All 9 MCU Projects To Watch To Understand The Thunderbolts

Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige continue to build the MCU universe with the reveal of the lineup for Thunderbolts*, a team of villains and anti-heroes brought together for a mysterious reason. With a cast consisting of the Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and more, there is a lot for fans to watch to be caught up with Thunderbolts*, which is set to be released May 2, 2025.

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These characters have been slowly set up since Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Spanning all the way to Phase Four, there are a lot of movies and shows that the Thunderbolts will act as a sequel to; similar to how The Avengers movies were the culmination of many films. These are all the essential watches prior to Thunderbolts*.

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Captain America: The First Avenger

It would seem that one of the leaders of the Thunderbolts will be none other than Bucky Barnes, who has had quite an evolution across the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. His story begins in Phase One with Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger, as a significant side character that will eventually turn into one of the most important characters in the entire MCU.

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This is mainly an origin story for Steve Rogers, but it does showcase the brotherly love between him and Bucky Barnes. This was when Steve and Bucky’s friendship was at its most wholesome before Bucky’s life was subjected to torture in future entries, eventually leading into the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

With an arm missing and injected with a super soldier formula, Bucky became the titular villain of this Captain America sequel. It makes Bucky Barnes’ life into a tragic story that shows how Hydra stripped Bucky of his humanity and turned him into a soulless assassin under their control. Bucky turning into the Winter Soldier will continue to haunt him throughout the rest of his story in the MCU, all the way to Thunderbolts*.

This is the most pivotal chapter in understanding Bucky’s place in Thunderbolts* and why he is probably the perfect choice to lead the team. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is also important because of how far Steve Rogers was willing to go in order to save his friend, which is a prelude to the rest of Bucky’s journey as the Winter Soldier, as he begins to show hints of who he will eventually become as his story goes on.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Bucky is essentially the reason why Captain America and Iron Man are turned into enemies in Captain America: Civil War. Steve Rogers is trying to protect his friend and prove that he is still inside the living weapon for hire, while Iron Man has a personal vendetta following an earth-shattering reveal towards the end of the film. This is where Bucky really takes off as one of the most complex characters in the MCU.

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While Captain America: Civil War ended with members of Team Cap branded fugitives, the MCU has since proven that Team Cap actually won the battle.

This third film in the Captain America trilogy highlights Bucky’s redemption and shows him becoming the hero he was before Hydra turned him into their assassin. It comes at the cost of the Avengers falling apart, which Bucky did not want, and the guilt for that comes later. The post credits scene of Captain America: Civil War also sets up where Bucky will be once the events of Avengers: Infinity War kick off.

Black Widow (2021)

Four members of the Thunderbolts are introduced in Black Widow. First, there is Yelena Belova, who is the sister of Natasha Romanoff. Black Widow also introduces Yelena and Natasha’s father, Alexei Shostakov, otherwise known as Red Guardian. His super soldier strength was the icing on the cake, helping David Harbour steal the show as a washed-up, middle-aged super soldier who has a complicated relationship with both Natasha and Yelena.

Alexei was primarily used as comedic relief, but the movie showed he also had a good heart, which is why many are looking forward to his return to Thunderbolts*. Antonia Dreykov, also known as Taskmaster, was one of the main villains of Black Widow, and she will also be featured in Thunderbolts*, following the events of her regaining her autonomy in the film. Finally, there is the introduction of Julia Louise Dreyfuss as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in a post credits scene, who will be significant in Thunderbolts*.

Narratively, Black Widow is one of the most important films to watch before Thunderbolts*, as the end of it begins to set up where these characters will be when they appear in the upcoming movie. The Thunderbolts* trailer heavily features both Yelena and Alexei Shostakov and what they are up to prior to becoming part of the team.

Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)

One of the more surprising characters joining the Thunderbolts team is Ghost, who was last seen and introduced in Ant-Man And The Wasp as the main villain. Even though she turned out to be one of the MCU’s more lackluster villains, she could be redeemed in Thunderbolts*. Ghost has one of the most interesting power sets in the MCU, which should be taken full advantage of for fight scenes in Thunderbolts*.

