Marvel’s The Boys? Will THUNDERBOLTS be a successful MCU film?

First, we need to ask ourselves what exactly constitutes a “successful film” in the context of superhero cinema? Is it a film where everyone has a good time but forgets about it afterward (like “Ant-Man”), or is it a title that has a chance to achieve cult status, like “Avengers: Infinity War”? I have a feeling that “Thunderbolts” is aiming for the latter definition. However, the problem is that attempting to revive the MCU with a group of minor characters, especially in a negative portrayal, is a risky move. Even during early production, you could see Marvel’s nervous adjustments when “Thunderbolts” was initially supposed to be a “Black Widow” spin-off. After numerous revisions, the film became an independent project, which probably saved it from total failure, but now its final quality depends on which path the producers take. Will it be the safe 12+ route or the more mature, cynical, no-holds-barred highway like “The Boys”?

The release of “Thunderbolts” is scheduled for May 2025, which is not that far away. The film is directed by Jake Schreier, a creator with no experience in superhero cinema. Paradoxically, this could be an advantage. It could also be a disadvantage, since in big studio productions, it often happens that directors are mere figureheads, managing and executing the corporate will outlined in marketing analysis reports. The MCU really doesn’t need this kind of approach. The universe needs a bold step forward if it’s going to survive, which means the film should be led by someone with a visionary portfolio and an unpretentious concept. I don’t think Jake Schreier is that person, and the same goes for the screenwriters—Kurt Busiek and Eric Pearson. Just take a look at their directing and writing portfolios, and you’ll see for yourself that a light and fun approach won’t work as a rescue plan for Marvel’s world anymore. Looking to DC, especially “Suicide Squad”, is an even worse option. DC has essentially already drowned in its mediocrity, so there’s really no competition or role model to follow. Unfortunately, “Thunderbolts” seems to be trying to do just that, as in some sense, it’s a response to the failed “Suicide Squad”. Marvel decided to create something similar but promised to do it better than DC. Let’s be honest—doing it better doesn’t really require that much effort.
Unfortunately, the concept of the film can no longer be changed, and it’s very similar to “Suicide Squad”. The U.S. government, instead of employing superheroes, hires a group of anti-heroes who suffer from a kind of depression, feel useless, and no longer find joy in doing evil. Maybe for a change, they’ll do something good?

As for the story structure, it presents nothing new beyond the standard action movie formula: introducing the group’s members, gathering them in a secret room with a boss—who must, as always, be played by a cinema icon—assigning a mission, a small final twist where someone who seemed good suddenly takes off their mask and turns bad, and a happy ending where the villains aren’t really so bad after all. Honestly, you can watch the trailer and get a good sense of the entire film’s plot. There won’t be any multi-layered intrigue, plot twists, or refined acting, but in typical Marvel fashion, there will definitely be a mix of drama and comedy in an infantile manner. Cheap jokes will be woven into the action with emotional weight enhanced by booming and brassy music. And yet, “Thunderbolts” was supposed to be the fresh start for the MCU, a compensation for the disappearance of Thanos, the removal of Waititi from the universe, and the conclusion of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. So far, it’s been a complete disappointment, as I’m expecting a formulaic production that will bring nothing new to the MCU.

There was a glimmer of hope for something like “The Boys” when Marvel decided to integrate villains into the main storyline. However, they were tamed, almost neutered, and in the case of female characters, their personalities were copied from previous films where they played antagonists. On top of that, situational jokes were thrown in to fake humor. Of course, I have no idea how the entire film will play out. But based on the scenes selected for the trailer, it’s hard to expect anything different. Even in terms of fight choreography and action sequences, the scenes involving cars and the poses the characters strike, combined with slow-motion, seem so overused in blockbusters that it’s really disappointing and puzzling as to why the same ideas were recycled yet again. Returning to “The Boys”, their uniqueness and value as a source of inspiration for “Thunderbolts” lie not in the number of curse words and chauvinistic acts but in the script and execution, which include cinematography, editing, music, and even the opening sequence, ensuring each episode has a distinctive introduction. In “The Boys”, the villains play a significant, if not the main, role in the plot. No one sugarcoats them or forces them to tell forced jokes that break the tone. Moreover, even among the so-called positive characters, it’s hard to find truly positive individuals, and each one has a unique style expressed through their on-screen persona, which can’t be said for “Thunderbolts”.

Sometimes a trailer can reveal a lot about the entire film, and in this case, it doesn’t work in the film’s favor. There’s a scene where all the characters are gathered in a large hall and start fighting each other. It’s like a fast-tracked introduction to who they are and what they’re capable of in combat. At that moment, you can see how much they blend together. The only standout is Ghost, but only until she takes off her mask. In short, the chance to borrow the best aspects of “The Boys” and transpose them into a feature-length film has been missed. And it had such promise with the idea of giving villains the lead roles. But were they really villains? I’ll probably watch “Thunderbolts”, but I’m not expecting great cinema. The problem is that formulaic superhero films might not provide me with any entertainment at all. There’s already been too much of it in the MCU.