Right now, Marvel Studio's Thunderbolts movie is about 16 months away from arriving in theaters, and production is scheduled to start up soon – but today it's been revealed that the project is making a significant behind-the-scenes change. While the blockbuster to date has been working with a script written by Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thor: Ragnarok), it's now being reported that a new screenwriter has been brought aboard to work on the screenplay.
News of the hire comes from Variety, which says that Lee Sung Jin has been brought onboard Thunderbolts to work on the script. Lee is the creator and showrunner of the upcoming Netflix series Beef, and the Marvel Studios production will reunite him with director Jake Schreier, who has directed six episodes of the streaming show. Speaking with the trade about the new gig, Lee said,
I’m rewriting it. It’s the whole squad again. Jake asked me if I would come on board. I probably should have taken a break, but there’s a lot of themes and exciting things about the movie that I couldn’t help but sign on.
News first broke about Marvel making a Thunderbolts movie last June when it was first reported that Jake Schreier had been hired to direct. At D23 Expo 2023 a few months later, the lineup for the titular team was announced: Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, Wyatt Russell’s US Agent, Hannah John Kamen’s Ghost, and Julia Louis Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. It has also been confirmed that Harrison Ford will be playing President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in the movie, taking over the part following the death of William Hurt (who previously played the role in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War).
In addition to reuniting with Jake Schreier, the project will also see Lee Sung Jim once again working with Steven Yeun, who co-stars in Beef opposite Ali Wong. Yeun was first announced as being a part of the Thunderbolts cast last month, and while he has commented on his involvement in the Marvel blockbuster, we don't know what character he will be playing.
Lee's previous writing credits include the hit FX series Dave, the animated Tuca & Bertie, the HBO comedy Silicon Valley, and the beloved sitcom It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Thunderbolts will mark the first time he's received credit on a feature film, but clearly he has earned the trust of the director and Marvel Studios. Those curious about his voice and skills will be able to watch Beef on April 6, provided you have a Netflix subscription.
You can learn more about Thunderbolts via our Quick Things guide for the film. Check out our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV features to discover all of the titles that are currently scheduled for release in the coming years.
