Wyatt Russell, known for his role as U.S. Agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is determined to silence the skeptics of the upcoming Thunderbolts film. In a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell explained that he and his co-stars are eager to defy any negative expectations surrounding the movie. He drew parallels between his approach to the film and his background in ice hockey, suggesting that his athletic past has prepared him well for this challenge.
"We came to this as a group of people who were like, 'Let's make this our own thing, let's make it great and let's make people put their foot in their mouths,'" Russell stated. He further emphasized his personal motivation, saying, "I have a little bit of an athletic background, so I was like, 'Yeah, I want to make you eat your words if you're like, this movie's going to blow, I don't want to go see it.'"
Russell highlighted that Thunderbolts presents a unique challenge because it does not follow the traditional Marvel formula of characters having their own origin stories leading into a team-up film, as seen with the Avengers. Instead, Thunderbolts focuses on a group of lesser-known characters, or "misfit types," as Russell described them.
The film boasts an impressive cast including Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost, and Wyatt Russell himself as John Walker / U.S. Agent.
Russell pointed out that none of these characters have been the central focus of the Marvel universe to the extent of icons like Captain America, Thor, or Iron Man. He praised the vision of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Jake Schreier for taking on this challenge with a cast of actors who have diverse and rich careers beyond Marvel. Russell mentioned his own journey through various TV shows and David Harbour's extensive Broadway experience, as well as Sebastian Stan and Florence Pugh's accomplishments outside of the MCU.
The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team
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In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Sebastian Stan shared insights into his career struggles before joining the MCU as the Winter Soldier. He revealed that a $65,000 residuals payment from his role as Blaine in the 2010 film Hot Tub Time Machine was crucial for him at a time when he was struggling to find work. This financial lifeline came just before he was cast as James "Bucky" Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger alongside Chris Evans.
Stan's role as Bucky has been a significant part of his career, with him reprising the character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, multiple Avengers films, Captain America: Brave New World, and the upcoming Thunderbolts. His involvement in Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday further solidifies his and other Thunderbolts members' continued presence in the MCU.
