MCU's 'Thunderbolts' Star Dismisses Critics

Marvel Cinematic Universe star Wyatt Russell, who portrays U.S. Agent, is determined to silence the skeptics about Thunderbolts.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell explained how he and his castmates aim to defy expectations about the upcoming film, drawing parallels to his competitive ice hockey mentality.

"We approached this as a team with the attitude, 'Let's carve our own path, make something extraordinary, and prove the naysayers wrong,'" Russell stated.

"Coming from sports, I relish the challenge of making critics recant their dismissive comments about this project," he added.

Russell noted that Thunderbolts presents a unique challenge as it doesn't follow the traditional MCU blueprint of "primed movies." Unlike the Avengers - whose characters had established solo films - the Thunderbolts roster consists primarily of characters without their own origin stories.

The ensemble cast includes 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 Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent.

"These characters don't have the same level of individual development within the MCU," Russell explained. "We're not working with established icons like Captain America or Iron Man - this is about bringing depth to Marvel's unconventional outsiders."

Russell emphasized the cast's collective experience: "Our paths here were unconventional. David Harbour built his career on Broadway. Sebastian Stan had a flourishing career before Marvel. Florence Pugh developed her craft through diverse projects. This shared journey of perseverance is what makes our approach special."

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

View 11 Images

Earlier this month, Sebastian Stan revealed how his breakout role in Hot Tub Time Machine helped sustain him before joining the MCU. The actor told Vanity Fair that a $65,000 residuals payment arrived at a crucial moment before his casting as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).

"I was at a career crossroads when that unexpected payment came through," Stan recalled. "Those residuals literally saved me just before landing the Winter Soldier role."

Stan has since appeared in multiple Marvel films including Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and will return in this year's Captain America: Brave New World before Thunderbolts releases next month. With his inclusion in Avengers: Doomsday's cast announcement, Bucky Barnes and other Thunderbolts members appear set for continued MCU appearances.