Thunderbolts* finally lands in cinemas next week, hoping to revive the MCU on the big screen after the disappointment of Captain America: Brave New World.
The team-up movie brings back Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell and Olga Kurylenko as the antiheroes face a deadly new threat that could bring them redemption.
Thunderbolts* (that asterisk is important and will be explained when the movie is released) also sees Julia Louis-Dreyfus reprise her role as Val, alongside MCU newcomers Lewis Pullman and Geraldine Viswanathan.
Following its special screening in the UK tonight, those lucky few to have already seen Thunderbolts* have now taken to social media to reveal their first reactions to the new movie.
So is Thunderbolts* an MCU hit or a flop?
Related: Thunderbolts runtime confirmed ahead of release
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"Well #Thunderbolts is easily one of the best MCU movies in a long time (and maybe one of my new personal faves)," tweeted critic Emily Murray, who added: "A tear was shed. Florence Pugh in particular superb, just walks away with it."
Film journalist Mia Pflüger also spoke highly of Pugh, deeming her "the true lead of the new generation and team". But also teased an "absolute scene stealing moment" from co-star Sebastian Stan.
"A visually daring, emotionally resonant superhero film that pushes mental health to the forefront," tweeted Empire's Amon Warmann. "Best MCU film in a long while!"
Next Big Picture's Matt Neglia applauded Thunderbolts* for bringing freshness to the MCU at an "opportune time, when the franchise is in need of new blood and direction." He also teased "some of Marvel’s darkest material to date".
Related: How to watch the entire MCU in order
Ahead of its release, Thunderbolts* was confirmed to run for two hours and six minutes, on par with the likes of Iron Man and Captain Marvel, among other MCU movies.
We should be prepared to get emotional during those two hours though as director Jake Schreier revealed earlier this year that he took inspiration from the furnace scene in Toy Story 3.
"It wasn't as focused on a genre as much as dynamics amongst characters. They all have that dynamic of a team that is thrown together," he explained.
"That sequence works so well because you’ve come to care about these characters so much. Can they get out of the trash can together?"
Thunderbolts* is released in UK cinemas on 1 May and in US cinemas on 2 May.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
Emily is an experienced freelance entertainment writer and editor, reporting on all things TV, film, soaps and showbiz. An NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from the University of Sussex, Emily is a former Deputy News Editor and Evening News Editor at Digital Spy. She has previously worked at Hello magazine, BBC South News and GoodtoKnow.
A small and big-screen obsessive – with subscriptions to every TV and film service under the sun – Emily knows her movie stars from soap stars, and is always clued up on the latest reality show dumping, just-dropped trailer or off-screen spat. She's interviewed a number of celebrities over the years, with highlights including The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett and GMB's Kate Garraway (who "loved" her trousers).
Emily counts Sharon Horgan and Julia Davis as her TV heroes, and is a loyal Wes Anderson fan. LinkedIn
