Why Thunderbolts is a Game Changer for Marvel
by Tiffany Murnaghan
Last month, I went to see Thunderbolts in the cinema. As an ex-Marvel Studios fan, now a disenchanted casual watcher, I was not expecting much from this film. However, my interest was piqued by the trailer and seeing the behind-the-scenes stunts. So, I’d thought at least give it a shot. If it was bad, I could laugh about it with friends, and if it was good, well, it would be a pleasant surprise. Thankfully, it was the latter.
Thunderbolts is a decent film, and I know that doesn’t sound like much of an achievement for Marvel Studios, but when you take into consideration the current audience reception and the fluctuating quality of work they have been pumping out in the past couple of years, it is pretty high praise. It has scored an 88% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes [1] and I’ve seen a lot of Marvel film reviewers, who have been critical of the franchise online, admit they did enjoy the film.
But why has Thunderbolts been received so well? Well, without giving away any spoilers, I’ll explain.
The story is clear, concise, and fresh, breaking away from the standard formula of a Marvel movie. There is a darker, more serious tone to this film, and yet, it is filled with empathy and hope. Mental health is even explored, done so in a way which we have never seen before in a “MCU” film, with a lot more grace and tact.
The characters, although many of them have never been in the spotlight like this before, coming from minor roles from other films and TV shows, are very entertaining and definitely grow on you. Florence Pugh’s acting is phenomenal, breathing much needed life into the character of Yelena Belova, a character who I certainly didn’t care about until after watching Thunderbolts. I am excited to see where they will take her next following this much needed development; however, I am also still somewhat cautious.
It seems clear to everyone that Marvel has been staggering since Avengers: Endgame. Of course, Covid played a part in throwing off the trajectory of the franchise, as well as the passing of Chadwick Boseman and the case of Jonathan Majors being both unforeseen [2]. But even when we take these variables into consideration, we still have a lack of direction.
This shows through the overwhelming abundance of content that was released from 2019 to 2023. The studio pushed out projects which could have benefitted from extra revisions and simultaneously exhausted audiences who had to keep up with it all just to understand what was happening in the cinematic world of Marvel.
Many new characters have been introduced, and it will be a challenge to bring them into a main storyline where each one has a purpose of being there without, at the same time, conflating the plot itself.
And alongside this, we have the likes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, X-Men ‘97 and Deadpool & Wolverine, which are the strongest pieces of evidence for showing how Marvel is a franchise uncertain about its future. These projects rely heavily on nostalgia and fan service, trying to recreate a feeling of awe superficially instead of spending the time to bring that out in new stories.
I don’t believe audiences dislike characters because they are simply new, nor do I think people have superhero fatigue. We aren’t bored with superheroes. Invincible on Amazon Prime has a large fanbase, and there is excitement around David Corenswet’s Superman. What we want, what we need, is for Marvel Studios to put genuine heart into their craft.
Thunderbolts reminded me of the 2012 Avengers, not because of any blatant nostalgia, but because it was a group of people coming together to do good, and I feel like they may even surpass the original Avengers because of the fact they all felt connected to each other despite being from different media.
Not only do superheroes fight the bad guys, but they protect the innocent, and in turn help each other too. We need less spectacle and more substance.
Now, Thunderbolts is not a perfect movie. It still falls into some bad habits; but it could be the first step in the right direction.
Sources:
[1] Rotten Tomatoes. “Thunderbolts*.” 2025. Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, May 2, 2025. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thunderbolts.
[2] Murray, Tom. “Jonathan Majors Dropped by Marvel Following Guilty Verdict in Ex-Girlfriend Assault Case.” The Independent. The Independent, December 19, 2023. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/marvel-studios-jonathan-majors-fired-b2466376.html.
