MCU Star Challenges Critics: 'Thunderbolts Will Make You Eat Your Words'

Wyatt Russell, known for his role as U.S. Agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is determined to prove skeptics of the upcoming Thunderbolts film wrong. In a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell emphasized the collective ambition of the cast to transform any doubts into admiration. He drew a parallel to his ice hockey background, suggesting it prepared him to tackle this challenge head-on.

"We approached this project as a team, eager to make it uniquely ours, to make it exceptional, and to silence the critics," Russell explained. "With my athletic history, I'm motivated to turn any naysayers into believers, proving them wrong if they think this movie won't be worth watching."

Russell highlighted that Thunderbolts differs from typical superhero films because it doesn't rely on characters with pre-established origin stories, unlike the successful Avengers series. Instead, Thunderbolts introduces a cast of anti-heroes and lesser-known figures, which presents a unique challenge but also an exciting opportunity.

The film boasts an impressive ensemble, including Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost, and, of course, Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent.

"There are no major characters in this film with their own established arcs in the Marvel universe," Russell noted. "It's not about Captain America or Thor or Iron Man; it's about these misfits. Kevin Feige challenged director Jake Schreier and our cast to make something extraordinary out of this, and we're all in."

Russell also touched on the diverse career paths of the cast members. "Most of us didn't start out with Marvel. I did unconventional TV for years, David Harbour has been on Broadway since 2000, Sebastian had a whole career before joining Marvel, and Florence has done remarkable work outside of it. Marvel hasn't defined us; it's just one part of our journey."

The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team

View 11 ImagesEarlier this month, Sebastian Stan shared insights into his career struggles before landing the pivotal MCU role of the Winter Soldier. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed that a $65,000 residuals payment from Hot Tub Time Machine was a lifeline just before he played James "Bucky" Barnes in the original Captain America movie. Stan portrayed the antagonist Blaine in the 2010 sci-fi comedy and later starred alongside Chris Evans in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

"I was really struggling to find work," Stan admitted. "It was a residuals payment from Hot Tub Time Machine that saved me."

Stan's portrayal of Bucky Barnes has since become iconic, reprising the role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), various Avengers films, and this year’s Captain America: Brave New World. He is set to return as the Winter Soldier in next month's Thunderbolts. Stan's inclusion in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal suggests that fans can expect to see Bucky and other Thunderbolts members, including John Walker, continue to play significant roles in the MCU.