Marking the conclusion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Five, Thunderbolts* hopes to storm to much-needed critical and commercial success to ramp up anticipation before the Avengers film saga resumes. The upcoming superhero blockbuster's first reactions are in following recent test screenings, and they bode well for Marvel's latest big-screen entry.

According to trusted Hollywood scooper Jeff Sneider, the word he received from Thunderbolts* test screenings was that the film was deemed "pretty good" by those in attendance. However, he also claimed Disney isn't sure about its best marketing approach for the Jake Schreier movie. ", and that Disney just has no idea how to sell it," he said.

Meanwhile, Sneider stated fans should anticipate seeing the increased presence of the Thunderbolts in the MCU as they and The Fantastic Four become more prominent on-screen fixtures during Phase Six. "I’m told that the Thunderbolts/New Avengers and The Fantastic Four are going to get big minutes in future MCU movies, as they’ll be the characters who start popping up all over the place in random ways," he said. Thunderbolts* rounds out Phase Five before The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens Phase Six.

Chronicling the titular group of former villains and antiheroes, Thunderbolts* sees the misfits forced to team together after being led into a deadly trap by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and rounded up by de facto leader Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), now a government official. The group, featuring Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), must unite and tackle a dangerous mission to earn redemption. The Thunderbolts also come face-to-face with Bob/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) and his more dangerous alter-ego, The Void, as tensions escalate between them.

Though Thunderbolts*' predecessor, Captain America: Brave New World, hinted at the reassembly of the Avengers, the film insists the supergroup will not return, with the Thunderbolts and Sentry essentially taking their place. The film sees Yelena as its main character, delving into her emotions and trust issues after losing her adoptive sister Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame. Schreier also cited Toy Story 3 as a surprising inspiration for the film, hinting at it being darker than most Marvel films.

With a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes, Thunderbolts* reportedly has a box-office projection ranging from $65 million to $85 million domestically. Beyond the movie, several key figures in it have been confirmed for the next Avengers sequel, Doomsday, including Stan, Harbour and Pugh.

Thunderbolts* opens in theaters on May 2.

Source: Jeff Sneider