Not only is she played by the talented Hannah John-Kamen, but she also has a well-made costume with dynamic powers. The character simply needed more development and a better script which Thunderbolts* could provide. In the Thunderbolts* trailer, Ghost is sporting a new suit and looks like she has much more control over her powers, after her inability to control them in Ant-Man and the Wasp was one of the central conflicts of her character. Hopefully, Thunderbolts* will explore what happened with her since Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

This is part one of what is easily the most important event in the MCU timeline. When ten years of build-up culminated in the war for the Infinity Stones against Thanos, it changed the MCU forever. Especially with its rather dark and surprising ending featuring the Blip, which included Bucky turning to dust.

Fans got to see characters like Bucky become an Avenger for the first time and defend Earth from Thanos’ forces. Avengers: Infinity War would lead to the second part of the event that would change the course of the MCU forever and pave the way for Thunderbolts*. Avengers: Infinity War catches up with Bucky and what he has been doing since the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as a rehabilitated person, which is further explored in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

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This was the epic finale of the Infinity Saga, which cut to five years later and showcased how the Blip affected the world. Iconic characters would sadly lose their lives or retire, including Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, and Tony Stark himself. Bucky is the only character from the Thunderbolts team to appear in the film, with the end setting up his story in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

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All the events in Avengers: Endgame would set up more to come in Phase Four. Hawkeye would be thrust back into superhero life in his own spin-off series, while also exploring how the world reacts to the lack of Captain America, and how the Blip both ruined and helped people. Even though Avengers: Endgame doesn’t narratively lead right into Thunderbolts*, it helps shape characters following its events, including Yelena and Bucky.

Hawkeye (2021)

For the most part, Hawkeye focuses on Clint Barton and his partnership with the new Hawkeye AKA Kate Bishop. However, the Hawkeye series also acts as a sequel to both Black Widow and Avengers: Endgame with the appearance of Yelena Boleva, and how Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame brings Yelena and Clint face-to-face.

Yelena’s role focuses heavily on the aftermath of Endgame and how she and Barton are both grieving the loss of Natasha. It also establishes the dynamic between Yelena and Kate which could continue in future Avengers movies. Hawkeye is the final appearance of Yelena before Thunderbolts*, where she looks to be one of the most important characters in the film. Black Widow is the more significant film to explore Yelena’s character, but Hawkeye works well to see what she has been up to following the events of her sister’s death.

The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (2021)

Bucky became a co-star in this Disney+ series focusing on him working with Sam Wilson, who evolves from Falcon to the new Captain America. Bucky is determined to make his friend Steve Rogers proud and audiences see him deal with not only the trauma of being a Winter Soldier, but also how Earth’s heroes nearly killed each other over him.

On top of that, The Falcon and The Winter Soldierintroduced Wyatt Russell as John Walker AKA US Agent. He’s essentially what would have happened if Steve Rogers was never picked for the super soldier program. John Walker fell into becoming a murderous and villainous Captain America variant with a hint of good in him, which will make him one of the more volatile members in Thunderbolts*.

Based on the Thunderbolts* trailer, John Walker’s story will pick up where The Falcon and The Winter Soldier ends, with him working as US Agent. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is also the first appearance of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who will have an important part to play in Thunderbolts*. Bucky seems to be hunting down members of the team, setting up a mystery about what happened between the events of Thunderbolts* and the ending of his television series.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Even though she doesn’t have much screentime in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is featured in the film, giving viewers a chance to know a little more about her before Thunderbolts*. She is the Director of the CIA and the ex-wife of Everett Ross, a CIA agent that appears in both Black Panther films, Captain America: Civil War, and one episode of Secret Invasion.

After a handful of appearances in the MCU, Valentina looks to be a significant part of Thunderbolts*, seemingly putting the team together for a specific reason. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is her most recent appearance in the MCU leading up to Thunderbolts*, which means viewers who would like to know a bit more about her should check out the film.