Fans awaiting the arrival of the X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may have a lead as the upcoming Thunderbolts film contains a key plot point that could set up the titular mutant group's debut.According to The Hot Mic Podcast, Thunderbolts will feature a team led by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) that seeks to recover Adamantium from Tiamut Island. X-Men franchise fans will be familiar with Adamantium as it's the metal alloy typically bonded to Wolverine's claws and skeleton. Wolverine will feature in the MCU after Hugh Jackman returned to play the character for Marvel's first R-rated film, Deadpool 3.
Marvel Paves the Way for Mutants and X-Men
Though the X-Men hasn't set foot in the MCU, various Marvel films have made clear hints that suggest their eventual debut is on the horizon. The Ms. Marvel series finale revealed its titular superhero had a mutation, while Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Namor outright said he was a mutant during the Oscar-winning film, fueling speculation about a possible Black Panther/X-Men crossover.
The X-Men's MCU debut has long been a talking point as fans have expressed concern with the delay of the eponymous group's film, which has been tipped for some time. Last October, Marvel boss Kevin Feige alluded to the X-Men's maiden appearance in their shared universe getting close, though very little detail has emerged since. Industry insiders believe the wait is due to Marvel's insistence on five-year blocks when hashing out its movie slate, using a more systematic approach to enhance its creativity.
Thunderbolts' All-Star Cast
Thunderbolts features Louis-Dreyfus and Harrison Ford, who stars as General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross, a role he will reprise from his upcoming appearance in Captain America: New World Order. The film also features The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun, who will reportedly play the unstable Superman-like character Sentry. Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes will be the "de facto leader" of the Thunderbolts in the movie, according to Feige, with Barnes standing alongside Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), the Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) and U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell).
Acting as a direct sequel to Black Widow, Thunderbolts will be the penultimate big-screen feature in the MCU's Phase Five. Louis-Dreyfus revealed this past January that filming for Thunderbolts will begin this June.
Thunderbolts opens in theaters on Jun. 26, 2024.
Source: The Hot Mic Podcast via Twitter