I’m Worried About 3 Powerful MCU Characters After The Thunderbolts* Trailer

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The first teaser trailer for Thunderbolts* has me worried about three of the MCU movie"s most powerful characters. I was thrilled when Thunderbolts* was announced to be in development by Marvel boss Kevin Feige in 2022, especially since some of my favorite characters, many of whom have been underutilized in the MCU, were confirmed to be returning. While I can"t wait to see these antiheroes and reformed villains back in action in Phase 5, I"m also concerned that not all of these characters will make it through Thunderbolts* in one piece.
Thunderbolts*" first teaser trailer was released on September 23, providing a first look at the returning antiheroes involved in the upcoming Phase 5 movie. With eight months to go before Thunderbolts* premieres, I"m already very excited about the crossover movie. The trailer"s intensity, drama, action and chemistry between its six leads is palpable, but I"m nervous that not all of them will survive. I"m even more convinced this will happen as several members of the MCU"s first Thunderbolts team share many similarities.
There Are Too Many Super Soldiers In Thunderbolts* Bucky Barnes, Alexei Shostakov & John Walker Share Similar Abilities Close Ever since Feige first announced the cast of Thunderbolts* in 2022, I"ve been confused about the inclusion of so many super soldiers. Bucky Barnes" Winter Soldier, Alexei Shostakov"s Red Guardian and John Walker"s US Agent all have practically the same abilities, making it seem easy to get rid of one, or even two, without impacting the team too much. I am one of many who are curious about why so many super soldiers are involved while some of Marvel"s most iconic Thunderbolts members seem to have been ignored.

Related 10 Years Later, I’m Still Fascinated By What James Gunn’s Thunderbolts Movie Could Have Looked Like For The MCU James Gunn"s years-old comments about making a Thunderbolts movie look all the more interesting with Thunderbolts* on the MCU"s horizon.
1 While I would love to see the likes of Baron Zemo, Abomination, the Red Hulk and many more possible Thunderbolts members join the titular team in the MCU"s Phase 5, I reckon there"s only one clear reason why Marvel would include so many super soldiers instead. Bucky Barnes, Alexei Shostakov and John Walker are all big personalities in the MCU, with formidable gifts, but they may, in fact, be expendable. While I"d consider it a shame to rid the MCU of these antiheroes, this could be a great choice for Thunderbolts*.
I Think Red Guardian, US Agent Or The Winter Soldier Will Be Killed Off In Thunderbolts* I'm Sure At Least One Super Soldier Will Die In Thunderbolts*

With three super soldiers in the MCU"s first Thunderbolts team, it makes sense that at least one of them will be killed off. Worryingly, this puts Bucky Barnes, Alexei Shostakov and John Walker on the chopping block, The first teaser trailer for Thunderbolts* supports my thoughts, as John Walker suffers with his purposelessness, Alexei Shostakov"s loneliness and boredom eats him up, and Bucky Barnes seems to still be struggling with his past as the Winter Soldier. Death could be the answer for any of these antiheroes, as sad as that would be.
Bucky Barnes’ Death Makes The Most Sense For The MCU (But Would Still Be A Shame) Thunderbolts* Could Be Bucky Barnes' Perfect Swansong, Or Not

The death that makes the most sense for me in Thunderbolts* is Bucky Barnes. Sebastian Stan made his MCU debut in 2011"s Captain America: The First Avenger, making him one of the longest-running characters in the franchise, which means he may be due being killed off. Unfortunately, I think this is the most likely occurrence in Thunderbolts*, especially since I don"t think Marvel Studios has got Bucky Barnes right in several years. After Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Bucky has been severely mistreated, so his death could be the huge moment he needs.
Bucky Barnes" MCU Project
Year
Captain America: The First Avenger
2011
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2014
Ant-Man
2015
Captain America: Civil War
2016
Black Panther
2018
Avengers: Infinity War
2018
Avengers: Endgame
2019
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
2021
Thunderbolts*
2025
Bucky Barnes dying in Thunderbolts* makes sense for the overall narrative of the MCU. His best friend, Steve Rogers, retired in the past with Peggy Carter, while Sam Wilson took on the role of Captain America and is off to bigger adventures. Bucky is now alone, so his next steps in the MCU are uncertain. While Bucky"s death in Thunderbolts* may make sense, I still think it would be a shame, particularly after 2021"s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw him finally begin to become a bona fide superhero.
Why I Want To See More Of Red Guardian & US Agent Red Guardian & US Agent Deserve More Attention In The MCU

While Bucky Barnes" death in Thunderbolts* seems very likely, I"m also worried that either Red Guardian or US Agent could bite the dust. Both are bored and frustrated with their lives in Thunderbolts*" first trailer, so I can picture either of them making the sacrifice play in order to give their lives some real purpose. This would certainly make for an emotional moment in Thunderbolts*, especially since John Walker now has a child, and Alexei Shostakov"s surrogate daughter, Yelena Belova, is also a Thunderbolt.
Red Guardian and US Agent joined the most recent Thunderbolts team in Marvel Comics, formed by Bucky Barnes to take on the Red Skull. They were joined by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Sharon Carter"s Destroyer, Natahsa Romanova"s Black Widow, Yelena Belova"s White Widow and Shang-Chi"s Gamemaster.
Both David Harbour"s Alexei Shostakov and Wyatt Russell"s John Walker debuted in 2021, the former in Black Widow and the latter in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. We haven"t seen either of them in the MCU since their first appearances, so it would be a dire shame for Thunderbolts* to kill them off so soon. I want to see Red Guardian and US Agent get much more development, perhaps even transforming into true heroes themselves, but this unfortunately has me convinced that Bucky Barnes" Winter Soldier won"t survive past his next MCU appearance.

Thunderbolts* (2025) Not Yet Rated AdventureAction Marvel's Thunderbolts* is a superhero movie based on the comic team of the same name. The movie acts as a part of the MCU's fifth phase of films. The film sees the likes of Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell, the Red Guardian, and more as an unlikely group of heroes and villains brought together to fight for good.
Director Jake Schreier Release Date May 2, 2025 Distributor(s) Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Cast Florence Pugh , Sebastian Stan , David Harbour , Wyatt Russell , Olga Kurylenko , Hannah John-Kamen , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Geraldine Viswanathan , Lewis Pullman , Joshua Mikel Upcoming MCU Movies