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Geek Tyrant
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS* Nearly Included Goliath, Red Hulk, and More, Here's Why That Changed — GeekTyrant
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe's misfit team of the Thunderbolts* was revealed as the 'The New Avengers', the film went through several iterations that could've made the movie feel even bigger and more wild. According to screenwriter Eric Pearson, early drafts of the film featured some surprising characters who didn't make the final cut, including Laurence Fishburne's Bill Foster a.k.a. Goliath, Harrison Ford's Red Hulk, and the fan-favorite manipulator himself, Baron Zemo, played by Daniel Brühl. Pearson told ComicBook. 'I don't think there was anybody I asked for that we didn't get. There was a point where I wanted Red Hulk to be the villain and [Marvel Studios] said, 'No.' 'I was annoyed and now I'm happy. The Sentry is the perfect person [for the villain role]. Any time you think you have it figured out and they tell you that you can't do it, you are annoyed.' Red Hulk, of course, was being saved for Captain America: Brave New World , where Ford's Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross went through his big transformation. But Pearson wasn't just eyeing Red Hulk, he also wanted to bring back Bill Foster in a more active role. 'There was a draft or two where Bucky was not involved, and there was a draft or two where Bill Foster was involved. Ava's surrogate father, he comes in with [a role] bigger than a cameo and has a Goliath kind of moment and joins the team towards the end.' Foster became Goliath by using Pym Particles to grow to massive size, essentially becoming a Giant-Man of his own. The idea of pairing him with Alexei/Red Guardian as two fatherly figures was floated, but it didn't stick. Pearson said: 'I think there was something with two old guys, [Foster] and [Alexei], who are not exactly fathers, but acting as fathers. I forget why that was pulled out. Probably because he didn't have the same background trauma that these other characters had, which was the unifying theme.' The studio and director Jake Schreier also toyed with the idea of adding Man-Thing and Baron Zemo into the mix. Both characters have deep roots in Thunderbolts lore. After all, Zemo literally created the team in the comics as part of an elaborate con, and Man-Thing served on the supernatural version of the team led by Luke Cage. 'Jake was very excited about doing Man-Thing. The other one was Zemo. 'Let's get Zemo in there.' We talked about it a lot. It wasn't, 'No, let's deny the audience these people or deny our director this character that he wanted to use.' It was more like, 'Let's talk about it and find a way that doesn't break the story we are trying to tell.'' Zemo ultimately didn't fit. As cool as it would have been to see Daniel Brühl's scheming Sokovian pop back up after his Disney+ run in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , this story had other goals. 'What was very important to me is I found a story that wasn't just a rehash of [DC's] Suicide Squad . We have had two Suicide Squad movies recently and the last thing I wanted to do was, 'Hey, we are going to put a team together.' 'Not because it's a bad story, but it's just because it is a story audiences are familiar with. They sit in there and say, 'Oh, I know the moves of this story.'' The final version of Thunderbolts* still pulls deep from Marvel's bench: Yelena, John Walker, Ghost, and Taskmaster start things off, while Red Guardian and Bucky enter later, with Sentry bringing a destabilizing wildcard into the mix. But knowing how close we were to seeing a full-on Zemo-led operation or a Goliath-sized return? That's just a fun little 'what if' that will fuel fan discussions. In the comics, Zemo, Goliath, and Red Hulk, were core parts of the Thunderbolts legacy. Zemo's team masqueraded as heroes during the post- Onslaught Marvel Universe. Red Hulk led his own aggressive version of the team alongside Punisher, Elektra, Deadpool, and Venom. Goliath was a founding member in Zemo's original lineup. In the end, the characters that did end up in the movie were perfect for the story that was told.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Daniel Brühl's Baron Zemo Isn't in Thunderbolts* Revealed by Director
Jake Schreier, the director of Thunderbolts*, has revealed why Daniel Brühl's Baron Zemo isn't in the MCU feature. Notably, Baron Helmut Zemo was the founder of the Thunderbolts in the comics and served as its initial leader. Brühl has portrayed the character in two MCU projects: the movie Captain America: Civil War (2016) and the Disney+ superhero series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). Schreier disclosed to Dexerto in a recent interview that Brühl's Zemo was not part of any of the versions of the Thunderbolts* script he was given. 'There was no version that I was presented with where that was ever true, from the first draft that I read,' he explained, adding, 'There are like a few character shifts since then, but not so much, and Baron Zemo was not in there.' The filmmaker further stated that he was aware that 'some corners of the internet are not so happy about that.' Zemo's absence in the movie makes sense given how different the storyline and Thunderbolts roster appear to be from the comics, where initially the team was comprised of the erstwhile members of Masters of Evil, a villainous organization also led by Zemo. Following the apparent eradication of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts pretended to be the new saviors of the world. Zemo began using the alias Citizen V, which, ironically, was the codename of a World War II superhero that his father killed. Schreier stated in the aforementioned interview that Thunderbolts* was honoring the idea of 'villains masquerading as heroes' from the comics, 'but coming at it from a different angle.' In the movie, it appears that Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is serving as the leader of the Thunderbolts instead of Zemo. The MCU has already established a personal connection between her and some of the members of the team. The movie will debut in U.S. theaters on May 2, 2025. Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on SuperHeroHype. The post Why Daniel Brühl's Baron Zemo Isn't in Thunderbolts* Revealed by Director appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
