Fans at D23 Expo 2022 were treated to some major reveals as part of Marvel Studios’ Showcase. Among the biggest surprises of the day was the introduction of the team that will make up the Thunderbolts when the film hits theaters on July 26th, 2024.
Astute fans have seen the team coming together over the course of the past couple of years as Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val recruited Yelena Belova and John Walker to her cause and now, Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige has revealed the rest of the Thunderbolts roster during D23 with the big surprise that Bucky is also joining the unlikely crew.
Red Guardian
David Harbour’s Alexi Shostakov, who first appeared in Black Widow, returns for Thunderbolts to work alongside his daughter, Yelena. Fans loved the boisterous character and both Harbour and Feige have teased his return.
Taskmaster
Another character making the jump from Black Widow, Antonia Dreykov, aka Taskmaster, will bring her very unique abilities to the team. Controlled by her vile and sleepy father, Taskmaster was freed when Natasha Romanoff broke a vial of Red Dust near her face during their confrontation after the destruction of the new Red Room Academy. Taskmaster, along with Alexi, Melina, Yelena and the dozens of newly liberated Widows all escaped together to parts unknown at the conclusion of Black Widow.
Ghost
One of the MCU’s most underrated protagonists, Ava Starr rounds out the roster. In the comics, Ghost worked on several iterations of the Thunderbolts, making her a natural addition to the MCU’s roster. Ghost hasn’t been seen since 2018’s Ant-Man and The Wasp, but actress Hannah John-Kamen has teased her return to the role.
