Thunderbolts will not be the only Marvel Cinematic Universe film released in 2024 to feature Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, with the character reportedly set to also appear in Captain America: New World Order.
According to trusted industry insider Jeff Sneider, Julia Louis-Dreyfus will reprise her role as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in New World Order, ahead of the character's major role in Thunderbolts. "I’ve heard that Val, that’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus? … I’ve heard that she’s in the movie…," Sneider said on The Hot Mic podcast. Louis-Dreyfus first appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and returned for a quick cameo in Black Widow (both 2021). She then had a supporting role in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which revealed that Val is the ex-wife of Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross, as well as the new director of the CIA.
Val Is the New Nick Fury
In the upcoming Thunderbolts, Valentina will fulfill a similar role to Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, assembling a team with special abilities to take on a massive threat to humanity. Following her appearance in Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios executive Nate Moore teased how Valentina will play an important role throughout the Multiverse Saga. "Certainly, this [Black Panther: Wakanda Forever] is not the last time you will see Valentina," said Moore. "But with Valentina, much like Nick Fury in Phase One, we're slowly building the story of a woman who maybe has her finger in more pies than you think. And we'll just see if that's a good thing or a bad thing for the MCU."
Unlike the Avengers, the Thunderbolts will not be a well-oiled machine when fans are introduced to the titular team in 2024. "We're like losers, which I like," said David Harbour, who reprises his Black Widow role as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in Thunderbolts. He added, "And I think it's fun to watch us just mess everything up. I think that's the spectrum. I think it's very funny, but there's also a lot of pathos in that." Red Guardian will be one of the six members of the Thunderbolts, with John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) filling out the rest of the team.
New World Order Is an Incredible Hulk Reunion
Louis-Dreyfus' reprisal adds another MCU veteran to the New World Order ensemble, which already boasts The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres/Falcon) and Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley). The fourth Captain America film is also set to feature several characters that originated in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, including Samuel Sterns/Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) and Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, now the President of the United States, is also confirmed for the film, with Harrison Ford replacing the late William Hurt in the role. Production on Captain America: New World Order is now underway at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
Captain America: New World Order opens in theaters on May 3, 2024, followed by Thunderbolts on July 24, 2024. Both films will be part of Phase 5 of the MCU.
Source: YouTube