Marvel movies Thunderbolts*, expected in cinemas in April 2025 and presented as a Suicide Squad MCU version, starts filming again. But what does that mean exactly?
After the big bowls Ant-Man 3 et The Marvels in 2023, 2024 was the year of hiatus for Marvel. If by pause we mean a single film named Deadpool & Wolverinewhich exploded the counters with 1.3 billion at the box officeand two more or less forgettable series, Echo et Agatha All Along.
We needed at least that to prepare for 2025, where Marvel will return in force with three films (Captain America 4, Thunderbolts*, Fantastic Four) and a handful of series (Daredevil : Born Again, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Ironheart, Wonder Man). And if the kickoff will be given by the return of Captain America, now played by Anthony Mackie following the series Falcon and the Winter SoldierIt is Thunderbolts* which remains the most intriguing – for good or bad, it’s up to you.
Meeting of all a bunch of second knives from the MCU (Yelena, Red Guardian et Tasmaster de Black WidowBucky Barnes, Ghost d’Ant-Man 2…), this film centered on a band of anti-heroes was initially due to be released in July 2024, before being rejected several timesnotably following the screenwriters’ strikes in Hollywood. And not even five months before its release, the blockbuster goes back to filming. But what does that mean exactly?
LES RESHOOTS DE THUNDERBOLTS*
It is Collider which explains that the director of Thunderbolts*Jake Schreier, was spotted via Twitter resuming filming in Atlanta. No actors or actresses have been spotted, but clearly the Marvel blockbuster is entitled to these famous reshoots – also called additional filming, depending on the case.
Are reshoots always synonyms for problem and and panic? No. They are even programmed by principle in numerous blockbusters, notably at Marvel, ranging from a few days to a few weeks – for comparison, it was two months on the chaotic Justice League with Joss Whedon. Sometimes it even involves simple pick-up (minor shots, filmed and added during editing to help rhythm and understanding).
But in the case of Thunderbolts*the Marvel context must be taken into account, particularly in relation to Captain America : Brave New World.
LE CAS CAPTAIN AMERICA 4
Initially planned for the summer of 2023, the filming of Thunderbolts* was shifted with the strikes in Hollywood to finally spread between February and June 2024. Yet closed before, Captain America 4 went back to reshoots at the same time, with the arrival of a new screenwriter to confirm the rumors about heavy modifications.
Giancarlo Esposito then joined the film as the villainous Sidewinder, and he confirmed that he had indeed been added with the reshoots. Enough to imagine how much Captain America : Brave New World was rewritten along the way.
Present in Doctor Strange 2 during an appearance, Bruce Campbell explained to Game Informerin April 2022, how things were going at Marvel:
“The guys at Marvel, they’re doing eight of these movies at the same time, so they’re constantly updating the stories. My buddy Sam Raimi had to add scenes that Marvel asked him to shoot, and he took out scenes that no longer made sense. »
MISSION: PREPARE FOR AVENGERS 5 AND 6
The MCU being what it is, a change in one film potentially has consequences elsewhere. This is all the more true with this Phase 5, which was disrupted along the way : between the failure ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the dismissal of actor Jonathan Majors, convicted of assaulting his ex-partner, the studio changed its plans.
Supposed to be the next big villain against the Avengers, as teased in season 2 of Loki et Ant-Man 3, Kang was put in the trash. Marvel then released a supreme wild card: the return of Robert Downey Jr. en Doctor Doom (Doctor Doom in French), the next villain who will face the Avengers.
Thunderbolts* will be the last film of Phase 5, Fantastic Four opening Phase 6 before Avengers : Doomsdaya film Spider-Man et Avengers : Secret Wars. It would therefore be logical for Marvel to seek to score a big blow by preparing as much as possible for the next mega-fights in the MCU. What if Captain America 4 has changed to this extent during the reshoots, nothing is impossible in such a machine.
Captain America 4 : Brave New World will be released on February 12, 2025, followed by Thunderbolts* on April 30. And on July 23, there will be Fantastic Fourthe biggest event in the MCU since it will largely prepare the ground for Avengers : Doomsday (avril 2026)with Robert Downey Jr. returning in Iron Man Doctor Doom.
