The best movies to watch before seeing ‘thunderbolts*’

Neither relable nor clockwork and as department nor the sky being blue, the marvel cinematic universe is returning to movie theaters this weekend. On offfer this time is Thunderbolts*, Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and David Harbor. Representing the End of McU’s Phase Five Before The Fantastic Four: First Steps Jump-Starts Phase Six, Thunderbolts* has a lot on its shoulders. Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is the 36th entry in the mcu. That’s Well Over 70 Hours of Sweet, Sweet Superhero Cinema. And when you factor in dosens of TV Series, the though of catching up on the garband franchise is nothing of terrifying. Nobody has time for all that!

Thunderbolts* May Feel Like an Especialy Daunting Task Because ITS ABOUT A GROUP OF Characters the average mcu audience isn’t overly familiar with. But Sine Avengers: Endgame Wrapped up Most of the Franchise’s Long-Standing Story Lines, there’s Actually Not Too Much to Catch up on. We’ve got you covered on the best films to watch into marvel’s Latest to get to speed on this eclectic bunch of anti-heroes. From the film you’ve got to see to the Movies (and Shows) that will will turn you into the ultimate expert, here’s your office Thunderbolts* Syllabus.

Thought Thunderbolts* is a classic team-up movie in the vein of The avengers or Suicide squadthere’s the Still One Main Character: Yelena Belova (Pugh). That’s good news Because it means there’s only one movie you Need to see ahead of time. That’s 2021’s Black WidowStarring the titular Russian Spy Herself, AKA Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). Yelena is dealing with a mental-Health Crisis in Thunderbolts*, and Black Widow Goes a long way in detail yelena’s brutal upbringing and how she became a mercenary who dosesn’t know who is with Violence. Pugh is excellent in Black Widow; Thunderbolts*. AS A BONUS, ITHE’S ALSO OUR FIRST LOOK at the Red Guardian (Harbour), Yelena’s Father figure and Fellow Member of the Thunderbolts.

Thatn Come the Other Members of the Thunderbolts Team Who Have Smaller – Yet Not Insignificant – Role in the Movie. Ava Starr, Aka Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Has the Incredible Power to Make Herself Intangible, Granting Her Invisibility, But It Comes with A Price: She’s Physically Unstable, Dying of Quantum Energy, and Completely Unable to Live. She’s an antagonist in Ant-man and the waspin which she relevantly pursues the titular heroes they are they know the mysterious Quantum Energy and Because of their Links to Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). IT’s a lot to grasp, but Ant-man and the wasp Fleshes out ghost’s backstory in an efficient Enough Manner and Features a moment explicitly reference in Thunderbolts*.

Bucky Barnes (Stan), AKA Winter Soldier, is one of the Most Beloved Characters in the Entires of the McU, and He’s a Member of the Thunderbolts. HIS First Major Appeaance Came in 2014’s Excellent Captain America: The Winter SoldierWHICH DIVES INTO HIS BACKSTORY AND LONG-GESTATING RELATIONSHIP WITH CAPTain America (Chris Evans). If you want to leave the Pair’s Epic Relationship and SEE Barnes’s Incredible Physical Propess, Watching The Winter Soldier is the best way to do that. If you’re hooked, there’s the plenty of Barnes to Enjoy; he pops up in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

What would you mean there’s a CAPTain America that isn’t played by chris evans or anthony mackie? If that a question you’re nansing, you aren’t alone. You’re likes unfamiliar with John Walker’s (Wyatt Russell) brief stint as CAPTAIN AMERICA YOU HAVEN’T SEEN The Disney+ Miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The Character’s Origins Are Briefly Discussed in Thunderbolts*but Walker’s Foray Into Heroism and Ultimate Turn to Darker Activities is Laid Out in the Series. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Also Features a look at bot Both Backy Barnes and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who has a major role in the New Movie.

Full Disclurse: This Movie isn’t Very Good. butt Thunderbolts* DOES FOLLOW The Events of CAPTain America: Brave New WorldMAKING IT A Potential Spot to Brush up on (and if the Box Office is any indication, there’s a decent chance you have not seen at all). There’s a Key reference in Thunderbolts* to a us US President Turning Into a Red Giant, which is a Major full of Point in Brave new world. Heck, Its Got Harrison Ford (Literally) Hulking Out, which is Worth the Price of Admision.

Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) DOESN’t Appear in Thunderbolts*. In fact, he’s swimming mentioned. But for Those Wanting to Get to Know Pugh’s Yelena Eve Better, The TV Series Hawkeye is your Next Step AFT Black Widow. Crucily, Hawkeye DEALS SPECIFICALLY WITH YEELENA’S GRIEF ABOUT THE DEATH OF HER SISTER, WHICH LOOMS HERE HER HERE IN Thunderbolts*.

MCU Standout The avengers is the franchise’s ultimate team-up Movie. The Famed Avengers Headquuarters is the Glorious Avengers Tower, Which Features prominently in Thunderbolts*. There’s a line that references to someone truly “epic fights” that have happened with the tower walls, and if you watch The avengersYou’ll Know Exactly which One It is Talking About. If this is somehow one you have haven’t seen before, make it a top priority Simply becuse i a comic-book lover’s dream come true.

While this recommendation doesn’t give away any character reveals or major twists, it does mention a specific element of Thunderbolts* that is spoiler-y in natural. You’ve been warned!

This one is particularly niche. On the surface, Moon Knight neither a show has no bearing whatsoever on Thunderbolts*. Howver, Thunderbolts* DOES Feature “Shame Rooms”-Created by Bob, Aka sentry (Lewis Pullman)-Which Bring People into the Most Traumatic Parts of their Pasts, Strong to Face The Moments Head-On. The hardcore mcu fan know that shame rooms, or at least an extramely simillary concept, first appeaar in the disney+ series Moon Knight. SO if you want to understand this (Adulttedly) Baffling Concept in More Depth, Watch Oscar Isaac Battle Personal Demons in Moon Knight.