The Latest ‘Thunderbolts*’ Trailer Hints That We Might Finally See Yelena’s Past

Thunderbolts* is entering the home stretch of its marketing campaign with one last trailer, in addition to holding fan screenings a week before its release. Said trailer highlights the menace of the menace of the Void (Lewis Pullman), but it also cements Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) as the focus of the film. It also showcases what exactly happens to the people who enter the Void; at a pivotal moment, Yelena decides to walk into the Void’s dark embrace…leading to a moment where she sees a younger version of herself running through a snowy forest, and a man wielding a gun. This implies that Thunderbolts* is finally going to delve into Yelena’s training in the Red Room, and it’s something the Marvel Cinematic Universe has yet to explore.

The Red Room Has Only Been Alluded to in Previous MCU Films

The Red Room was briefly alluded to in Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is brainwashed by the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and flashes back to her training as a Black Widow; there were ballet lessons, gun training, and an operation where she was forcibly sterilized. Black Widow further touched upon this, as Natasha and Yelena learn that General Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the man behind the Red Room, is still alive. They manage to take out Dreykov and the Red Room with the help of their adoptive parents: Alexei Shostakov (Daniel Harbour), better known as the Red Guardian, and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz). Yet most of this training was only alluded to in the opening credits, not really touching upon what Natasha and Yelena went through. Don’t get me wrong: Black Widow has what might be one of the best opening credit sequences in the MCU, not to mention one of the best covers of Nirvana‘s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” But Thunderbolts* looks like it will fully delve into Yelena’s past, which highlights a theme that other trailers are touching upon.

By Showcasing Its Antiheroes’ Past, ‘Thunderbolts*’ Is Leaning Into the Theme of Redemption

One thing that’s been clear about Thunderbolts* is that all of its protagonists are dealing with their past actions. John Walker (Wyatt Russell) is dealing with fatherhood and the actions that led to him being stripped of the title of Captain America. The Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) has a past as a mercenary. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) has a long, bloody history as the Winter Soldier. Even the final trailer for Thunderbolts* has Yelena and Alexei debating the merits of heroism. He feels that it’s the highest calling one could have, while she stubbornly refuses to even entertain the possibility. And when Bucky gathers the Thunderbolts to try and fight the void, Yelena says that he “has the wrong people.” Her behavior paints the picture of a woman who feels like she can’t truly escape her past, so the only thing to do is force her to confront it head-on. Director Jake Schreier has highlighted in an Empire interview how the Thunderbolts will have to face their past:

“You’re talking about a group of characters that have done a lot of bad things, and maybe are struggling with feeling good about themselves…There’s an element that does speak to mental health, and loneliness, and how some of the darkness that we experience in our lives can’t be necessarily fixed, but can only really be made lighter through connection and finding others.”

This approach makes the Void the perfect figure for Yelena and the other Thunderbolts to fight. Rather than just being a vengeful, nigh-unstoppable god, he is a literal manifestation of their fears and self-doubt. Yelena’s decision to head into the Void is a truly heroic act; it’s frightening to face your past, or to deal with the idea that you did something wrong, but facing it head-on will make you a stronger person.

In tackling a piece of history we haven’t seen from the MCU, Thunderbolts* continues to stand apart from other MCU entries in a good way. It also won’t be the last we see of the titular antiheroes, as most of the Thunderbolts* cast is slated to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. But after facing down the literal shadows of the past, taking on Doctor Doom should be a piece of cake.

Thunderbolts* premieres in theaters on May 2, 2025.

Thunderbolts*

Release Date

May 2, 2025

Runtime

126 Minutes

Director

Jake Schreier

Writers

Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe