2025's Thunderbolts* (New Avengers) proved to be a relative success, with acceptable box office returns and even greater critical acclaim, with many celebrating the film's approach to mental health. While some "true believers" didn't give a Zemo-less adaptation a chance, many were overjoyed with the quality of the film and called it a return to form for Marvel Studios, as one of their best films since Avengers: Endgame.
The film brought together minor characters from different corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Falcon and the Winter Soldier's Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Sebastian Stan as James Buchanan Barnes/Winter Solder, Ant Man and the Wasp's Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, Black Widow's Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, while introducing Lewis Pullman's Bob/Sentry to the team.
With the Thunderbolts ensemble (sans-Taskmaster, for obvious reasons) have rebranded as New Avengers and moved on to bigger and better things such as leading roles in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, this leaves Val with a need for a new team to do her bidding, especially if many of the previously mentioned anti-heroes meet their death this December at the hands of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.
While its possible that Marvel could move on from this franchise, especially with so many films in the pipleline and director Jake Schreier graduating to helm the upcoming X-Men flick, Marvel Studios has been known to milk any franchise that turns a profit. In addition to that, recent repots have pointed to plans for recruitment by Val in other corners of the universe, but we'll expand on that in the list below.
5. Bullseye/Taskmaster's Redemption
Wilson Bethel has been phenomenal as Bullseye in Daredevil:Born Again, and all signs seem to point to his redemption. While he sought a north star to align his moral compass in the Netflix series, the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 was titled as such, which seems to point at his turning over a new leaf. While North Star was the name of the ship Daredevil was on in the episode, the name is likely a double entendre.
In addition to playing Bullseye, Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil showed that Wilson Bethel can handle multiple monikers as he suited up as a feaux version of ol' Hornhead himself. Still, a recent report seems to suggest that the actor will turn over a new leaf undertaking yet another mantle, specifically, one that has been treated criminally up to this point - Taskmaster.
Even if Dex doesn't change his nomenclature to Taskmaster, there is precedence for Bullseye to join this team in the source material. On the page, Bullseye is recruited for the villainous team posing as heroes by taking on the mantle of Hawkeye for the Thunderbolts/Dark Avengers. However, with a Season 2 of Hawkeye likely to be in the pipeline, the minds behind Marvel may avoid this particular approach for the movie's possible sequel, leaving Taskmaster as more likely option.
Many fans were critical of how Taskmaster showed up on screen so even if it isn't Tony Masters, it would be a two-for-one situation to redeem the Taskmaster name alongside Dex's character turn in one fell swoop. Check out the report in the tweet below as it certainly seems to hint at Val starting with Bullseye in forming a new team.
4. General "Thunderbolt" Ross/Red Hulk
Captain America: Brave New World introduced Harrison Ford re-cast in the role of General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross AKA Red Hulk, and despite the reception that movie received, it would be criminal to waste the character on a one-and-done appearance. With his history as a team member in the comics and his nickname providing an excuse to re-use the title in a sequel to Thunderbolts, Marvel may have more luck getting Harrison Ford back should they offer him a leading role in what could ultimately end up being Dark Avengers.
With Val's connections to the government, it isn't much of a stretch to expect that she has likely already crossed paths with Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which would make him a natural contender for leading the next iteration of her team. While Ross' roster of Thunderbolts in the comics saw him team up alongside The Punisher, Elektra, Deadpool, and Agent Venom, we could see him fitting in with a number of different recruits.
In the Dark Avengers storyline, Red Hulk is the replacement for Hulk on the roster - which should go without saying. The star-power of the actor and the fanbase for the character with an opportunity to do Ross justice could possibly be a formula to fill seats for the second entry in the Thunderbolts franchise.
3. Mac Gargan/Venom
Michael Mando first portrayed the character of Mac Gargan/The Scorpion, albeit briefly, in Spider-Man: Homecoming. After a distinctive absence from Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Better Call Saul actor is finally set to properly suit up in the Scorpion costume come this July with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
In the comics, Gargan ultimately bonded with the symbiote, becoming Venom, and ended up on the roster of Dark Avengers impersonating Spider-Man. While it might seem a bit soon for Scorpion to change his name and appearance, all signs seem to be pointing to Gargan getting the suit in place of Eddie Brock in the MCU to differentiate from Sony's Venom trilogy and upcoming R-Rated animation.
