Before we get to The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, we’ll get a different crossover featuring some of the MCU’s best anti-heroes. The Thunderbolts will be formed to fight a major threat, although we have no idea what they’re supposed to face yet. We know that the Avengers do not formally exist right now, which was a revelation Marvel dropped in February.
Therefore, multiple superhero teams might be needed in the MCU, even if the Thunderbolts roster has to include former villains and antagonists. This further reinforces the idea that the world will be desperate for any form of protection, even if it’s the Thunderbolts acting as heroes. And a new report might offer us more details about the Thunderbolts villain and their origin story. Beware, big spoilers might follow below if this claim is accurate.
Thunderbolts is set to release on July 26th, 2024, as the final film in Marvel’s MCU Phase 5 chapter. Before that, however, we’ll watch New World Order in theaters (May 3rd). That’s where Captain America (Anthony Mackie) will reportedly form the new Avengers team. A new rumor claims the Avengers will oppose President Thunderbolt Ross (Harrison Ford) in the movie.
If accurate, that’s undoubtedly an exciting turn of events for the MCU world after Endgame. Moreover, seeing the Avengers fight the US government would certainly provide an explanation for the Thunderbolts. Ross and Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) will need a trusted team of their own to do their bidding.
That’s not to say that the Thunderbolts will go against the Avengers. After all, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is on both teams.
While we’re speculating here, we do know that Val will lead the Thunderbolts against the film’s mysterious villain/threat.
(L-R): Olivia Walker (Gabrielle Byndloss), Valentina Allegra DeFontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) in Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Image source: Marvel Studios
Val will create the Thunderbolts villain
We first met Val in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and then saw her in Black Widow. But Marvel only revealed in Wakanda Forever who Val is and how important she is for the MCU’s Earth.
The ex-wife of Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Val is actually the head of the CIA. She arrested her ex, and she’d love nothing more than to strip Wakanda of all its vibranium. Add her recruiting of gifted individuals, and Val is quite an exciting and dangerous MCU character.
That’s all you need to know about Val to accept the new Thunderbolts villain leak immediately. Twitter user CanWeGetToast claims that Val will create the Thunderbolts villain. That person is a superpowered individual called Sentry, a villain name we heard in previous leaks.
Here’s another thank you for 13k 🥹The #Thunderbolts villain created by Valentina Allegra De Fontaine: pic.twitter.com/uPeEweD3Lx
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) December 19, 2022
In the comics, Robert Reynolds becomes Sentry after getting a special serum. He has the “power of one million exploding suns,” which is certainly exciting. Assuming the Thunderbolts leak is accurate, one could see Val work on such programs. Just like one could see how this Sentry initiative would fail or get out of control.
Let’s remember that Ultron was a Tony Stark failure, forcing Avengers to take a massive stand against him in Sokovia. We might witness something similar in Thunderbolts, assuming these villain rumors are accurate.