The film press has had the enviable advantage of getting to see Marvel’s Thunderbolts, and their comments are only making us more jealous of them. We can’t wait to be able to see the film ourselves after its release on May 2, 2025.
Florence Pugh as Yelena
Florence Pugh has reprised her role as Yelena Belova, adoptive sister of Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff. She first portrayed the character in the Black Widow film in 2021. Then, she appeared as Yelena in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. Viewers referred to her performance as “superb” and said she “shines brightest.”
Matt Neglia from Next Best Picture had a lot to say about the film in his post on X. Of Pugh, he said, “This may be a team-up film, but it very much belongs to Florence Pugh, who carries much of the dramatic weight of the movie on her back.”
Writer Emily Murray posted, “Florence Pugh in particular is superb, just walks away with it.”
Praise for Thunderbolts
Florence Pugh isn’t the only one receiving praise, even if she did steal the show. The film itself is getting very positive reviews from those who were lucky enough to see it. Brandon Norwood expressed his surprise at how good the film was.
Shocked how good THUNDERBOLTS* is. Putting emphasis on the character work and practical action makes this feel like the old Marvel that has us for a decade plus. Wish we’d gotten this sooner. Helps that this dysfunctional team has chemistry too.
The praise just keeps coming. We could quote positive messages all day!
Like this one from The Hollywood Handle, “Thunderbolts is one of Marvel’s most enjoyable films in a while. It feels different than most of the studio’s projects. It’s bold, funny, filled with great action, and an unexpected emotional punch. Florence Pugh is the star who shines the brightest. There’s a lot to love here.”
Thunderbolts
This team of antiheroes is challenged when a death trap is set for them. Marvel’s overview states that they “must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear itself apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?”
In addition to Florence Pugh, the movie stars Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster.
Wrap Up
We’re thrilled to see Marvel come out with an apparent win after the disappointment of Captain America: Brave New World. The trailer looks great, and early reviews are showing amazingly positive reactions. It may be a good idea to buy tickets early! Could this be the start of some much-needed success for superhero films? We’ll see! In July, we have Fantastic Four: First Steps as well. Theaters will also be happy with some big ticket sales. Let’s all go to the movies!
