MCU Star Challenges Thunderbolts Skeptics: 'Prove Me Wrong'

Wyatt Russell, known for his role as U.S. Agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is determined to silence the skeptics surrounding the upcoming film, Thunderbolts. In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell shared that he and his co-stars are eager to defy the expectations that might discourage audiences from watching the movie. Drawing from his background in ice hockey, Russell is motivated to prove the naysayers wrong.

"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. "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" like the Avengers films. Unlike the Avengers, whose members typically have their own origin stories, the Thunderbolts feature a cast of anti-heroes who lack such established narratives. This presents a fresh challenge for the film's director, Jake Schreier, and the ensemble cast.

The Thunderbolts cast 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, of course, 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 added. "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. And that challenge that Kevin Feige gave Jake and this particular group of actors, it was like, ‘Hell yeah.’"

Russell emphasized the diverse career paths of the Thunderbolts cast, pointing out that many of them had established careers before joining the MCU. "I don’t want to speak for everybody, but most of us didn’t make it by doing this. Everybody didn’t come to this as a young person and make it this way. I did weird TV shows for a million years, and David [Harbour] has been acting on Broadway [since 2000]. Sebastian had a whole career before he joined Marvel, and while he’s been a part of it for so long, he’s also done so many incredible things outside of Marvel. It has not defined him. Florence, same thing."

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

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Earlier this month, Sebastian Stan opened up about his career struggles before landing his pivotal role as the Winter Soldier in the MCU. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed how a $65,000 residuals payment from his role in the 2010 film Hot Tub Time Machine helped him during a challenging period. "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 James "Bucky" Barnes began in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, where he starred alongside Chris Evans. He reprised his role in subsequent films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), various Avengers movies, and this year’s Captain America: Brave New World. Stan is set to return as the Winter Soldier in next month’s Thunderbolts. His inclusion in the cast of Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday further confirms that Bucky and other Thunderbolts members, including John Walker, will continue to play significant roles in the MCU.