Thunderbolts* is a new kind of Marvel Cinematic Universe adventure that tells a very human story with some of the MCU’s most human characters. The movie forces the MCU’s best-known antiheroes into a life-or-death situation that requires them all to work together, and does it with all the action and comedy one might expect, plus a surprisingly deep well of emotion. The movie was directed by Jake Schreier (Beef, Skeleton Crew) and written by Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Godzilla vs. Kong) and Joanna Calo (The Bear, BoJack Horseman).
Marvel’s latest movie also shines a light on both new and underserved characters. Of the new, Robert “Bob” Reynolds, aka The Sentry, aka The Void, shines the brightest. Bob is played by Lewis Pullman, who is accused in ScreenRant’s Thunderbolts* review of stealing the show. Among the underserved is Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr, aka Ghost, who was a highlight of 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and had not been seen in the MCU again until now.
ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier spoke with Lewis Pullman and Hannah John-Kamen about their work on Thunderbolts*. Pullman discussed finding the emotional core of Bob, while John-Kamen reflected on Ghost’s less tortured sense of self in the new film. Plus, Pullman weighed in on how his sure return to the MCU in the looming Avengers: Doomsday affected his choices when playing his character.
Lewis Pullman Reflects On Keeping Bob’s Secrets Until Release “I Was Worried For My Life” Close Marvel Cinematic Universe press junkets tend to have everyone–fans, reporters, and stars alike–on the edge of their seats. When it comes to promoting movies known for their surprise character introductions and cameos as well as other superpowered twists, secrecy is key. “There’s a lot of acting that needs to be done in circumstances where you shouldn’t be acting; you should be telling the truth,” Bob actor Lewis Pullman said on that subject. “But, obviously I was under contract and was worried for my life, so I did my job and didn"t say anything.”
“And there is some relief in that,” he continued, “because you’re a little bit like, ‘Okay, it’s cool to be able to protect the story a little bit in a day and age where a lot of spoilers are easy to come by,’ so it felt like an honorable duty of mine.”
Hannah John-Kamen Shares Her Feelings About Playing A New Version Of Ava Starr “She Is Thriving” In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ava Starr was a character who revealed she was often in excruciating pain due to her exposure to quantum energy. In Thunderbolts*, she appears to be managing her condition well enough to kick some butt, and dole out a quip or two. “She is thriving,” Hannah John-Kamen said about the new Starr, “It is amazing, and it’s a freeing feeling to play Ava and have this refresh of her. The obstacle of pain and that flickering, uncontrollable feeling? That’s not in the way of this.”
“[She has] this definite control of her power, which I think is very dangerous.”
While Ghost’s “power” was a danger to herself in Ant-Man and the Wasp, John-Kamen relayed that in Thunderbolts*, “the danger is definitely to the others around her.” Executing that was a highlight of the process for her as well: “With her power, the fight scenes and the action in this–I just love it. I get such an adrenaline kick when I"m fighting and doing the stunts.”
“But,” John-Kamen continued, “I think her inner demon in this movie is that she thinks she can do everything alone. I think she"s got this very sarcastic, stubborn, Fort Knox kind of dungeon around her. She"s like, ‘Don"t come close. I don"t like people. I"m not around people,’ and I think her inner fight, and what she should give up on, is the idea that she has to do it alone. And, actually, does she enjoy the idea of being relied on and relying on other people? It"s going to be a fun journey.”
Lewis Pullman Sets Up The Arrival Of The Void “There’s A Lot That We Don’t See … Which Is Partially What Makes It So Scary” It’s been revealed that a major part of Lewis Pullman’s role in Thunderbolts* is as The Void, a character still largely shrouded in mystery. “There’s a lot that we don’t see within The Void, which is partially what makes it so scary,” Pullman shared.
He went on to tease the vastness of the situation, specifically in regard to a moment the Thunderbolts find themselves in: “We’re only seeing some of the rooms, and it’s infinite rooms, and I think that where the Thunderbolts end up landing is technically, probably, his biggest shame room. But there"s a lot more that we don"t get to see. There"s a lot behind the curtains that is left for the imagination of the viewer, which is what makes it so kind of massive in its ideology.”
Bob Will Return, And Lewis Pullman Is Already Thinking About It “He’s Such An Intricate Character … His Biggest Achilles Heel Is Himself” The cast of Thunderbolts* was confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday before their movie even hit theaters. Lewis Pullman, for one, is already wondering how Bob will factor into that massive endeavor: “I"m really curious to see how [he fits on]. He"s such an intricate character because in many ways his biggest Achilles heel is himself."
"What does the future look like for a guy with that much power, but also with that kind of soft spot? It"s a pretty big weakness.”
But Bob won’t be alone, Pullman assured: “But now we also know that he has this help with the Thunderbolts. They have taken him under their wing, and maybe there"s a future there, where there"s some sort of ability to control it or some sort of safety net. So, I"m curious to see what that might look like.”
Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
Like Follow Followed Thunderbolts* PG-13 Adventure Action Sci-Fi 8/10 Release Date May 2, 2025 Runtime 126 Minutes Director Jake Schreier Writers Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Cast See All Florence Pugh Yelena Belova Sebastian Stan James Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier
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