Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' Put On Pause Due To Ongoing WGA Strike

Another upcoming Marvel Studios project has been put on pause due to the ongoing labor strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Per The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios has paused the " Thunderbolts " production. It was initially slated to start filming next month in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Thunderbolts" is the latest Marvel Studios project that's been forced to delay its production start due to the ongoing writers' strike. The Marvel "Blade" reboot, starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, was also paused right before it started production due to the writer's strike.

THR notes that Marvel Studios hopes to start production after the strike is resolved. The Marvel TV series "Wonder Man" reportedly had to stop filming due to the WGA strike.

Jake Schreier is attached to direct the project. Lee Sung Jin, the creator of Netflix's "Beef," did the most recent script draft, working from a previous draft by Eric Pearson, who wrote Marvel's "Black Widow" feature.

The film is slated to star Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova/Black Widow, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, David Harbour ("Stranger Things," "Violent Night") as Alexei Shostakov as Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster.

Harrison Ford is also attached to star in the film, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross for the MCU. Julia Louis-Dreyfus also reprises her role as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. The cast is also rounded out by Ayo Edebiri ("The Bear") and Steven Yeun ("The Walking Dead," "Invincible"), who are appearing in the film in roles that are currently unknown.

Based on the Marvel comic book series created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, the series followed a group of supervillains, formerly the Avengers' archfoes The Masters of Evil, who were masquerading as heroes in a plot by Baron Zemo to take over the world. Eventually, some of the villains enjoyed getting to be the good guys for a change and turned against their leader, seeking to reform and turn over a new leaf. Over the years, the Thunderbolts have typically been a team of past villains or antiheroes who put their lives on the line for the government for hazardous missions.

The new MCU team comprises past antagonists, villains, or disgraced heroes now working for the CIA Director Allegra de Fontaine (Louis-Dreyfus). Considering that Ford is portraying Thunderbolt Ross in a "Thunderbolts" movie, it also raises the question if he will transform into Ross' superpowered alter-ego of Red Hulk.

The ongoing WGA strike is currently in its fourth week with no signs of ending as of yet. Also, the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, and the directors' union, the DGA, are facing their current contracts with the AMPTP ending on June 30. If new deals are not signed by then, SAG-AFTRA and DGA might join the WGA in the labor strike against the AMPTP. SAG-AFTRA has already called for a strike authorization vote ahead of upcoming negotiations with the AMPTP. If enough eligible members vote "YES," the union leadership could call for a labor strike anytime after June 30 if a new deal is not reached.

Marvel's Thunderbolts was originally slated to hit theaters on July 26, 2024. However, with production delayed, that means it will likely no longer be able to meet the currently scheduled release date. Also, if SAG-AFTRA and DGA go on strike, that could potentially cause further production delays.

While Marvel's "Blade" and "Thunderbolts" are currently on pause, the studio did start filming "Deadpool 3," starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, reprising their respective roles of Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Wolverine/Logan. "Deadpool 3" is slated to hit theaters on November 8, 2024.