Sebastian Stan Compares Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS* to THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* has sparked excitement in fans and they have been likening the upcoming antihero team-up to projects like Suicide Squad and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
But Sebastian Stan, who reprises his role as the Winter Soldier in the film, has offered a refreshingly unexpected comparison… John Hughes’ iconic teen comedy-drama The Breakfast Club.
While Speaking to Entertainment Tonight during the Golden Globes, Stan shared some insight into what makes Thunderbolts* a unique MCU movie:
“I think this movie is very singular and will stand on its own. I know these are bold words, but there’s no other Marvel group that you can kind of compare us to, it’s its own thing.
“I like The Breakfast Club, that’s the best way of describing it. A pair of misfits that hopefully don’t kill each other.”
While comparing a ragtag group of morally ambiguous antiheroes to a group of high school students in detention might seem like a stretch, Stan’s comment points to the heart of Thunderbolts* which is the dynamic between its characters.
Like the mismatched teens in The Breakfast Club, Thunderbolts* brings together a team of outcasts who must confront their differences if they’re to effectively work together.
The film’s lineup, which includes Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, David Harbour’s Red Guardian,Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Lewis Pullman as The Sentry, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster., echoes the archetypes of Hughes’ classic.
These characters are broken, flawed, and grappling with their pasts, much like the misfit teens who discover unexpected camaraderie during a day of detention.
This information also reveals that the story will be driven more by character dynamics and interpersonal conflict, but obviously there will also be all the Marvel movie action fans expect.
Like The Breakfast Club the creative team found depth in its exploration of its characters’ vulnerabilities, and the movie is sure to dive into the messy, human side of its antiheroes. The question isn’t just whether they can defeat the enemy, but whether they can survive each other.
For Marvel fans, this fresh perspective is an exciting promise of something new. With its mix of dysfunction, dark humor, and reluctant teamwork, Thunderbolts might just deliver the kind of character-driven storytelling that sets it apart from other superhero films.
The film is being directed by Jake Schreier (Paper Towns, Kidding) and was written by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow) and Kurt Busiek.
Thunderbolts* is currently set to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.