Thunderbolts*

Update: 2025-05-20

Description

Are you tired of superheroes who always do the right thing? Exhausted by teams that save the day and, dare we say it, have a plan? This month, The Film Board dives into Marvel’s Thunderbolts—the super squad you get when you order the Avengers from the bargain bin. Pete Wright is joined by Mandy Kaplan, Justin Jaeger, Tommy Metz III, and Steve Sarmento for a roundtable that spoils everything, celebrates Florence Pugh’s star turn, and debates whether more MCU movies should end with a hug instead of a fistfight.We dig into the surprising emotional depth, the ensemble’s knack for both grounded action and found-family pathos, and a Taskmaster controversy that set the chat ablaze. The conversation covers what works for Marvel die-hards and superhero newbies alike, why Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman might be the new MVPs of the MCU, and how Jake Schreier’s direction finds the sweet spot between earnest and absurd. Along the way, you’ll hear our takes on trauma, group dynamics, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s master class in playing Marvel’s most maladaptive Nick Fury. This is a rare comic book movie that’s as interested in grief and group therapy as it is in punching things.Film Sundries