Thunderbolts*: Meet the cast, characters, and their backstories

Marvel’s Thunderbolts, now released in theaters, is living up to its hype. Unlike the typical Avengers, this film involves a team of misfit anti-heroes who are forced to work together. As they prepare for a high-stakes mission under Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s leadership, here’s a list of the entire cast of this Action- adventure film.

A product of the Red Room's rigorous training, Yelena Belova is a former Black Widow operative grappling with the profound grief of losing her sister, Natasha Romanoff. Her skills are undeniable, matched by a fierce emotional intensity and a volatile unpredictability. Following her confrontational encounter with Clint Barton in "Hawkeye," Yelena now takes a prominent position as a formidable asset within the Thunderbolts team.

Watch out for Alexei Shostakov, a Cold War relic and Russia's not-so-subtle answer to Captain America – with a hefty dose of parental baggage as Yelena's adoptive dad. Portrayed as a guy with gruff strength, always ready with a dry quip and a dry humor, he’s got a lot to prove with plenty of unfinished business.

James "Bucky" Barnes is known to walk the long path towards redemption. Being Hydra's brainwashed and lethal assassin in the past, he now carries the weight of his past actions and is driven by a profound desire to atone for them. Though battle-hardened and often stoic in demeanor, Bucky brings a wealth of experience and a sense of gravity to the Thunderbolts team.

Once a formidable weapon of the Red Room, Antonia Dreykov possesses a chilling ability: she can flawlessly mimic any combat style she observes. Following the events of ‘Black Widow,’ she was freed from her father's control, the oppressive grip of the Red Room finally broken. Watch Antonia embark on a journey of self-discovery, grappling with her past and searching for her own identity, leading her to an unexpected place in Thunderbolts, where she might find a new sense of belonging and perhaps even a path toward redemption.

Handpicked to be the next Captain America, John Walker's failure was public and stark. Now disgraced but still dangerous, Valentina repurposed him as the U.S. Agent. He's a volatile and skilled wildcard, still grappling with what heroism truly means after his fall from grace.

Ava Starr, once on the brink of disintegration due to a quantum accident that granted her phasing and invisibility, now wields these powers with greater control. Returning with a renewed sense of purpose, she has much to demonstrate and prove about her capabilities and intentions.

Consuming a serum that gave him unimaginable power, Robert Reynolds, now also has to deal with his unleashed dark and destructive alter ego, The Void. This duality makes him both the Thunderbolts' most formidable weapon and their most dangerous potential liability.

The enigmatic Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the cunning and calculating mastermind behind the Thunderbolts, consistently operating with a strategic advantage. However, the true nature of her objectives remains shrouded in mystery, leaving one to question whether her actions are driven by a desire to protect the world or by a more self-serving ambition to reshape it according to her own design.