The first trailer for Marvel’s Thunderbolts (2025) offers a thrilling glimpse into the chaotic and morally complex world of Marvel’s darker team. The movie gathers an ensemble of characters, most of whom have questionable pasts or are reformed villains, signaling a stark contrast to the more traditionally heroic Avengers.
The trailer opens with a montage of these anti-heroes being recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who is assembling the Thunderbolts as a covert task force. Among them are Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). Each character is seen grappling with their own inner demons, with quick cuts showing intense action scenes mixed with moments of introspection.
A key plot point teased in the trailer is the Thunderbolts’ mission to retrieve a dangerous weapon or technology that could potentially cause global devastation. This mission puts them on a collision course with a powerful enemy, though the trailer cleverly withholds revealing who or what they will face, leaving much to speculation.
The tone of the trailer is dark and gritty, with an emphasis on moral ambiguity. Unlike the Avengers, the Thunderbolts are shown making hard, often brutal decisions, indicating that this movie will delve into the complexities of what it means to be a hero.
There’s also a brief tease of internal conflict within the team, particularly between Yelena and U.S. Agent, hinting at the clashing ideologies and personal agendas that could threaten to tear the team apart.
Overall, the trailer for Thunderbolts (2025) sets the stage for a Marvel film that’s darker, more intense, and more character-driven, promising a fresh take on the superhero genre.