Florence Pugh’s Comments Paint A Positive Picture For Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* has managed to capture a lot of buzz after Marvel Studios revealed the trailer for the upcoming movie. Even though the film doesn’t feature any of the top-level Marvel Cinematic Universe stars, there is a lot of excitement heading toward Thunderbolts*, which is set to release on May 2, 2025.

There is still little known about Thunderbolts*, but Florence Pugh’s recent interview has helped give a further glimpse at the movie. She’s one of the biggest stars in the cast, and her latest comments have provided a positive outlook on the movie overall.

Related

One Thunderbolts* Character Needs To Showcase Real Change

One member of the Thunderbolts* team needs to showcase significant character change in the upcoming movie.

What Has Florence Pugh Said?

Pugh recently spoke to Empire Magazine about the movie and how her character, Yelena Belova, will be shown throughout it. She said, “She’s a completely different person to the person you’d assume she would be. She’s coming out of a few years of quite traumatic events. Where does that leave a person?” The answer to that will be revealed within Thunderbolts*, where she will mix things up with a completely different set of characters as the unconventional team is set to provide the MCU with some unique moments.

Her character was first introduced into the MCU in Black Widow, where audiences learned of her connection to Avengers original Natasha Romanoff, and the interest in her potentially filling the gap that Black Widow left behind certainly exists. She was also a featured character in the Disney Plus series Hawkeye, where Marvel Studios really homed in on Yelena and the type of character she’s going to be. It is already clear that she’s highly trained and confident when it comes to combat. Still, according to Pugh’s teases, Thunderbolts* will focus on her personality and the more personal aspects of her character.

Her Character Is Going To Be Developing

Pugh’s comments showcase that Marvel Studios will be concentrating on Yelena as a character, likely making her feel more personable. At the same time, she’s had plenty of personality so far, with her dry sense of humor proving to be a hit. However, developing that will be crucial to maintaining interest in Yelena and growing her as a character, which is exactly what audiences want. Nobody wants this role to stay still because there’s a lot of excitement surrounding it and where she can be taken moving forward, which is why Pugh has made fans think positively about Thunderbolts*.

It appears her character will have a significant role in the movie, which makes sense given the star power Pugh brings to the project. Whether she ends up being the leader will remain to be seen, but ensuring that her character genuinely changes from what has been showcased before is essential if Yelena is going to be around in the MCU moving forward in an important role.

The Changes Will Be Crucial For Making Yelena A Key Player In The MCU

Ever since Yelena was showcased in the MCU, audiences have wanted her to become the next Black Widow within the franchise. She might not have brought special powers like many of the other superheroes, but that made Natasha stand out and helped her feel vital as she used skills to get ahead of the others. However, it was the character aspect of Natasha that made her so enjoyable to watch because there was real progression throughout her time in the MCU. Natasha originally started quietly and coldly, but she developed and became one of the most important characters in the franchise.

Yelena could quickly fill that role, as there is a gap for a character like hers within the grander MCU right now. Within Thunderbolts*, most of the characters have similar powers, but if she were placed into a bigger role within the Avengers at some point, then developing the character would be essential to make people care about her. Marvel Studios should want to create another powerful character that audiences are desperate to see more of, and developing Yelena is the right way to go about that.

It will remain to be seen precisely how Pugh’s character will change and develop, but if she’s given a more personable touch or a leadership opportunity, then it will have a positive impact on Thunderbolts* as a whole. The film has a lot of intrigue due to how unknown it is as to whether these characters are strong enough to capture a worldwide audience. However, the fact that Marvel is putting the work in with character development showcases that they want it to be a hit and are hoping this team has enough of an impact to continue being used moving forward, possibly interacting with others inside the MCU. With Yelena being one of the most well-known characters within this movie, her being the one to undergo changes for Thunderbolts* makes the most sense, and it should have a positive impact.

Thunderbolts*

Release Date

May 2, 2025

Director

Jake Schreier

• 

  Florence Pugh

  Yelena Belova

• 

  Sebastian Stan

  James Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier

• 

  David Harbour

  Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian

• 

  Wyatt Russell

  John Walker / U.S. Agent