MCU Star Challenges Skeptics: '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 silence the skeptics of the upcoming Thunderbolts film. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell expressed his and his co-stars' commitment to transforming the movie into something remarkable, drawing on his background in ice hockey to fuel his 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 added, "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 it's not a "primed movie" in the sense that its characters, primarily anti-heroes, do not have their own origin stories leading into the film, unlike the successful Avengers series. 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.

"There are no characters in this film, really, that have their own stuff in the Marvel universe that much," Russell explained. He emphasized the film's focus on "misfit types," a challenge embraced by director Jake Schreier and the cast, including Russell himself, who came from diverse backgrounds before joining Marvel.

Russell pointed out that many of his co-stars had established careers before Marvel, mentioning his own journey through various TV shows, David Harbour's Broadway experience since 2000, and Sebastian Stan's extensive work both within and outside the MCU. Florence Pugh, similarly, had a varied career before joining the franchise.

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. In a conversation with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed that a $65,000 residuals payment from his role in the 2010 film Hot Tub Time Machine was crucial in sustaining him until he was cast as James "Bucky" Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011.

"I was actually struggling with work," Stan admitted. "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's portrayal of Bucky Barnes has since become a staple in the MCU, with roles in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers films, and this year's Captain America: Brave New World. He is set to reprise his role in next month's Thunderbolts. Additionally, Stan's involvement in Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday suggests that Bucky and other Thunderbolts members, including John Walker, will continue to play significant roles in the MCU.