Thunderbolts* Early Reactions Claim The Movie Is A ‘Home Run For Marvel Studios’

8 4 minutes read

The Thunderbolts assemble in Thunderbolts*

Marvel Studios

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, a once-mighty franchise that could seemingly do no wrong, has been on the proverbial ropes for a little while now. Sure, it’s continued to find success — look no further than the billion-dollar juggernaut of last summer’s “Deadpool and Wolverine” — yet in showbiz, you’re only as good as your last hit, and this past winter’s “Captain America: Brave New World” didn’t exactly light either the box office or Rotten Tomatoes on fire. Fortunately for Marvel Studios, they have a couple more films to offer up for audiences’ favor this year, and next on the assembly line is “Thunderbolts*.” While “Brave New World” felt like a reheated “Captain America” adventure awkwardly grafted to a “Hulk” movie, and this summer’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a long-awaited return to some of Marvel’s most unfairly maligned legacy characters, “Thunderbolts*” has felt like this year’s biggest wild card of a Marvel movie. Its marketing campaign has made the film feel most closely akin to the studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” blended with the DC “Suicide Squad” films, a movie about a down-to-earth rag-tag group of antihero misfits who must learn to come together to battle some still not-quite-clear threat.

“Thunderbolts*” has just premiered in Europe, and a mix of both critics and fans have started taking to social media to post their reactions. So far, these reactions out of the premiere appear to be largely favorable. Although positive early reactions to a film is kind of par for the course these days — there are the usual folks who’re merely chuffed to be allowed to see something early, and there’s no doubt that it’s easier to have a positive initial reaction when there’s not a ton of Discourse one has to compare it to — the things these people are saying about “Thunderbolts*” seems encouraging. Podcaster and critic Neil Vagg calls the film “a home run for Marvel Studios,” explaining that “it revels in being part of the MCU but carries none of the weight of its continuity.” If indeed Marvel has made a film which feels as friendly to casual viewers as it does to MCU die-hards, then perhaps they have another genuine hit on their hands.

The tone of the Thunderbolts* early reactions are of pleasant surprise, and not apologetic

Florence Pugh's Yelena is said to be a standout in Thunderbolts

Marvel Studios

As I said, most of us in the film journalism game — as well as you, the reader — have become savvy to the usual patterns of early reactions, especially when it comes to reading between their lines. We’ve all seen instances of reactions that make a film sound great, but feel like they’re trying to be too convincing or are being too kind. As such, it’s a good sign that these “Thunderbolts*” reactions have an overarching tone of genuine, pleasant surprise. Jacob Fisher, editor-in-chief of Discussing Film, states that “the film’s story hit me like a ton of bricks, it’s bold, important & so well-written.” Freelance critic Brandon Norwood says that he’s “shocked how good ‘Thunderbolts*’ is,” and that it feels “like the old Marvel.” Film distributor Cameron Howe says that he was “pleasantly surprised,” and that the film “has all the heart, emotion, and action set pieces” recently absent from the MCU.

Although the film’s marketing has thus far been cagey as to the movie’s exact plot, one thing it’s been eager to show off is the ensemble cast, and it appears there’s a good reason for that, as so many of these reactions call out specific cast members for their good work. Critic Emily Murray says that “Florence Pugh [is] in particular superb, just walks away with it,” while writer Paul Klein also says that Pugh “continues to be a stand out.” Podcaster and writer Amon Warmann not only namechecks Pugh, but also says that “David Harbour is consistently funny, & Lewis Pullman might be the stealth MVP.” Writer Mia Pflüger says that “Sebastian Stan has an absolute scene stealing moment,” and that Pugh “is the true lead of the new generation and team.” Sounds like a winning ensemble to me!

Thunderbolts* could be a much-needed Marvel hit

Valentina is ready to celebrate in Thunderbolts

Marvel Studios

Overall, the reaction to “Thunderbolts*” is currently pointing to the film being a general win for Marvel, something which has eluded them lately, for even the critical reactions to “Deadpool & Wolverine” were highly mixed, despite that movie’s huge financial success. Media outlet Big Gold Belt Media seemed to be really taken with the movie, calling it “gritty, emotional, and unlike anything Marvel has done before.” Critic Tom Percival says that the movie is “certainly the best we’ve got from Marvel in a long time,” and that the movie doesn’t “rely on cameos or fan service too much either.”

Of course, it’s important to remember that this is only the initial salvo of reactions to the film; some select early screenings of the movie are happening across the U.S. tonight, and other screenings will occur until the remainder of the press see the movie early next week, when the embargo for full reviews lifts. Yet, given this initial wave of reactions, it might be a safe bet to say that the misfit Thunderbolts* might not only save the world, but the MCU as well. Let’s just hope that, unlike the film’s title, we don’t need to put an asterisk next to these positive early reactions later on.

“Thunderbolts*” arrives in theaters everywhere on May 2, 2025.