The Thunderbolts movie from Marvel Studios has delayed filming due to the ongoing writers strike. When the MCU project begins production will depend on how long the labor dispute lasts.
Directed by Jake Schreier from a script written by Lee Sung Jin, Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts centers on a team of antiheroes comprised of less-heroic characters in the MCU. Marvel Studios projects like Black Widow and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier have set the groundwork for the team's formation, with returning favorites like Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine starring in the film.
Thunderbolts was expected to begin filming in three weeks (as of May 25) in Atlanta, Georgia. However, Deadline reports the Thunderbolts crew was notified on Thursday that filming is delayed. Marvel Studios plans to begin production on Thunderbolts once the writers strike has ended. There was no indication that the production pause will delay the Thunderbolts release date.
Thunderbolts is not the only Marvel Studios project impacted by the writers strike. Blade was also scheduled to begin filming in June 2023, but Marvel Studios postponed production indefinitely due to the writers strike. Meanwhile, The Wonder Man TV series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was filming in Los Angeles until Marvel Studios stopped production. While Daredevil: Born Again is still filming, production was reportedly disrupted by striking writers who set up a picket line at a filming location in New York. However, Daredevil: Born Again resumed filming the following day, but Wonder Man will resume production when the strike is over.
Not every Marvel Studios project is pausing production. Deadpool 3 recently began filming, but Ryan Reynolds will not be able to improvise as he did in the past because the writers strike requires him to follow the already-written script. Production on Captain America 4 and Agatha: Coven of Chaos is reportedly continuing because these projects were already filming when the writers strike started.
Whether the writers strike causes significant release date delays for these MCU projects depends on when the labor dispute is resolved. The 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike lasted roughly three months, and a similar timeline for the 2023 strike would undoubtedly force Marvel Studios and other production companies to reschedule projects. While that would disappoint fans, they should remember that the writers behind their favorite shows and movies are unfairly compensated, particularly regarding streaming revenue. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's success proved Marvel Studios is still a box office winner, and other Hollywood studios are enjoying financial benefits. So, it's only fair for the writers of these money-makers to receive their share of the profits.
Thunderbolts is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on July 26, 2024.
Source: Deadline