Other variations of the team saw Agent Venom align with Red Hulk and others on the Thunderbolts roster, but that was Flash Thompson, and it is pretty difficult to imagine Marvel Studios employing Tony Revolori in the role, with Mac Gargan certainly proving to be a better, more threatening contender for the Venom mantle.
2. Clint Barton/Ronin
We decided to include Hawkeye/Ronin for two reasons. First off, the character was a member of the Dark Avengers line-up in the comic books. In addition, there is already precedence for Clint Barton to take up the mantle of Ronin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the Russo Brothers introducing the iteration of the character in Avengers: Endgame.
Its worth mentioning that Barton's arc in the first season of Hawkeye didn't necessarily lead to him going back down that dark path, but with Season 2 said to be inspired by The Raid and incorporate the presence of his former mentor as the villainous Trickshot, in addition to Natasha's continued absence, it isn't totally out of the realm of possibility that Barton could revisit the mantle when his character goes back into another mid-life-crisis low. Plus, Renner plays pouty rather well.
His role could be similar to that of Bucky in Thunderbolts, by starting off as an antagonist to the group, being a side character in a movie that happens to have a storied history in the MCU, and a name to help fill seats, ultimately being dragged into the roster less-than-willingly. It would also be fitting for Barton to want to keep an eye on things in such a troublesome roster of "heroes", and it would make sense for him to want to be close to Yelena Belova, as she's the closest thing he has left to Black Widow, which leads us to our final candidate.
1. Yelena Belova
Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova may currently be on the New Avengers team alongside her pops, but Widows have a history of flip-flopping on both sides of the morality coin. It wouldn't be a surprise for her father's Red Guardian to bite the dust in Avengers: Doomsday, as there doesn't really seem to be a place for him in a post-Secret Wars world, and the loss could drive her to the dark side once again.
Alternatively, if Val were to once again manipulate Lewis Pullman's Sentry, that could certainly be a compelling reason for Yelena to follow her trauma-bond colleague back into the hornet's nest. This transition could also explain Pugh's reported presence in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She may seem out of place in the film, but if the role is minor enough to simply warrant her visiting a symbiote-bonded Gargan in a post-credits scene, it might just line up perfectly.
0. Honorable Mentions
While Punisher may seem like an oddball choice here, this adaptation is notably missing an Iron Patriot, which is a character that has a version which sees Frank Castle take the mantle, featured in Marvel's Future Fight. In addition, there is precedence for Frank to wear the War-Machine armor in the comics, and the MCU's War-Machine armor was repurposed as Iron Patriot in Iron Man 2. Frank has a history on the Dark Avengers line-up, is exactly the type of person Val would target, and could also be someone that may cross paths with the previously mentioned Yelena Belova in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
If Sentry isn't to return, Val could use another powerhouse to take Thor's place on the Avengers line-up, and Hercules, having been left as a hanging thread with a chip on his shoulder against the Asgardian hero, could ultimately align with the Dark Avengers in his fury, with some version of the Siege storyline seeing him involved in an attack on New Asgard.
Our money isn't on this one panning out, but Marvel does have to put him somewhere, or leave him in post-credit scene purgatory with the likes of Samuel Sterns/The Leader.
Our suggestions for this line-up definitely bring Elektra to mind, as she served in the Thunderbolts alongside the likes of Thaddeus Ross, Frank Castle, and Venom. Elodie Yung's return has been all-but-confirmed for Daredevil: Born Again: Season 3, with the character possibly even joining the likes of The Hand in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
While Elektra may not have an obvious place in an over-stuffed line-up, should Yelena Belova not return to the ranks, this is one of the few characters in the MCU that could play a villainous version of Black Widow.
Sure, Daniel Brühl's iteration of Baron Helmut Zemo doesn't seem like someone to join the ranks of any super-squad, based on his appearances in Captain America: Civil War, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, it would be a missed opportunity to not silence the fanboy complaints by uilizing him in the franchise in some manner.
The way we see it, Zemo might not be a candidate to join the team, but his history has shown him as someone more than capable enough to manipulate Val and pull the strings behind the scenes, controlling the team as he did in Civil War, potentially setting him up as a background villain similar to Robert Redford's Alexander Pierce from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Well, thats our two cents on the matter, but we want to hear your take in the comments! We've also included the trailer for Thunderbolts for your viewing pleasure below.
Ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes -- Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker -- embarks on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Thunderbolts* is available to stream on Disney+.