Movies

Florence Pugh Reveals Why Thunderbolts’ Deep Themes Make It a Must-See

BBG News

In the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), an ensemble of popular antihero characters form the title team. Interestingly, this film, titled Thunderbolts*, explores significant themes revolving around depression and mental health issues.

*Note: ‘Thunderbolts’ is the name of a fictional supervillain/superhero team in Marvel Comics. In this case, it seems to refer to the title of the movie rather than the team composition.

In the movie Thunderbolts, one of the stars, Florence Pugh (who plays Yelena Belova), applauded the film’s dedication to portraying serious issues like depression, and its refusal to sugarcoat or avoid the harsh truth about this difficult reality. The team, made up of Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), and Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), alongside another well-known comic book character Sentry (Lewis Pullman), is pitted together. However, the film’s main emphasis is on the more relatable struggles of depression.

Pugh expresses her excitement to Entertainment Weekly, saying, “Wow, this is enormous!” She elaborates, “It’s a significant moment. It’s significant because the theme was created with a Marvel-like budget, and they valued it enough to make it the centerpiece. And that matters, really matters, for everyone at this time.

Director Jake Schreier, who has previously worked on the Netflix series “Beef,” approached the project for “Thunderbolts” with a clear intent to portray these relevant themes openly. Schreier expressed, “These themes are no longer obscure; they’re issues that everyone grapples with and represent universal ideas.” He further added, “Although it might seem daunting for a major Netflix production or a Marvel film to tackle such topics, the audience is indeed present, and these aren’t matters we can easily ignore. They’re challenges that everyone encounters.

Pugh Fought For The Film’s Opening Scene

Initially, the opening scene of “Thunderbolts” shows Yelena leaping off a building in an apparent suicide attempt, but it turns out she had a parachute. This scene was initially removed during film production, but Pugh fought to keep it in the movie. According to Pugh, “This scene is a powerful opener because when you start reading, it feels like Yelena will jump off the building because she no longer wants to be there. It’s a grim and intense way to kick off a film about mental health. Later on, they decided against keeping it due to insurance concerns.

In the opening scene, Pugh will execute it herself. Schreier explained the thought process behind the scene: “The concept is about discovering a young woman in a desperate situation that might momentarily appear as suicide, but instead presents an edgy and nonchalant interpretation of a Bond-style stunt, suggesting she can perform such feats without a care for her own wellbeing.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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2025-05-04 00:52

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