David Harbour Talks ‘Thunderbolts*’ Themes & How It’s Going To Re-analyze His Relationship With Yelena

‘Thunderbolts*’ is one of the many upcoming MCU movies, but it stands out for a few important reasons. First, it will bring Marvel’s version of the Suicide Squad to the MCU. Second, it will introduce Sentry, one of the most powerful characters in comics, to the big screen.

The movie will also see the return of our favorite (anti) heroes most notable among them Red Guardian played by David Harbour and Yelena Belova, MCU’s current Black Widow played by Florence Pugh.

During the recent D23 panel in Brazil, Hugo Gloss had the opportunity to talk to David Harbour and the upcoming movie. The actor stated that the characters’ superpowers in the movie will be deeply connected to their personal struggles and flaws. He believes that these powers are not just individual strengths, but that they work best when the characters are together, supporting each other.

I think there’s something about this movie, about superpowers and superheroes that our powers are inextricably linked to how broken we are. And that our powers only thrive in relationship to each other, that in isolation they can be a curse.

When we’re in the right alignment with each other they can be even greater than those individual powers. [Thunderbolts*] explores finding your place in the world…finding your footing in an unsure world.

Harbour also commented on his on-screen relationship with his adoptive daughter, Yelena Belova. They have a complicated relationship, with Alexei showing fatherly affection but also being flawed and distant at times. Yelena and Alexei share a bond from their past, and in ‘Black Widow,’ we see them reconnecting and dealing with their shared history.

They’ve had a strange relationship but clearly, she needs him in some way, and he certainly needs her for meaning in his life.

Source: Hugo Gloss

‘Thunderbolts*’ is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 2, 2025, as the final film of Phase Five of the MCU.

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