{"id":13561,"date":"2025-05-01T12:34:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T19:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13561"},"modified":"2025-05-01T15:09:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T22:09:41","slug":"thunderbolts-marvel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2025\/thunderbolts-marvel\/","title":{"rendered":"Thunderbolts * The Hit Movie MCU Needs Right Now, Bringing Together Classic Marvel Antiheroes To Build One Of The Most Awesome Teams In Marvel History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-13575\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Thunderbolts_poster.jpg?resize=125%2C185&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Thunderbolts_poster.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Thunderbolts_poster.jpg?w=405&amp;ssl=1 405w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 125px) 100vw, 125px\" \/>After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jackson N. comments, \u201c<em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> is the hit movie that Marvel needs right now. Many people have commented that recent MCU movies are missing the mark, but no one can deny that this new film is a hit. It brings together classic Marvel antiheroes to build one of the most awesome, if unlikely, teams in Marvel history.\u201d Mikella G. adds, \u201cI really like <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em>. It&#8217;s an action packed, yet quite serious film that showcases personal issues of anxiety and depression. It really focuses on the struggles of superheroes coming to terms with themselves as humans, which is something that I haven&#8217;t seen Marvel do before.\u201d Katherine S. wraps it up with, \u201cThis film may just seem like a way to keep the MCU going after the Avengers\u2019 storyline ended and the <em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>is based on actual comics, albeit loosely. These characters are much more complex than classic superheroes and I really liked exploring seemingly minor characters more deeply.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolts*<br \/>\nBy Jackson N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RoIKIsfl6jg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13571\" style=\"width: 263px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13571\" class=\" wp-image-13571\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14884_RC-600x383-e361e00-300x192.jpg?resize=253%2C162&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"253\" height=\"162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14884_RC-600x383-e361e00.jpg?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14884_RC-600x383-e361e00.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13571\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bob (Lewis Pullman), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Alexei Shostakov\/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> is the hit movie that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) needs right now. Many people have commented that recent MCU movies are missing the mark, but no one can deny that this new film is a hit. It brings together classic Marvel antiheroes to build one of the most awesome, if unlikely, teams in Marvel history.<\/p>\n<p><em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>brings us back into the life of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) who is reeling after the recent death of her sister, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson). When we last saw her in the show <em>Hawkeye<\/em>, she was working for Valentina Alegra De Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a malicious and conniving politician whose only goal is to rise to power. After the betrayal of Valentina, Yelena must join forces with a team of misfits to take her down.<\/p>\n<p><em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>is the perfect start to summer. The story shows us the evils that can come from one person having too much power. Valentina\u2019s electrifying quote, \u201cRighteousness without power is just an opinion,\u201d shocked me to my core. It gives an excellent view into her ruthless, single-minded focus on amassing power.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13574\" style=\"width: 262px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13574\" class=\" wp-image-13574\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23562_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=252%2C168&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23562_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23562_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13574\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov \/ Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>With an ensemble cast like this has, it seemed impossible for Marvel to go wrong. John Walker (Wyatt Russel) battles with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) to be the brooding dark teammate, but clearly, Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) takes that title. When we last saw Ghost in <em>Ant-Man and The Wasp<\/em> she was struggling with her constant phasing through walls. However, at the end of that film, she and Bill Foster narrowly escaped the police. Bringing her back in <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> is a fantastic way to continue her saga for the next generation of the MCU. Another great character, and a source of constant comic relief, is Red Guardian (David Harbour). His lifelong desire to live the super-hero life, and his work as everything from a mercenary to a second-rate limo driver, are a source of tons of humor and great one-liners. And seeing Red Guardian working with this awesome group really works with the movies tag line, \u201cEveryone Deserves A Second Shot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The film&#8217;s message is that everyone, no matter how many bad decisions they\u2019ve made in the past, deserves a chance at redemption and everyone needs people who care about them in their corner. <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> includes themes of camaraderie, the power of being different, and the damaging effects of loneliness. Parents should note that this film includes many scary moments, including when characters are forced to relive traumatic moments from their lives.