On July 24, 2024, Baron Zemo united of the Masters of Evil to do the unexpected: protect the world. The famous criminals took on new costumes and personas to gain the public's trust. However, some began to genuinely enjoy their new heroic lives, which led to a divide between the team's true villains and reformed former bad guys. After the truth was revealed about their duplicitous origins and the initial roster partner ways, the Thunderbolts returned with multiple different configurations. With the first-ever live-action lineup debuting in 2024, here's every confirmed member of the MCU Thunderbolts team (and a few that are still highly likely).
Throughout the comics, Marvel's Thunderbolts roster essentially became the antihero version of the Avengers — the very roots of iconic team-ups like the Dark Avengers or the Dark Illuminati. Most of Marvel's biggest villains – and several of its biggest heroes – have been d with the Thunderbolts at one point or another. While multiple characters who have been associated with the confirmed Marvel's Thunderbolts movie have already been introduced, there are several of the original Thunderbolts who have yet to debut in the MCU. Whether they're all part of the initial team or cycle through as the roster changes, these are the villains and antiheroes confirmed as Thunderbolts MCU team , as well as those who might be awaiting announcement.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Although she's not as established as Thunderbolt Ross, Hawkeye, it was revealed that Val claimed to Yelena that Clint Barton was responsible for Natasha's death, and that it was Val who sent Yelena to kill Clint. Later, Marvel confirmed at D23 Expo that Val would be ing the Thunderbolts, confirming fan speculation that she could lead the team.
While it'll be interesting to see how Val will still work with Yelena - another confirmed Thunderbolts member - after Yelena found out Val gave her false information about Clint and Natasha, Val may have bigger problems. Val's MCU arc suggests she's not one of the characters Secret Invasion - but the Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was actually a Skrull in the comics, and the Skrulls could certainly use the Thunderbolts leader on their side in the MCU. For now, however, it's still unclear who Val is even working for, but she has extensive knowledge of the U.S. Government's inner workings and the leverage to manipulate media narratives.
Black Widow (Yelena Belova)
MCU Phase 4's first movie introduced Black Widow's sister, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). Although not a villain, Yelena's past as a Russian spy and graduate of the Red Room gives her a morally gray perspective. As revealed by Florence Pugh at D23 Expo, Yelena will be leading the Thunderbolts team, which means she could be butting heads with Val. In the comics, Yelena was part of the Thunderbolts, although it was when Natasha had taken her identity and used it to infiltrate the team run by Norman Osborn. However, Yelena's MCU future after Hawkeye could also see her take on the Black Widow name and become more of a true hero instead.
Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)
Since his comic counterpart has led the team multiple times, it was reassuring to find out that Sebastian Stan will be reprising his role as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier for Thunderbolts. Falcon and the Winter Soldier was always going to end with one of the two leads inheriting Steve Rogers' shield and title, as both are former Captain Americas in the comics. The real question was what lay in store for whoever didn't assume the mantle of the next MCU Cap. While Sam Wilson is the new Captain America for the MCU and will be appearing as such in Winter Soldier's history and timeline, as it's been confirmed that Bucky will be part of the MCU's Thunderbolts. Arguably the most perfect addition to the team, Bucky's status as a former mass murderer and his genuine attempts at reforming himself means he can be a moral middle ground between the teams' rough-but-righteous antiheroes and villains who really should be in prison.
Ghost (Ava Starr)
The MCU introduced one Thunderbolts member in Ghost is SHIELD's Winter Soldier, she was an incredibly intriguing character who felt far too deep to be used as a one-off MCU villain. Indeed, Ant-Man and the Wasp already established the fact that Ghost worked for SHIELD on covert missions, and it's clear how her skills will come in handy in Thunderbolts.
Taskmaster (Antonia Dreykov)
Taskmaster was introduced to the MCU thanks to Black Widow, and Antonia Dreykov, the woman under the mask, will be part of the Thunderbolts. A skilled mercenary, Taskmaster has definitive ties to the Red Room in the MCU, but there is also comic precedence for the character ing the team. Although he didn't stick around for long, Tony Masters (the comic book secret identity of Taskmaster) did help train new recruits to the Thunderbolts Initiative run by Norman Osborn. With the ability to perfectly replicate any fighting style or move, Taskmaster's powers in the MCU will be on full display in Thunderbolts.
U.S. Agent (John Walker)
John Walker initially arrived in the MCU as the government's Captain America replacement in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Walker proved himself to be less than heroic, however, and was more of an antagonist to Sam and Bucky than anything else. By the series end, Walker is other-than-honorably discharged from the military, self-injected with super-soldier serum, decidedly unstable, and approached by Val about donning a new mantle: U.S. Agent. This shady goings-on made him an excellent candidate for the Thunderbolts team, and he was one of the first fans pointed out as a likely inclusion.
Sure enough, as predicted, the scene between Val and John Walker in Falcon and the Winter Soldier was directly setting up Thunderbolts and U.S. Agent's inclusion as a member. As a veteran of more recent global conflicts, U.S. Agent/John Walker's war history will be a crucial addition to the Thunderbolts team's antihero narrative. Interestingly in the comics, U.S. Agent was never actually part of the Thunderbolts and actually fought against them occasionally. Many viewers are also curious how Bucky and John will get along on the same team in the MCU given their confrontational history.
Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov)
Known jokingly online in some corners as Captain Russia, MCU super soldier Red Guardian, a.k.a. Alexei Shostakov, is the final Black Widow addition to the Thunderbolts lineup. The first super soldier created by the Soviet Union, Red Guardian has a Captain-America-like power set, and the two share their respective patriotism and relatively wholesome interpersonal traits too (even though the MCU's Red Guardian, who Steve never even knew existed, considers them rivals). Indeed, Red Guardian has many historic ties to The Red Room and S.H.I.E.L.D operations, so is no stranger to the world of superpowered espionage in which Thunderbolts takes place.
This makes Red Guardian a prime addition to fill out the roster, and the fact he's somewhat older than the other (Bucky's lost years aside) means that Red Guardian will likely bring a useful degree of wisdom and experience in the field. However, while Alexei's physical prowess and combat experience make him formidable, he has a unique power set that may be unmatched by any other confirmed Thunderbolts team member: the uncanny ability to inject almost any situation with wholesome comic relief. This is bound to come in handy in a team that's composed entirely of extremely dangerous individuals.
Unconfirmed MCU Thunderbolts Who Could Still Be Added
While Kevin Feige confirmed the initial Thunderbolts lineup at D23 Expo, that doesn't mean more can't be added. There are several suspected Thunderbolts in the MCU who weren't included in the official D23 Expo announcement. However, in almost all cases, this might be because revealing them would spoil the plots of ongoing shows. For various reasons, both relating to the MCU and being part of comic-book Thunderbolts lineups, the following characters might be late inclusions to the MCU Thunderbolts team:
Baron Zemo
When it was announced Marvel was forming an MCU Thunderbolts, Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) was thought to inevitably play a key role in it. Zemo founded the Thunderbolts in the comics and is routinely involved with different configurations of the team. One such version saw him lead the Thunderbolts as a group tasked with hunting down rogue heroes and villains during Civil War. There's no doubt that Captain America: Civil War and showed his brilliance by manipulating the Avengers, specifically Captain America and Iron Man, to cause them to break up. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier saw him temporarily team up with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and Zemo's return is likely to pick up where this series left off. Since the show ended with John Walker having taken the super-soldier serum, this will make him a target for Zemo moving forward.
However, Zemo hasn't yet been announced as an official part of the Thunderbolts lineup. There are many rumors circulating that hint at his involvement, including a gaffe involving Marvel.com's write-up mentioning his name in the link (before this was altered). Indeed, it's still possible that Thunderbolts with a cameo featuring Zemo, who was last seen being taken by the Dora Milaje to the Raft. It's clear that Brühl's return is being kept quiet so as not to spoil the respective plots of projects releasing in the interim.
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross/Red Hulk
With the unfortunate ing of William Hurt and the confirmed MCU debut of Harrison Ford as the recast General Ross, it was certainly a huge year for the character. As General Ross, Hurt was part of the MCU from Harrison Ford/General Ross/Red Hulk's MCU future. While it makes sense that Marvel replaced the legendary William Hurt with another onscreen veteran, Harrison Ford is on an entirely different level as a cinematic icon. As both Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Ford's megastar status can't be overstated. It's almost impossible that his role in the MCU will be limited to Captain America: New World Order, especially considering his character's history.
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (as Red Hulk) founded a version of the Thunderbolts in Marvel Comics that featured Punisher, Deadpool, Elektra, Agent Venom. Prior to William Hurt's death, it was expected that Ross would be the one to put the team together in the MCU. On one hand, as the MCU has introduced an effective replacement leader in the Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a Thunderbolts movie with no Thaddeus Ross could still work. On the other hand, with Harrison Ford being cast in the role, General Ross is bound to have a bigger role within and beyond MCU Phase 5.
The Abomination
After a long absence in the MCU, Emil Blonsky a.k.a. Abomination (Tim Roth) returned in She-Hulk, fueling rumors that he is one of the missing antiheroes from the confirmed Thunderbolts roster. This would be a departure from the comics, as Abomination has never been an actual member of the Thunderbolts, but that's never stopped Marvel Studios before. In fact, while She-Hulk revealed that Abomination consistently violated the of his parole and was even making money as a speaker for Intelligencia while transformed. Blonsky was also mutually aiding the Sorcerer Supreme Wong in the upkeep of Kamar Taj, and had genuine intentions of reforming his fellow former villains. This makes him another perfect addition to the roster, and Thunderbolts yet is likely another case of Marvel trying to avoid spoiling surprises for viewers.
Alongside General Ross, Abomination's first MCU appearance came in The Incredible Hulk, and after the time jump from Avengers: Endgame, it had been over 15 years since Abomination was seen in-universe - until his cameo cage fight in Emil Blonsky in full control of Abomination, his formidability and unique perspective would be indispensable in Marvel's biggest antihero team-up.
These contemporary MCU appearances make Abomination's odds of sticking around in the MCU seem fairly robust. Tim Roth is by no means an unknown name, and his performance in She-Hulk has already been seen as a highlight. Giving his character so many layers definitely raises questions about Marvel's plans too. Abomination is a straight-up brute villain known for throwing incredibly hard punches and little else, so fleshing out his character and making him sympathetic is suspicious if there are no further plans for him. Plus, since the World Security Council originally wanted to recruit Abomination into the Avengers, it wouldn't be surprising to see him recruited to the Thunderbolts by whoever is in charge, especially since Blonsky managed another illegal jailbreak thanks to Wong at the end of She-Hulk.
