Director Jake Schreier wanted Bucky Barnes to face a new challenge and begin a fresh character arc in Thunderbolts*—not simply reprise his long history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Schreier also said the film was meant to work for viewers who had not watched the other MCU movies, with characters’ pasts serving as background rather than homework.
Why did Bucky have to join the Thunderbolts?
Schreier’s answer was about story, not a newly revealed casting or plot requirement: Bucky’s long MCU history gave the filmmakers material to draw on, but it did not define what he had to do next. In an interview report published by GamesRadar+ on April 26, 2025, Schreier said, “For all of them, we tried to start fresh.”
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He added that Marvel president Kevin Feige asked him to make the movie accessible to people who had not seen other MCU titles. Schreier explained: “I mean, you could use what they’ve been through as backstory, but for this movie, even for Bucky, who’s been in so many of these, it’s like, what’s a new challenge, what’s a new arc that we can watch that character go through?”
That is the core of Schreier’s explanation: Bucky could bring his past into the ensemble while still having a distinct journey in this film. The director did not describe Bucky’s inclusion as a box-office decision or cite a specific plot necessity.
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- After being ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes assembles and embarks on a dangerous mission. Forced to confront the darkest corners of their pasts, will the group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and prevail?
How does Bucky fit the team’s story?
Disney’s official film page names Bucky as one of six members of the unconventional antihero team, alongside Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. The group consists of disillusioned castoffs caught in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and forced into a dangerous mission.
Schreier’s broader account of the film helps explain why these characters belong together. In a May 2, 2025 interview with The Walt Disney Company, he described people who had ended up somewhere unexpected or whose plans had failed. The emotional question, he said, is whether they withdraw or connect with others and move forward. As he put it: “Then, the question is: What do you do from there? Where do you go? Do you retreat into yourself, or do you find connection in others and move forward through that?”
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- Can this disparate group of antiheroes overcome their difficult pasts and form a real team capable of stopping the Void and saving the world?
In an ABC News interview published May 4, 2025, Schreier recalled that early discussions turned the expected idea of bad guys sent on covert missions into a story about people being discarded, set against one another and thrown away. He also described lesser-known characters as an opportunity to take them in new directions. That speaks to the ensemble’s premise, rather than to a separate explanation about Bucky alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Thunderbolts* work if you have not watched the other Marvel movies?
Schreier said the creative goal was to let newcomers follow the movie without extensive MCU knowledge. The characters’ histories can provide context, but, in his framing, they are not a prerequisite for understanding the film’s new challenge and group dynamic. That is the director’s stated intention; it is not a guarantee that every reference will be familiar without prior viewing.
Disney lists Thunderbolts* as directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Kevin Feige, with Sebastian Stan among the returning MCU cast. The film was released May 2, 2025, is rated PG-13 and has a listed runtime of 2 hours 6 minutes.
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