave New World, when he informed Sam Wilson / Cap 2.0 that he was running for Congress. Thunderbolts* will pick up this narrative thread but, as the film’s various trailers and TV spots have teased, Barnes will soon realize he’s not cut out to be a congressman. Expect him to be the one that rallies the troops, and convince Belova and company to work together.
Outside of the MCU, Stan has recently appeared in acclaimed shows like Hulu‘s Pam and Tommy, as well as delivering award-worthy performances in recently released new movies The Apprentice and A Different Man.
Like Pugh, Stan was announced as part of Avengers: Doomsday‘s initial cast, so he’s another character who’ll survive this movie’s events.
David Harbour as Alexei Shoshtakov / Red Guardian
After exploding into the mainstream at the ripe age of 41 in season 1 of Stranger Things, aka one of the best Netflix shows, in 2016, Harbour has become one of the most beloved actors among movie and TV fans of a certain age.
Like Pugh, he made his MCU debut in Black Widow, and will also make his third appearance in a Marvel project with Thunderbolts*. Moonlighting as a limo driver, the wistful Shoshtakov will join the titular team in a bid to not only reconnect with his daughter in Belova, but relive his glory days as Red Guardian, aka Russia’s answer to Captain America.
One of Netflix‘s biggest TV hits notwithstanding, Harbour has also starred in DC Universe (DCU) TV series Creature Commandos on Max and The Newsroom on HBO among other projects. He’s also appeared in films including Violent Night, Hellboy, We Have a Ghost, Gran Turismo, and Extraction.
Following Thunderbolts*, Harbour will once again play Jim Hopper in Stranger Things season 5, aka the main series’ final chapter. After that, he’ll appear in the second Marvel Phase 6 movie – that being Avengers 5.
Wyatt Russell as John Walker / US Agent
Returning for his second live-action MCU outing – the first came in 2021’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS) – Russell reprises his role as John Walker / US Agent.
At the end of the second-ever MCU TV show to launch on Disney+, Walker, who had been chosen to replace Rogers as the shield-wielding superhero, was recruited by de Fontaine as another of her covert operatives. Like Belova, in the years since, he’s conducted various missions for de Fontaine, which act as a respite from his past and present-day troubles.
Last seen in Prime Video comedy flick You’re Cordially Invited, Russell also appeared in season 1 of Apple TV+‘s Godzilla program Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, 22 Jump Street, Night Swim, Lodge 49, and Under the Banner of Heaven.
Want to know when you’ll see Walker next? Like Pugh, Stan, and Harbour, Russell is part of Doomsday‘s ensemble. For more details on who else is joining that group, read my dedicated hub on Avengers: Doomsday.
Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost
Another returning face, John-Kamen makes her sophomore MCU appearance as Ghost, who was the antagonist of 2019’s Ant-Man and the Wasp.
In what’s becoming a running theme for many of these characters, she was hired by de Fontaine to carry out dangerous, clandestine missions. Lewis Pullman’s Bob aside (more on him in a moment), Ghost has the most unique powerset among this film’s character roster with her phasing ability, which allows her to pass through solid objects, being particularly useful for stealth-oriented tasks.
Following her breakthrough role in a TV show Killjoys, some of John-Kamen’s other acting credits include Game of Thrones, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Tomb Raider, Ready Player One, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.
Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster
Another MCU debutant who first appeared in Black Widow, Kurylenko’s Dreykov will appear as another de Fontaine-employed contract killer in this film.
With Taskmaster being conspicuous by her absence in recent trailers and TV spots for Thunderbolts*, Marvel fans are worried that Dreykov won’t feature as heavily in this superhero movie as they’d like. Will she make it out alive? You’ll have to wait and see.
Kurylenko is perhaps best known for starring opposite Daniel Craig in 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. However, she’s had a busy career since then, with notable roles in Netflix’s Treason and Extraction 2, as well as big-screen features like Oblivion, Sentinelle, and The Death of Stalin.
Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds / Sentry
The first new face (from a Marvel production perspective) to appear in this guide, Pullman was selected to play Bob Reynolds / Sentry after Marvel’s first choice, Steven Yeun, dropped out of Thunderbolts* due to scheduling conflicts.
For those who aren’t Marvel Comics devotees, I won’t spoil the big twist about this character. If you’re not precious about spoiling things for yourself before the film releases, though, my article covering the official trailer for Thunderbolts*, plus another Thunderbolts* teaser that shines a light on the movie’s villain, provide more details about Reynolds.
Best known for appearing in TV series including Apple‘s Lessons in Chemistry and Amazon TV Original Outer Range, Pullman has also appeared on the silver screen in Top Gun: Maverick, Warner Bros’ Salem’s Lot remake, and Bad Times at the El Royale.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
After making her debut as de Fontaine in a surprise cameo capacity in FATWS‘ final episode, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has had similarly small roles in Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Now, she enjoys her biggest role yet in a Marvel production, with the CIA’s duplicitous leader not only being inadvertently responsible of the titular group’s formation, but also – how can I put this in non-spoiler terms – having tentative ties to Pullman’s Reynolds. View her as a secondary antagonist of sorts for this film, then.
Most famous for appearing in popular US comedy shows like Seinfeld and Veep, Louis-Dreyfus is an instantly recognizable (not to mention multi-award-winning) actor who’s featured in lots of films and other TV series. From A Bug’s Life and You Hurt My Feelings, to Saturday Night Live and Curb Your Enthusiasm, you’ll have seen her somewhere prior to her MCU appearances.
Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
Viswanathan, who signed on to replace The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri, another original Thunderbolts* hire who departed over scheduling conflicts, will play Mel, de Fontaine’s assistant. The odd rumor has circulated online, though, that there may be more to Mel than meets the eye…
Like Russell, Viswanathan’s last role came in You’re Cordially Invited. The Australian star has portrayed characters in other properties, too, such as Drive-Away Dolls, Bad Education, and Miracle Workers.
Chris Bauer as Holt
As confirmed in one of numerous new Thunderbolts* images on Disney’s press site, Bauer will play a character named Holt. I suspect he’ll have a bit-part role to play in proceedings and, based on the above photograph, he’ll be a CIA or special ops agent who works under de Fontaine.
An actor widely known for his small-screen performances, Bauer has starred in successful programs including True Blood, Third Watch, The Wire, Survivor’s Remorse, The Deuce, and Heels.
There are other actors confirmed to appear in Thunderbolts*, such as Wendell Pierce, who’ll reportedly play one of Bucky’s fellow members of Congress. Rumors are circulating online about other stars who may show up in the film, too, but I won’t add to this list until Marvel confirms which characters the likes of Pierce are playing, or unless the comic titan officially reveals whether other MCU heroes will show up.
With less than a week to go (at the time of publication) until the movie is released, we’ll know if more people should be added to this guide soon enough.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
