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 change the minds of those skeptical about the upcoming Thunderbolts film. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell explained that he and his co-stars are motivated to create a standout film, drawing from his own experience in ice hockey to fuel this drive.

"We came to this as a group of people who were like, 'Let’s make this our own thing, let’s make it great and let’s make people put their foot in their mouths,'" Russell stated. He emphasized his competitive spirit, saying, "I have a little bit of an athletic background, so I was like, 'Yeah, I want to make you eat your words if you’re like, this movie’s going to blow, I don’t want to go see it.'"

Russell highlighted the unique challenge of Thunderbolts, noting that unlike other Marvel movies, it doesn't rely on characters with established origin stories. "Thunderbolts presented a challenge because it is not a 'primed movie,'" he explained, indicating that the film's anti-heroes don't have their own standalone movies leading into it, unlike the Avengers.

The film features a diverse cast of characters, 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 Wyatt Russell himself as John Walker / U.S. Agent.

Russell further elaborated on the film's unique position within the Marvel universe, saying, "There are no characters in this film, really, that have their own stuff in the Marvel universe that much. It’s not Captain America, it’s not Thor, it’s not Iron Man, it’s not the Avengers. [Thunderbolts] is more of these misfit types." He praised the challenge set by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Jake Schreier, which he and the cast eagerly embraced.

Russell also touched on the varied career paths of the Thunderbolts cast members, noting that many of them, including himself, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, and Florence Pugh, had established careers outside of Marvel before joining the franchise. This diverse experience, he suggested, contributes to the unique flavor of the film.

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

View 11 ImagesEarlier this month, Sebastian Stan shared his career struggles before landing the role of the Winter Soldier in the MCU. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Stan revealed that he was "saved" by a $65,000 residuals payment from his role in Hot Tub Time Machine before joining the original Captain America movie as James "Bucky" Barnes. Stan played 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 actually struggling with work," Stan said. "I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine."

Stan reprised his role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), several 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 name was also included in the cast reveal for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, indicating that Bucky and other Thunderbolts members, including John Walker, will continue to be part of the MCU for the foreseeable future.