Despite the team frequently being described as Marvel’s answer to the Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier takes issue with this comparison. Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Lewis Pullman, and Hannah John-Kamen, the well-received Marvel Cinematic Universe film features a group of antiheroes who find themselves reluctantly teaming up. With a surprising amount of depth, Thunderbolts* has a strong focus on mental health and redemption.
Per Comic Book Resources, Schreier felt that the team was distinct from other “misfit” teams like the Suicide Squad or the Guardians of the Galaxy. He explained that the Thunderbolts* characters are “people who might’ve thought they were the hero, or they were the lead – people like John Walker – and then things went quite awry.”
As such, they are, in his opinion, more relatable. The filmmaker explained: “It’s more about just all of us; anyone who’s kind of thought that they were destined for something bigger, then had it not work out. And what do you do from there? Where do you go, and how do you find your way out of that place?” Beyond that, the Thunderbolts are not aligned in their goals; though they do eventually join forces, there’s no Amanda Waller forcing their hands.
Speaking more directly about the differences between the properties, Schreier stated:
“From the beginning, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is sending them to kill each other, not to be some kind of rogue team to do black ops with. So, right from the get-go, I felt like that distinguished it, and then it felt like we could make our mark by going into a much more internal character place, make it more about internal struggles than external ones, and find some level of difference there.”
Both Teams Feature Villains Joining Forces
On the surface level, comparing Thunderbolts* with previous iterations of the Suicide Squad makes sense. Focusing specifically on 2016’s poorly-received Suicide Squad alone, there are a few big similarities: both teams are comprised of former villains, the standout character is female, and trauma is an important factor in the story. The Suicide Squad and the Thunderbolts differ largely in motivation; the members of the DC team are forced to work for a government task force against their will. Interesting, the Thunderbolts are also drawn together by a shady government official; however, that is where the similarities end.
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Waller has control over the Suicide Squad via explosives that could kill any member at any time, while Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has no such power over the Thunderbolts aside from Sentry. There is no outside force making them team up. That is to say, Bucky compels the team to join forces, but there’s no real loss of agency. All of the antiheroes choose to remain in the group.
Each respective character has an internal struggle to overcome in order to pursue redemption.
As such, Schreier’s statement that these characters are seeking purpose explains why they all team up. Each respective character has an internal struggle to overcome in order to pursue redemption.
Thunderbolts* Is A Story About Mental Health And The Value Of Support
Given Schreier’s comments, it is more apparent that Thunderbolts* wanted to delve into what it means to be a hero and, more importantly, how to be a hero for yourself. This internally-focused story achieved what the Suicide Squad film couldn’t in one major way: all of these characters are forced to make the right decision of their own volition and despite their personal struggles. Though there are a variety of factors at play in Thunderbolts*, its success is in large part due to the way it crafts its narrative around these ideas of overcoming mental health struggles and regaining yourself.
