When Marvel Studios assembles a team of antiheroes, you know things are about to get complicated. Thunderbolts, the latest MCU venture, has sparked a flurry of reactions, and it’s safe to say the critics are divided. With an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film — directed by Jake Schreier — follows a team of complex characters like Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, navigating a mission that’s equal parts personal and dangerous.
Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture, writing on Rotten Tomatoes, remarks, "This is the right time for Marvel to do this... dealing with the emotional wreckage of broken individuals grappling with their past choices." Emily Murray echoes that sentiment, calling it "easily one of the best MCU movies in a long time" and praising Pugh’s powerful performance.
However, not all critics are sold. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, "The film feels stretched thin, offering little more than a rehash of familiar superhero tropes."
For some, Thunderbolts doesn’t quite live up to the fresh promise its antihero ensemble suggests.
As Thunderbolts hits theatres on May 2, 2025, expect to hear just as much buzz about its divisive reception as its high-stakes action.