<\/p>\n<p><em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 14 to 18, plus adults. It premieres in theaters on May 2, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolts*<br \/>\nMikella G, KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, age 18<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FiJHwqcJHFE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13572\" style=\"width: 258px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13572\" class=\" wp-image-13572\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14997_RC-600x377-a29ac3c.jpg?resize=248%2C156&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"248\" height=\"156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14997_RC-600x377-a29ac3c.jpg?resize=300%2C189&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-14997_RC-600x377-a29ac3c.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13572\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Alexei Shostakov\/Red Guardian (David Harbour) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I really like <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em>. It&#8217;s an action packed, yet quite serious film that showcases personal issues of anxiety and depression. It really focuses on the struggles of superheroes coming to terms with themselves as humans, which is something that I haven&#8217;t seen Marvel do before.<\/p>\n<p><em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> follows the lives of these somewhat \u201canti-heroes\u201d who are unsure of their purpose, and feel like they have completely lost themselves. After deciding to abandon their corrupt boss and work together, they embark on a dangerous mission in hopes of saving the ones they love, while uncovering many deep dark secrets of their past.<\/p>\n<p>The cinematography in this film is outstanding. From the very first shots, I was instantly captivated. This shot shows Yelena (Florence Pugh) jumping off an extremely tall building. It is dark and gray, which completely sets the mood for the rest of the film.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13564\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13564\" class=\" wp-image-13564\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.9_R-600x251-f063c22.jpeg?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.9_R-600x251-f063c22.jpeg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.9_R-600x251-f063c22.jpeg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13564\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. \u00a9 2024 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The director, Jake Schreir, really delivers the message of the movie. This film is so much more than a typical Marvel movie. Yes, there are fight scenes and saving civilians, but it is also sad and unbelievably honest. This is something that Schreir really taps into. There are a lot of long shots, which allows the audience to see the stillness and loneliness of the world from an outside perspective. Most importantly, this storyline is quite different from other Marvel films and I definitely wasn\u2019t expecting that, and yet, I was completely captivated the entire time. Showcasing these superheroes&#8217; dark emotions, and understanding their backstories was unexpected and so refreshing \u2013 it humanizes these characters. I could see and understand their vulnerability. This also makes these characters more relatable to everyday people, aside from their impeccable fighting skills.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13566\" style=\"width: 262px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13566\" class=\" wp-image-13566\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.YAV1100_comp_FRM_v0105.1020_R-600x251-bd24542.jpg?resize=252%2C106&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.YAV1100_comp_FRM_v0105.1020_R-600x251-bd24542.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.YAV1100_comp_FRM_v0105.1020_R-600x251-bd24542.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13566\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A major standout performance is Florence Pugh\u2019s. The quality of her acting is so strong. I could feel her character building as she executes Yelena. Her connection with all the other characters is also so special. There are so many moments, but one that stands out is when she finally sees something in Walker (Wyatt Russell). Personal information has been revealed about Walker, and the way that Yelena looks at him, and makes a face of understanding and sympathy, is a scene that sticks in my head. This is something so simple, but helped to build their connection for the rest of the movie, and established their relationship.<\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s message is to not be afraid to come to terms with your sadness and trauma, and realize that by accepting it will help you to not suffocate from your own depression.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 12 to 18, plus adults. <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em> releases in theaters May 2, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Thunderbolts*<br \/>\nBy Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oiKMGjkSl_Y?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13563\" style=\"width: 264px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13563\" class=\" wp-image-13563\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/OAB-25479_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=254%2C169&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"254\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/OAB-25479_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/OAB-25479_R-600x400-bf06395.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13563\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Florence Pugh on the set of Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo by Steve Swisher. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I was happily surprised by <em>Thunderbolts*<\/em>. It is very different from recent <em>Marvel <\/em>productions with respect to its primary characters and the themes it explores.