MCU Star's Bold Challenge: 'Prove Thunderbolts Will Blow, or Eat Your Words'

Marvel Cinematic Universe star Wyatt Russell, known for his role as U.S. Agent, is determined to prove the skeptics wrong about the upcoming film Thunderbolts. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell shared his and his co-stars' enthusiasm for the project, aiming to challenge any preconceived notions that might deter audiences from watching the movie. He drew confidence from his ice hockey background, expressing a desire to silence critics.

"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 explained. 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 unlike other Marvel films, it doesn't feature superheroes with established origin stories leading up to it. Instead, it focuses on a team of anti-heroes and misfits, which adds to the film's appeal and challenge.

The cast of Thunderbolts includes notable actors such as 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 emphasized the diverse career paths of the ensemble, mentioning his own varied experiences in television, David Harbour's Broadway career, and Sebastian Stan's extensive work outside of Marvel. He pointed out that for most of the cast, their careers were not defined by Marvel, but by a range of other roles and experiences.

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

View 11 ImagesSebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes in the MCU, recently shared his career struggles before landing the role of the Winter Soldier. In a conversation with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed that a $65,000 residuals payment from his role in Hot Tub Time Machine was crucial at a time when he was struggling to find work. This financial lifeline came just before he starred alongside Chris Evans 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 has since reprised his role in multiple Marvel films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers series, and this year's Captain America: Brave New World. He is set to return as Bucky in the upcoming Thunderbolts film. His inclusion in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal suggests that Bucky, along with other Thunderbolts members like John Walker, will continue to be significant figures in the MCU.