Summary
- Thunderbolts* is a new MCU movie featuring antiheroes, often compared to Suicide Squad, but the director says they are different.
- Test screenings and recent footage suggest Thunderbolts* will involve a sonic attack and offer a different take on antihero teams.
- Unlike Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts* members are not convicts and have more freedom to join the team for redemption or personal gain.
Marvel Studios is producing a new movie featuring antiheroes in the anticipated MCU tentpole Thunderbolts*. The film draws comparisons to Suicide Squad, but the director said the two movies are different.
Thunderbolts* is the next movie from Marvel Studios. The film, directed by Jake Schreier, brings a group of misfit antiheroes and reformed villains from previous MCU installments. Since the leads are a group of antiheroes and villains, many compare Thunderbolts* to Suicide Squad from DC Comics. Two Suicide Squad movies have already been released, one in 2016, directed by David Ayer and another in 2021 by James Gunn. Schreier, however, clarified that Thunderbolts* was different.
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Schreier, who directed six of the 10 episodes of Netflix’s hit drama Beef, weighed in on the comparisons of his upcoming Marvel movie to Suicide Squad. The filmmaker said the two projects were different while acknowledging people’s expectations. “I think people are expecting another version of Suicide Squad, but the story felt different,” the director told Empire (via ComicBookMovie). “There was a flip of what people expected it to be.” Schreier’s statement came after several fans and critics compared both films, even before seeing Thunderbolts*, which is not available until May. For years since Marvel Studios announced Thunderbolts* many have anticipated it would just be another Suicide Squad. Some even jokingly called it Suicide Squad 3 or a Suicide Squad rehash. Others deemed it Marvel’s version of DC’s Suicide Squad. The comparison is understandable because both movies feature unconventional and mismatched team members who are morally ambiguous. Suicide Squad includes Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang. On the other hand, Thunderbolts* features Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster. However, one should also admit that there is a clear difference between them based on the Thunderbolts* trailer.
The Thunderbolts* trailer indicates a blend of action and humor, aligning with MCU’s signature tone and style. It’s easy to watch because it’s not as violent as Suicide Squad, based on the footage shown. Ayer’s Suicide Squad had humor, but it was inconsistent and felt forced. The movie was overall darker and more serious. Gunn’s The Suicide Squad was hilarious thanks to the addition of King Shark, Peacemaker, and Polka-Dot Man, who have bizarre personalities and interactions. However, they are still not the same because Thunderbolts* focuses on morally gray characters seeking redemption, while The Suicide Squad is made up of criminals forced into missions.
The Suicide Squads features psychopaths, murderers and mercenaries, while Thunderbolts are former heroes, antiheroes and ex-soldiers. For instance, Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier is a former brainwashed assassin seeking redemption; Yelena Belova/White Widow is a trained spy with ties to Black Widow struggling with depression; John Walker/U.S. Agent is a soldier grappling with his role after being stripped of Captain America title; and Alexei Shostakovich/Red Guardian, Russia’s version of Captain America, who is a washed-up and out-of-shape veteran stuck on his glory days. The Suicide Squad team is sent on black-ops missions against governments or alien threats (Starro) and they do it to survive because an explosive device is implanted in their necks. Meanwhile, Thunderbolts will likely feature MCU-level threats, especially with The Sentry on the team, as their missions are more morally complex. The previous Suicide Squad received mixed reception, but Thunderbolts* is promising. Its test screening scores were reportedly “extremely high,” and one report called it “a beast of a film.”
It’s understandable why many quickly compare Thunderbolts* with Suicide Squad. Both movies have the same concept — a group of antiheroes with shady pasts and both teams are government-backed and led by women. Ruthless Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) for Suicide Squad and manipulative but less cruel Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for Thunderbolts*. However, despite the similarities, there are also significant points where they are different, which is probably what Schreier is saying. First, unlike Suicide Squad, the members of Thunderbolts are free to join the team. In Suicide Squad, the members are convicted criminals and Waller implants explosive devices into their necks and she can detonate them if they do not follow orders. Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts are not prisoners but morally gray individuals willing to work together for redemption or personal gain. They have more freedom, which makes the film more fun and exciting. Overall, Thunderbolts* has a lighter tone and is expected to have a PG-13 rating, just like most MCU films, in contrast to R-rated The Suicide Squad, which is not suitable for young children.
Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2, 2025.
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Source: Empire