German Actors Protest Far-Right Vote in Parliament
A who's who of German on-screen talent, including actors Daniel Brühl, Jella Haase, Birgit Minichmayr, Jürgen Vogel and Sonja Heiss, have signed an open letter protesting Wednesday's vote in the German parliament that saw an anti-immigration policy passed with the support of the far-right AfD party. A proposal from the conservative CDU party to introduce new measures, including permanent border controls at Germany's borders with its European Union neighbors, a de-facto entry ban for anyone without valid documentation, and immediate detention for individuals facing deportation, narrowly passed the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, on Wednesday but only with the support of the AfD. The proposals still have to be put to a formal vote before becoming law. More from The Hollywood Reporter "Prepare for the Final Game": Netflix Unveils Release Date, First Look Photos of 'Squid Game' Season 3 Lena Dunham Strikes Netflix Deal, Talks Rom-Com Series 'Too Much' Daisy Ridley to Star in VR Experience 'Trailblazer' and Executive Produce Expanded Feature Film (Exclusive) The conservatives and all other parties in the Bundestag had pledged not to work with the AfD, which is widely considered to support extremist and anti-democrat positions. The pledge is colloquially referred to as a 'firewall' between the AfD and Germany's democratic parties. The AfD is growing in popularity — it is currently ranked second in the polls behind the CDU and is expected to do well in national elections next month. The party has gotten some international support from Elon Musk who has publicly endorsed the far-right group, and appeared, via video link, at an AfD election event on Sunday. In the open letter, the protestors called on public and political leaders to 'uphold democratic values' and 'safeguard the country's cultural and social diversity.' The latter is addressed to CDU leader Friedrich Merz and members of the conservative 'Union' parties and the neo-liberal FDP who voted for the measures, as well as members of the far-left BSW, who abstained from Wednesday's vote. You can read the open letter (translated into English) below:This past weekend, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to stand for a truly politically practiced 'Never Again is Now!' and to demonstrate against the AfD and any collaboration with it. We are therefore deeply horrified by a watershed moment in German history: For the Union, followed by the FDP and BSW, threatens to completely tear down the already crumbling firewall by seeking the AfD's approval for their plans on security and migration policy and, in doing so, accepting a de facto collaboration with this largely far-right party. This pact with the AfD constitutes a historical breaking of taboos. Granting asylum to people is a constitutionally protected fundamental right and is also one of the central lessons learned from the crimes of National Socialism. The Union is willing to conclude these rights with the ideological heirs of the perpetrators and break the historical consensus of 'Never Again.' This is happening in the week of Holocaust Remembrance Day. You, the recipients of this letter from the Union, FDP, and BSW, have often said: 'Never Again is Now!' You have often said: 'The firewall stands.' But no, it is not you who are supporting it; you are dramatically destabilizing it, and we have to recognize: We, the civil society of this country, must now be that firewall and remind you of your promises. You are threatening to undermine fundamental rights with the help of right-wing extremists and thus enabling the AfD to gain influence and power—perhaps even at the legislative level, should you collaborate with them during the next vote on Friday. We, the signatories of this open letter from the fields of art, culture, media, and public life, demand that the members of the Union, FDP, and BSW immediately distance themselves from their unconstitutional plans and any form of cooperation with the AfD. Vote against the proposal or abstain from the vote. We also condemn the form of division and incitement that is being fueled by the current racist, anti-Semitic, anti-diversity, and climate-hostile discourse, which contributes to the drift of society into the far-right spectrum. History is repeating itself, and this time we will not look away. During the nationwide demonstrations this weekend, the slogan 'We are the firewall' was shouted, and now it is time to put the firewall into practice: We invite everyone in this country to place candles, symbolizing the sea of lights from the demonstrations, in front of the CDU/CSU party headquarters as a reminder and vigil. Additionally, we encourage civil society to take action by emailing members of parliament (the NGO LeaveNoOneBehind has created a tool for this purpose) and by participating in demonstrations (listed nationwide at to remind them of the need to preserve the firewall. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
