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Week 80: Thunderbolts

This week, Peter & James strapped in for Marvel’s broodiest group project yet—Thunderbolts—where therapy sessions are swapped for tactical vests, and emotional baggage is part of the team kit.

💥 Thunderbolts (2025)
📽 Director: Jake Schreier (Beef, Paper Towns)
🎭 Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus & more
🏢 Production: Marvel Studios
🔞 Rated: PG-13 (stylish violence, unresolved trauma, and sarcasm levels off the charts)

The Breakdown:
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus in full “scheming aunt at Christmas” mode) assembles a squad of super-powered misfits for a government-sanctioned mission that definitely wasn’t run through HR. Think Suicide Squad if the therapist quit halfway through.

It’s messy. It’s morally grey. It’s Marvel—but with more brooding and fewer quips (okay, some quips... thanks, David Harbour).

🦸 Team Notes:

Florence Pugh’s Yelena = MVP with emotional depth and deadpan humour.

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky = still traumatised, still swoony, still allergic to peace.

Wyatt Russell’s John Walker = walking moral dilemma in a Captain America knockoff suit.

Lewis Pullman’s Sentry = Marvel’s wild card. Big powers, bigger problems. Basically Superman meets “maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

🎵 Score: Son Lux brings the angst with a haunting soundtrack that sounds like a breakup between a synth and a cello. Gorgeous.

🎯 Why It Works (Kinda):

Found-family chaos? Check.

Secret missions with too many secrets? Check.

Emotional healing via punching people? Marvel’s speciality.

Guardians of the Galaxy vibes if they all had trauma and a file with the CIA.

🌀 Nikky’s Sequel
Nikky's taking a break from missions (classified or otherwise) to dig up another golden oldie from last year. Will it be a buried gem or a misfire we tried to forget?

🎧 New Episode Every Thursday
We break down Marvel’s moody misfits, one awkward team dynamic at a time.

Listen & Watch Here:
🎧 Spotify
📺 YouTube – @ThePopcornPundits

💬 Let us know:
Which Thunderbolt would you back in a bar fight? And is Valentina the worst boss… or the best?

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📧 thepopcornpundits@gmail.com

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