Wyatt Russell, known for his role as U.S. Agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is determined to prove the skeptics wrong about the upcoming Thunderbolts movie. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Russell shared that he and his co-stars are motivated to challenge any preconceived doubts about the film, drawing confidence from his own background in ice hockey.
"We came to this as a group of people who were like, 'Let's make this our own thing, let's make it great and let's make people put their foot in their mouths,'" Russell stated. He emphasized his athletic background, expressing a desire to make doubters "eat their words" if they dismiss the movie prematurely.
Russell highlighted that *Thunderbolts* presents a unique challenge because it isn't a "primed movie." Unlike the Avengers, the characters in *Thunderbolts*—often considered anti-heroes—do not have their own origin stories leading up to this film.The cast of Thunderbolts includes notable actors such as Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost, and Wyatt Russell himself as John Walker / U.S. Agent.
Russell pointed out that the film focuses on lesser-known characters within the Marvel universe. "There are no characters in this film, really, that have their own stuff in the Marvel universe that much," he said. He described Thunderbolts as featuring "misfit types," a challenge embraced by director Jake Schreier and the cast, as set forth by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.
Russell also noted the diverse career paths of his fellow actors. "I don’t want to speak for everybody, but most of us didn’t make it by doing this," he said, highlighting his own journey through various TV shows and David Harbour's long-standing career on Broadway. Similarly, Sebastian Stan and Florence Pugh have built significant careers outside of Marvel, with Stan's role in Hot Tub Time Machine providing a crucial financial lifeline before he joined the MCU.
The Thunderbolts: The Tumultuous History of Marvel's Twisted Super-Team
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Earlier this month, Sebastian Stan shared his career struggles before landing the role of the Winter Soldier in the MCU. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Stan revealed that he was "saved" by a $65,000 residuals payment from Hot Tub Time Machine before joining Captain America: The First Avenger. Stan played the antagonist Blaine in the 2010 film and later starred alongside Chris Evans in the 2011 blockbuster.
"I was actually struggling with work," Stan admitted. "I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine."
Stan has since reprised his role in several MCU films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, various Avengers movies, and the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World. He is set to return as the Winter Soldier in the upcoming Thunderbolts film. Stan's inclusion in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal suggests that fans can expect to see Bucky Barnes and other Thunderbolts members, including John Walker, continue their journeys within the MCU.
