Summary
- Thunderbolts* director cites a scene from Toy Story 3 as a source of inspiration for the MCU film.
- The Film explores mental health and characters facing past actions within an unconventional team dynamic.
- Thunderbolts* compared to Toy Story 3, raising expectations for the unconventional anti-hero team-up movie.
Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier revealed the unexpected Pixar film that inspired his upcoming MCI movie. One scene from the Pixar film, in particular, seemingly encapsulates the dynamic between the Thunderbolts* characters.
Thunderbolts* centers on a team comprised of some of the MCU’s most memorable anti-heroes: Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker/US Agent, Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, and newcomer Lewis Pullman’s Sentry. Because they are forced to work together on a dangerous mission, Thunderbolts* has often been compared to The Suicide Squad movies. However, those involved with Thunderbolts* have compared the film to the more unexpected movies, with Schreier recently citing a devastating scene from a Pixar classic as a source of inspiration.
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During an interview with Empire, films such as Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Ronin, and Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol were mentioned as influences on Thunderbolts*. The arguably common thread between these films and Thunderbolts* is that they involve a group of mismatched characters forced to work together. However, Schreier noted that Thunderbolts* is also influenced by Toy Story 3. While this may be a surprising comparison considering the Thunderbolts* characters wouldn’t be most people’s first choice to step up as heroes, Schreier explained that the upcoming MCU film and Toy Story 3 “all have that dynamic of a team that is thrown together.” While Thunderbolts* and Toy Story 3 may be different genres of films, Schreier noted that they both involve characters facing “obsolescence” and referred to the Pixar film’s memorable but heartbreaking incinerator scene:
That [furnace] sequence works so well because you’ve come to care about these characters so much/ Can they get out of the trash can together?
Each Thunderbolts* team member has been an antagonist in their respective MCU films. Schreier noted that the characters will grapple with their past actions and that Thunderbolts* somewhat explores issues such as mental health. However, Schreier explained that Thunderbolts* addresses how some “darkness” within cannot be fixed but “made lighter” through connecting with others:
You’re talking about a group of characters that have done a lot of bad things, and maybe are struggling with feeling good about themselves. There’s an element that does speak to mental health, and loneliness, and how some of the darkness that we experience in our lives can’t be necessarily fixed, but can only really be made lighter through connection and finding others.
This is not the first time someone has compared Thunderbolts* to an unexpected movie. Sebastian Stan previously compared Thunderbolts* to The Breakfast Club and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Adding Toy Story 3 to the list of influences likely raises expectations for Thunderbolts*, as all three films are regarded as classics. The Toy Story 3 incinerator scene, in particular, is a bold sequence to bring up. The harrowing scene in question moved fans to tears, as many were convinced the Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the other toys were doomed until a last-minute save by the Pizza Planet Aliens.
Thunderbolts* test screening reactions were reportedly overwhelmingly positive, so perhaps the comparisons to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Toy Story 3 are apt. Marvel Studios is likely hoping for such a positive response to Thunderbolts* after Captain America: Brave New World debuted to negative reviews and may not even break even at the office. Of course, making these bold comparisons could also raise the bar too high for Thunderbolts*.
Thunderbolts* is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
- Director
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Jake Schreier
- Writers
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Lee Sung-jin, Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
More
Thunderbolts* Could Be The Black Widow Sequel We’ll (Likely) Never See
Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* needs to feature Rachel Weisz’s Melina Votokoff to make it the true Black Widow sequel that fans will likely never see.
Source: Empire