Wyatt Russell, who portrays U.S. Agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is determined to silence skeptics of the upcoming Thunderbolts film.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell shared that he and his Thunderbolts co-stars aim to overturn preconceived notions that might deter audiences, drawing parallels to his own competitive background in ice hockey.
“We approached this as a united team, thinking, ‘Let’s make this project uniquely ours, let’s make it exceptional, and let’s prove the doubters wrong,’” Russell explained.
“Coming from an athletic mindset, I thrive on challenges. If someone says, ‘This movie looks terrible, I’m not interested,’ my instinct is to make them reconsider their words.”
Russell emphasized that Thunderbolts presents a unique hurdle because it isn’t a “primed movie.” Unlike The Avengers, which built on established solo films, Thunderbolts brings together anti-heroes who haven’t had their own origin stories.
The Thunderbolts ensemble includes 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 as John Walker / U.S. Agent.
“None of the main characters in this film have had substantial standalone arcs in the Marvel universe,” Russell continued.
“This isn’t Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, or the Avengers. These are more like the misfits. When Kevin Feige presented this challenge to director Jake Schreier and our cast, we felt energized and ready.
“While I can’t speak for everyone, many of us built our careers outside the typical path. I spent years on unconventional TV projects, David Harbour has been a Broadway staple since 2000, Sebastian Stan had an established career before Marvel and has continued to pursue diverse roles, and Florence Pugh has also achieved remarkable success beyond the MCU. Marvel hasn’t defined any of us.”
The Thunderbolts: The Turbulent History of Marvel's Unconventional Super-Team
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Earlier this month, Sebastian Stan reflected on his early career struggles before being cast as the Winter Soldier. In a Vanity Fair interview, Stan revealed that a $65,000 residuals check from Hot Tub Time Machine arrived just in time, saving him financially before he landed the role of James "Bucky" Barnes in the first Captain America film. Stan played antagonist Blaine in the 2010 sci-fi comedy and later appeared alongside Chris Evans in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.
“I was genuinely struggling to find work,” Stan recalled. “My business manager called to tell me that a $65,000 residual payment from Hot Tub Time Machine had come through, and it was a lifesaver.”
Stan went on to reprise his role in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, multiple Avengers films, this year’s Captain America: Brave New World, and will return as the superhero in next month’s Thunderbolts. Stan was also listed among the cast for Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, suggesting that Bucky, John Walker, and other Thunderbolts members will remain key figures in the MCU for the foreseeable future.
