THUNDERBOLTS* Trailer Breakdown: 7 Biggest Reveals And Possible Spoilers In The Action-Packed Teaser

Marvel Studios officially released the first trailer for Thunderbolts* earlier today and, in this breakdown, we're taking a deep dive into all the biggest moments, reveals, and possible story spoilers...

By JoshWilding - Sep 23, 2024 12:09 PM EST

Filed Under: Thunderbolts

At this past July's San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios shared the first Thunderbolts* trailer with fans. It took no time at all for that to leak online but the version released today...well, there are some key differences.

With all signs pointing to that asterisk being a reference to the New (or Dark) Avengers, there's no disputing the importance of this movie to the wider MCU. Remember, Kevin Feige has confirmed these characters will appear in Doomsday and Secret Wars.

In this feature, we break down all the biggest moments and reveals from today's teaser, ranging from U.S. Agent's new shield to those big hints about The Sentry and exactly what's going on between Bucky Barnes and Yelena Belova's new team.

Then, there's the mysterious and sinister Val and whatever she's really up to.

To read through this Thunderbolts* trailer breakdown, simply click the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.

7. A Family Reunion

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The Thunderbolts* trailer opens with Yelena Belova tracking down her father, Alexei. It doesn't appear he has much going on in his life since we last saw him in Black Widow, though he has finally made a home for himself in America...where he largely just slobs around and orders DoorDash!

Yelena tells her father that there's an emptiness in her and that, despite throwing herself into work, she has no purpose. It's then we see the former Black Widow making short work of various people she encounters, though she may have given up being a contract killer after Hawkeye.

At one stage, she attacks what looks like a lab of some sort and leaves with a guinea pig as it blows up behind her; could it be that Yelena, while directionless, is now trying to make her sister proud?

6. "Fall Of A Hero"

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During Yelena's voiceover, we also catch sight John Walker at home. He has a child now and, while sitting by her crib, is clearly despondent while reading a news article on his phone titled, "Fall Of A Hero: The John Walker Story."

In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, John was named the new Captain America but grew increasingly unhinged and eventually took the Super Soldier Serum. However, he also murdered one of the Flag Smashers, leaving him with no other choice but to give up the mantle and shield.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine later made him her "U.S. Agent" but it seems she's used him in black ops rather than as a public figure. Bucky, meanwhile, is now a Congressman but may be similarly unfulfilled with where he finds himself.

5. An Unexpected First Meeting

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We later follow Yelena as she breaks into a mysterious facility of some sort. While the hero looks around, U.S. Agent shows up and attempts to gun her down, with a fight ensuing. The assassin is saved by Taskmaster, only for Ghost to also show up.

This seems to be the first time the members of this team cross paths and it's confirmed they were all "sent" there. After Yelena points out how they've all done bad things and someone must want them gone, the facility is suddenly put in lockdown.

A one-minute timer begins counting down and things aren't looking good for them as they face the prospect of being burned alive. Has an unknown foe set these four up to die or could this have something to do with the mysterious new character they encounter?

4. John Walker's New Shield

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Forced by The Falcon and Bucky to give up Captain America's shield, the unhinged John Walker later made his own version (and, unsurprisingly, it didn't exactly have the same staying power as a Vibranium version).

Now, he has a new version which looks comic-accurate right down to the black circle in the middle. John didn't have a shield when Val first made him U.S. Agent and given Val's interest in Wakanda, perhaps it too is Vibranium...or Adamantium after Captain America: Brave New World!

Also worth pointing out is that the gala Bucky observes Val at is themed after the Battle of New York in The Avengers. Loki's sceptre is impossible to miss and we'd bet on this scene being full of nods to the 2012 movie.

3. Bob

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Back to Bob and, before that lockdown begins, Yelena, U.S. Agent, Taskmaster, and Ghost meet Lewis Pullman's mysterious character. He wasn't sent there and it seems this is where he was being kept before everyone else left.

Of course, we know that "Bob" is Robert Reynolds, a.k.a. The Sentry. The world's most powerful super soldier has an inner darkness called The Void, leaving us to wonder whether the apparent disappearance of the scientists and agents who once manned this facility is the villain's doing.

Were these four meant to save Bob, kill him, or simply retrieve him? We don't know, but we do see his iconic Sentry logo on a belt clasp a little later in the trailer, confirming he'll suit up. Bob is also confronted by a plethora of armed guards, though their hundreds of bullets have no effect.

2. Val Returns

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We first met Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier where, as we mentioned above, she recruited John Walker to be her U.S. Agent. Later, she sent Yelena Belova to kill Hawkeye after claiming Clint Barton had murdered her sister.

Next up was an appearance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which revealed Val as the Director of the C.I.A. She has big plans and is set up as Thunderbolts*' big bad courtesy of an ominous voiceover and tense confrontation with the team.

Based on how beaten up they all look, it seems this is near the end of the movie and that Val will be revealed as an Amanda Waller-style figure manipulating these wannabe heroes from the shadows. Have they passed the test and become her Dark Avengers?

1. The Winter Soldier Returns?

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Having moved on from his time as a HYDRA assassin in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, it seems Bucky is focused on doing some good in the U.S. Government. However, he's keeping a close eye on Val and may have a mission separate from that of the Thunderbolts.

In the trailer's closing moments, the team appears to be on the run from the military when Bucky arrives on the scene to make short work of their vehicles before taking out the car the anti-heroes are fleeing in.

