Florence Pugh Hints at Indie Twist in Upcoming Marvel Film, “Thunderbolts”

Florence Pugh has hinted that the upcoming Marvel film, Thunderbolts, is taking an unexpected indie turn. In a recent interview, Pugh described the film as a “badass indie, A24-feeling assassin movie with Marvel superheroes”. This independent twist could see Marvel aligning with the current trend, as indie cinema rises in popularity following the success of Neon’s Anora at the Oscars. Or it could be desperation after the failure of Captain America: Brave New World.

– Actress Florence Pugh suggests that the upcoming Marvel film Thunderbolts may take an indie approach, describing it as a “badass indie, A24-feeling assassin movie with Marvel superheroes.”
– Directed by Jake Schreier, the film is set to exhibit an emotional darkness that does not compromise its comedic elements, differing from the traditional Marvel tone.
– Pugh’s comments come as indie film Anora sweeps the Oscars, suggesting that independent cinema could be a new direction for mainstream filmmaking.

Florence Pugh, a member of the Thunderbolts cast, voiced her opinion that Marvel might be taking an indie cinema route. In a collective interview with Empire magazine, the actress shared how the upcoming movie feels notably different from standard Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) features.

Pugh characterized the film as “a rather distinct A24-like indie, an assassin movie, but with Marvel superheroes.”

Jake Schreier, the director of the movie Thunderbolts, who has a prior achievement with the A24-produced Beef Netflix series, was directed to make the film stand out. He noted that while the movie incorporated some elements of Beef’s style, it presented a psychologically profound feel not found in other films. Doing so did not compromise the comic essence of the film.

Thunderbolts narrates the story of a band of unique antiheroes assembled for a glory-seeking government mission. The film features numerous famous faces, including Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker.

Additionally, Pugh hinted at her character’s perceptions of Bob, another team member played by Lewis Pullman. Pugh’s character, Yelena, identifies herself in Bob and enjoys looking after him, even though she acknowledges he’s “completely incompetent.”

The indie-centric viewpoint offered by Pugh on the Marvel film surfaces after Anora, a Neon film, bagged five Oscars, including Best Picture. It opens the possibility that independent films may hold the future of cinema. Sean Baker, Anora’s director, expressed concerns over the current hardships faced by the indie cinema industry in his acceptance speech at the Spirit Awards. He advocated for changes to the existing model and demanded higher upfront fees for creatives who commit years to a project.

Kevin Feige, who has produced numerous MCU movies, is the film’s producer, while Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek, and Jason Tamez serve as executive producers. The film is expected to hit cinemas on May 2nd.