<\/p>\n<p>Working under CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) is sent on one last mission before changing things up, but finds herself working together with an unlikely team of antiheroes \u2013 Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russel) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) &#8211; to confront their dark pasts and the dangerous future ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Being honest, I haven\u2019t watched the most recent Marvel movies and shows that have been released so I was a bit confused during <em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>as some of the characters are more obscure and had backstories that were explained in previous films other than the <em>Avengers <\/em>franchise.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13569\" style=\"width: 260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13569\" class=\" wp-image-13569\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.6-600x251-bd24542.jpg?resize=250%2C105&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.6-600x251-bd24542.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB_TRL3_Still_UHD__1.1.6-600x251-bd24542.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13569\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I was still able to understand it after a while, but I do recommend watching <em>The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,<\/em> <em>Black Widow<\/em>, and <em>Ant-Man and the Wasp <\/em>if you haven\u2019t already, to understand where some of the characters come from and to be able to fully enjoy the movie. This movie is unique from other recent Marvel movies which is refreshing since some Marvel movies have fallen short recently. This film may just seem like a way to keep the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) going after the Avengers\u2019 storyline ended and the <em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>is based on actual comics, albeit loosely. These characters are much more complex than classic superheroes and I really liked exploring seemingly minor characters more deeply.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13568\" style=\"width: 261px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13568\" class=\" wp-image-13568\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23297_R4-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=251%2C167&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23297_R4-600x400-bf06395.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/thunderbolts.OAB-23297_R4-600x400-bf06395.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13568\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in Marvel Studios&#8217; THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. \u00a9 2025 MARVEL.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I love the irreverent tone of the humor in this film and how it makes fun of itself, while portraying serious topics like mental health issues and how there isn\u2019t always a \u2018good guy.\u2019 All of the members of the \u201cThunderbolts&#8221; have hilarious chemistry, but the actors who stick out the most are Florence Pugh as Yelena and Lewis Pullman as Bob. Florence Pugh\u2019s character, Yelena, really takes the lead, as she creates a perfect balance of strength, dry humor and vulnerability. Bob is a complex character with many very different aspects to his personality, and Lewis Pullman portrays all of them perfectly. As always, be sure to stay through the end for some end-credit scenes!<\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s messages are the importance of perseverance, teamwork and remembering that you are not alone. Be forewarned that it contains violence, death, profanity, drug references and depictions of mental health struggles.<\/p>\n<p>I give\u00a0<em>Thunderbolts* <\/em>4\u00a0out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages\u00a012 to 18, plus adults.\u00a0Marvel fans should definitely check out this movie. It releases in theaters on May 2,\u00a02025.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-sAOWhvheK8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jackson N. comments, \u201cThunderbolts* is the hit movie that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) needs right now. Many people have commented that recent MCU movies are missing the mark, but no one can deny that this new film is a hit. It brings together classic Marvel antiheroes to build one of the most awesome, if unlikely, teams in Marvel history.\u201d Mikella G. adds, \u201cI really like Thunderbolts*. It&#8217;s an action packed, yet quite serious film that showcases personal issues of anxiety and depression. It really focuses on the struggles of superheroes coming to terms with themselves as humans, which is something that I haven&#8217;t seen Marvel do before.\u201d Katherine S. wraps it up with, \u201cThis film may just seem like a way to keep the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) going after the Avengers\u2019 storyline ended and the Thunderbolts* is based on actual comics, albeit loosely. These characters are much more complex than classic superheroes and I really liked exploring seemingly minor characters more deeply.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[9061,3015,1783,3020,3647,9062,35,9058,1162,9057,5457,9055,9063,1451,33,3018,9051,1166,9052,9053,9059,824,3024,9049,9050,9048,9060,5115,9056,9064,9054],"class_list":["post-13561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-alexei-shostakov","tag-bucky-barnes","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-comics","tag-david-harbour","tag-davidharbour","tag-disney","tag-films-marvel","tag-florence-pugh","tag-geraldine-viswanathan","tag-ghost","tag-hannah-john-kamen","tag-john-walker","tag-julia-louis-dreyfus","tag-marvel","tag-marvel-studios","tag-marvel-thunderbolts","tag-movie-reviews","tag-new-marvel-film","tag-red-guardian","tag-redemption","tag-scarlett-johansson","tag-sebastian-stan","tag-thunderbolts","tag-thunderbolts-first-look","tag-thunderbolts-movie-review","tag-valentina","tag-walt-disney-pictures","tag-wyatt-russel","tag-wyatt-russell","tag-yelena-belova"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3wJ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13561"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13583,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13561\/revisions\/13583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}