Walker is shocked to see him and there's speculation online that Val has perhaps brainwashed Bucky and made him an unwilling assassin. Rather than The Winter Soldier's return, we believe this is a misunderstanding, especially as he later joins the team for that confrontation with Val.

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23 Comments

ModHaterSLADE - 9/23/2024, 12:15 PM

Not bad, although this squad comes off far more heroic than the initial comics. More than likely this will be the MCU answer to New Avengers.

SpiderBrad - 9/23/2024, 12:16 PM

That actually looks pretty awesome.

WakandanQueen - 9/23/2024, 12:16 PM

Really hope Walker gets enough screentime in this

TheVisionary25 - 9/23/2024, 12:24 PM

@WakandanQueen - same

I had a bit of issue with his arc in FaTWS (felt a bit too rushed and compressed imo) so hopefully it’s stronger here

No fault of Wyatt Russell though who has been great!!.

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Order66 - 9/23/2024, 12:21 PM

Bucky taking orders from Nick Fury.

ItsNotForMeWahh - 9/23/2024, 12:21 PM

I really liked Bucky being a badass in the trailer. Does a better job showing his strength and skill that the show

Baf - 9/23/2024, 12:30 PM

Sidekicks

TheVisionary25 - 9/23/2024, 12:31 PM

Looks good and I’m intrigued by what we have seen thus far..

I don’t think Val is going to be the big bad of this tbh and moreso a dark mirror to someone like Fury who was the puppet master behind the Avengers ( atleast in the first one).

Them supposedly being in the old Avengers tower makes me even more certain that the title will change to “New Avengers” by the end with them becoming a more government backed team.

Hell , some might not even make it to the end and we could get additions such as the Sentry or even Val’s assistant “Mel” (rumored to be Melissa Gold/Songbird).

SATW42 - 9/23/2024, 12:32 PM

The New York attack themed gala. Sometimes I forget how insane it must be to be a regular person in that world.

After the attack on new york tony stark created a sentient robot that destroyed a city, and oh yeah, an alien got these magic stones and blipped half of all life out of existence and then a big green guy undid it and brought everyone back 5 years later. Thanks to TIME TRAVEL.

TheVisionary25 - 9/23/2024, 12:34 PM

@SATW42 - it’s why I am not bothered about them not mentioning stuff like Tiamut from Eternals in the Ocean like others are.

It’s become normal to them lol

SATW42 - 9/23/2024, 12:44 PM

@TheVisionary25 - jesus, the eternals lol. "Oh that thing sticking out of the ocean, it's just a giant celestial being that was born inside our planet and it's birth was going to destroy our world but these space robots that came to this planet at like the dawn of civilization, stopped it. Funny thing about that, if the Avengers didn't time travel and left everything alone, another version of Thanos never would've travelled through time and come back to earth and there wouldn't have been enough life on the planet for Tiamut to be born"

S8R8M - 9/23/2024, 12:38 PM

I did notice loki's sceptre at the party. And It looks to me that Valentina has acquired the Avengers tower.

S8R8M - 9/23/2024, 12:38 PM

@S8R8M - Maybe this is where we meet 616 Osborne

Apophis71 - 9/23/2024, 12:56 PM

@S8R8M - Unlikely as Sony owns all the rights to him, he could still turn up at some point but more likely in something Spider-man related which could include an Avengers film Peter is part of.

Never impossible Sony would premit use of IP's they controll, just that Marvel are unlikely to even consider negotiating with them to do so when there are other options to go with.

JobinJ - 9/23/2024, 12:53 PM

This actually looks really good to me and I’m excited to see it

WakandaTech - 9/23/2024, 12:56 PM

What is more likely?

Sentry becoming MCU Superman type character moving forward into Secret Wars and beyond
or a disappointing 'One and Done" that we never see again

Apophis71 - 9/23/2024, 1:03 PM

@WakandaTech - At this point in time the most likely would be using this to intro the character specificaly for Secret Wars. After that is a whole other question, I just can't see them throwing him in at this point in the timeline only to be a one and done character when he isn't supposed to be a villain most the time unless under the control of others and is supposed to be about as indestructible as they come.

Rumor is he is going to be sent someone to some pocket dimension that may be the MCU take on the Void in this film and if so, and not killed, he will return for one of the Avengers films.

TheNewYorker - 9/23/2024, 12:59 PM

Wait, so Bucky is badass again? I can’t keep up with his mood swings.

GeneralZod - 9/23/2024, 1:08 PM

@TheNewYorker - I wish they would give him his mask. Not the Covid mask from the 2014 film, but the comic accurate-mask which technically is his Bucky mask. Full bad-azz.

CorndogBurglar - 9/23/2024, 1:09 PM

I've been saying it ever since the added the asterisk to the end of the title. This movie will end with them being the Dark Avengers.

That's why the asterisk is there. They aren't really the Thunderbolts team. It's all a ruse, or a test to see if they can hack it as the new, public facing government sponsored Avengers team. And they are all criminals, past criminals, or less than morally sound individuals.

BillyBatson1000 - 9/23/2024, 1:12 PM

Lost me at "a guinea pig as it blows up behind her."

(fnarr, fnarr).

AnthonyVonGeek - 9/23/2024, 1:13 PM

6 fingers on the poster? Lazy AI usage detected

SonOfAGif - 9/23/2024, 1:25 PM

More than likely is Bucky is working with the US government to apprehend the Thunderbolts and that's why he goes after them. And after they say their piece about Val, He joins them to take her down in exchange for pardons from the United States.

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