Marvel Studios has reportedly tapped Jake Schreier to direct the long-gestating Thunderbolts film.
Schreier will be director for the movie while Eric Pearson is script writer, with Kevin Feige producing, according to Deadline. Thunderbolts has been the subject of rumors for years, with very little official information being released about it. However, it was reported that Marvel would begin filming in 2023.
In Marvel Comics, Thunderbolts are a team of former villains who accept perilous missions from the government, originally assembled by and named after General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. The Thunderbolts team has recently seen a revival with a new series and character roster in the comics.
Currently, it's unknown if Ross will have any involvement in the story, or indeed any of the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe who will headline the film, although there are several likely candidates thanks to the many popular antagonists that have been introduced over the past few years of Marvel films and TV shows. Some have been brought back from early projects to cameo in new ones, such as the Abomination appearing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
The Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier created a surprise following for Baron Zemo, who was a ruthless but sympathetic villain in Captain America: Civil War and became an ally of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes in the series. Countess Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was also introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and reappeared in the post-credits scene of Black Widow, suggesting that her role in the MCU will continue to expand.
While Pearson previously wrote for Black Widow, Schreier is a name new to the MCU, with his past credits including Robot & Frank, Paper Towns, and the Netflix series Beef.
Marvel Studios has several major projects in the works, many of which are being held with even more secrecy than Thunderbolts. Fantastic Four, for instance, is a long-awaited reboot of some of Marvel's oldest characters, allowing them at last to enter the MCU and crossover with other teams now that the property rights are no longer in dispute.
Thunderbolts does not yet have an official release window, although the movie was reported to be planned to begin filming next year.
Source: Deadline
