Here’s what the Thunderbolts* movie means to its fans (Part Two)

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This week, Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts, their newest ensemble film that has generated a great deal of excitement among fans, makes its way to theaters. It’s not an overstatement to say that the anticipation for this film is high, as the first installment in this series aimed at fans has shown that it has already garnered a particularly dedicated group of enthusiasts who have been eagerly awaiting their favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie to grace the big screen.

The first part of the series presented the reactions of two passionate fans, while the second part catches up with additional two enthusiasts.

Featured fan: Beck (@Super_Clownery)

Our upcoming Thunderbolts fan hails from the United States and goes by the name Beck (@Super_Clownery on Twitter/X). This enthusiastic individual is a college student and self-described ardent admirer of Marvel. She’s unsure about the exact moment she became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fandom, but it was likely around 2017 or 2018 as the movie “Avengers: Endgame” hadn’t been released in 2019 yet.

Beck’s fascination with the film Thunderbolts sparked when they announced it, but truly ignited when they learned that Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh) would be the leading role. “When I discovered one of my favorite characters, Yelena, was starring in the movie, I couldn’t help but get genuinely enthusiastic about it. I adored her character from Black Widow and Hawkeye, so my excitement grew.

Beck is equally excited about meeting Ava Starr, aka Ghost (played by Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov, known as Taskmaster (portrayed by Olga Kurylenko), in the upcoming team-up film. He found these two characters intriguing in their previous roles, and he’s hoping to delve deeper into their stories, particularly Taskmaster since she had only a couple of lines before!

Last summer is when Beck’s passion for this movie truly took shape. It all started during San Diego Comic-Con last year, as his excitement gradually intensified: first with the leaked audio of the trailer, then brief glimpses, and finally when Marvel posted the official one earlier than expected. The trailer Beck is mentioning was actually released in September 2024, an astonishing eight months before the movie’s release date on May 2nd, 2025. For context, most Marvel movies that kick off the summer season (usually the last weekend of April or the first weekend of May) have their first trailers released in November or December of the previous year – including the latest Avengers films.

Besides the points previously mentioned, Beck is drawn to the movie Thunderbolts due to its handling of mental health and illness. She finds it intriguing that the film appears to address these topics extensively, a rarity in many movies as they often either misrepresent or fail to delve deeply into them. As someone who experiences depression, she appreciates that mental health seems to play a significant role in the movie’s plot and the creators don’t seem to be avoiding this sensitive subject, making it refreshing.

Apart from expressing admiration for the film’s surprising roster of characters, Beck also voices anticipation for seeing lesser-known figures like Ghost and Taskmaster take center stage. She’s confident in the team behind the project, including director Jake Schreier and writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, and believes that the movie could rank among the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s finest productions due to their past accomplishments.

As the movie is set to debut this week, Beck’s expectations for the film mainly revolve around the character of Yelena and specific scenes she desires for the Black Widow assassin. “I believe a conversation between Yelena and Alexei about Natasha and her sacrifice in ‘Endgame’ would be fantastic (although it might also bring tears to my eyes).” Additionally, she hopes to see a blossoming friendship between Yelena and Bob, as hinted at in the latest promotional materials for the movie (Bob/Sentry is portrayed by Lewis Pullman). Other items on her wish list include more screen time for Ava/Ghost, who she finds incredibly cool with amazing powers. She also looks forward to seeing more of Taskmaster being a formidable character.

Regarding the last item on her wish list, Beck eagerly anticipates that “Thunderbolts” will deliver an impactful emotional moment. She expresses, “With such a gifted cast, I can’t wait for a scene that will reduce me to tears. I have no doubt that Florence Pugh will bring the waterworks!” she says, chuckling.

In conclusion, when it comes to interpreting the asterisk in the movie’s title, Beck presents three possibilities. Initially, she suggests it could symbolize a temporary or placeholder name for the characters within the Thunderbolts team (“It appears Alexei is the only one who genuinely desires the name.”). Secondly, she proposes that the team might be perceived as the new Avengers by the public following the events involving Sentry, as shown in the trailers.

Beck’s third hypothesis revolves around the traditional purpose of an asterisk – she ponders if it serves as a reflection of how the Thunderbolts perceive themselves, since asterisks are commonly used to denote omissions or questionable matters in written works. She senses that the characters all seem marginalized and overlooked by society, which leads her to believe that the third interpretation might be the intended meaning of the symbol. However, she believes that one of the first two possibilities is more probable.

Featured fan: Darío

The last diehard fan of this series we’re featuring is Dario, who identifies himself as a passionate Marvel enthusiast, particularly captivated by the Thunderbolts lately. He acknowledges that his engagement with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is relatively recent, sparked by an intrigue towards its most iconic web-slinger. “I haven’t been following the MCU for very long,” he says, “My interest was piqued around late 2023 and early 2024, thanks to Spider-Man, believe it or not. I wanted to catch up on all the movies featuring Tom Holland as Spider-Man, starting with Captain America: Civil War (which turned out to be a less than ideal introduction for me, honestly), and eventually got hooked on Marvel altogether.

In the year 2024, around its initial phase of production in Atlanta, Georgia, Darío first learned about Thunderbolts. Upon discovering the movie, he was filled with immense excitement as it boasted a cast of characters that he adored deeply.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel an instant kinship with the upcoming movie, “Thunderbolts.” For me, it’s like stepping into a familiar home. I find myself drawn to its compelling characters and intriguing plotline. In my view, this film serves as a source of comfort, even before its release. It’s hard to explain, but these broken heroes resonate with me in a way that feels extraordinary.

Darío developed a stronger bond with the film because it offered him solace during tough times in his personal life. “I recall when I first fell in love with Thunderbolts, I was grappling with my friendships and self-identity. The movie’s theme, characters, and overall appeal provided stability when I felt overwhelmed. Essentially, the film served as an escape from my daily struggles.

His experience serves as a touching illustration of the mighty influence of fandom and the deep bonds formed within it. As Dario puts it, “Thunderbolts* gave me a feeling of belonging during a time when I was all alone. The individuals I’ve encountered through this film are extraordinary, and they’ve grasped aspects of my personality that no one else has ever managed before.”

*Assuming Thunderbolts is the name of the movie in question.

Regarding what Darío is eagerly anticipating in Thunderbolts, his top priority is the portrayal of a strong “found family” dynamic. He finds solace in watching these seemingly broken characters bond and show affection towards one another, even if they may not consciously realize it. This connection, born out of their shared traumatic experiences, can be seen as a unique form of love among them.

Just like many enthusiastic fans eager for the premiere of Thunderbolts, Darío has developed multiple ideas about the significance of the asterisk in the film’s title. Among these theories, he holds one close to his heart – one that may even leave the team members guessing if they appreciate the name. “Perhaps they wish to alter it, or some prefer it while others don’t, or maybe they are hesitant about its appeal,” Darío muses. “Regardless of what lies beneath, I’m confident that it will prove to be a clever twist.

Luckily for Dario, as well as everyone else eagerly anticipating it, the movie release isn’t far off now.

Thunderbolts* hits theatres on May 2nd, 2025. Pre-sale tickets are available now.

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2025-04-29 19:15