Thunderbolts* breaks new ground in MCU with surprising depth through Yelena

Thunderbolts* is the forthcoming superhero flick and the 36th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The Jake Schreier-directed film premiered at the Cineworld Leicester Square. It is scheduled to be released on May 2, 2025.

Here's the official synopsis:

"After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts."

Thunderbolts* features Florence Pugh playing Yelena Belova, and it breaks new ground for the MCU through her. So let's find out how.

Thunderbolts* showcases Yelena's struggle

Thunderbolts* opens with Yelena standing on top of the world's second-tallest building. As she plans to jump, a voiceover is talking about her assassin life and her mental health situation. She speaks about being on the verge of a cliff in life, and her location is used as a euphemism for her condition. Yelena feels alone as she doesn't have anyone to talk to.

The film brings mental health to the forefront, which is a groundbreaking moment for the MCU. Besides Yelena, the other superheroes in the group are also going through their own struggles. Each one has a specific problem they are dealing with and lacks any kind of life support. At one point, Bucky tells everyone that all of them are allowing their trauma to overpower and take control of their selves. Yelena eventually manages to confront her trauma that she had been avoiding. The film showcases the mental health condition of the superhero, which has not been done in the MCU.

While these antiheroes don't like each other, they still put their differences aside and come together for a purpose. Because of that, they manage to find comfort and support.

Thunderbolts* is written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, while Kevin Feige is the producer. Florence Pugh is starring as Yelena Belova while Sebastian Stan is Bucky Barnes. Other cast members of the film are:

Wyatt Russell as John Walker aka U.S. Agent
Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov aka Taskmaster
Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void
Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr aka Ghost
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian
Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

In a Collider interview, director Jake Schreier revealed how the Marvel chief told him to make the film work for those who haven't seen the earlier films. He said:

"It starts with Kevin [Feige] saying, “Hey, make it work if people haven't seen any of these things.” And I think it's great of him to recognize that. It's just a delicate dance with a great group of writers to try to find ways to, without it feeling heavily expositional, allude to things that people who have, like when Yelena says, “I thought it started when my sister died.”"

"You're defining for a new audience that she has a sister that's died. Obviously, if you've watched these movies, there's a whole wealth of emotional resonance if you know who she's talking about and the story that she's referring to," he added.

What are your thoughts on Thunderbolts*?