Marvel's Thunderbolts CinemaCon footage may have just confirmed a long-running Reddit theory

In addition to revealing who else may or may not be getting a chair and joining the cast lineup for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel showcased brand new footage for Thunderbolts at this year's CinemaCon, ahead of the film's release next month. More importantly, the footage may finally have confirmed fan theories about how and why the characters unite.

Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, and Wyatt Russell arrived in Red Guardian's limo to attend the event, and had new scenes to present to an excited crowd teasing some good laughs and a truckload of double-crossing.

The footage, according to The Hollywood Reporter, opened with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Alexei Shostakov, also known as Red Guardian (Harbour), driving a truck carrying Yelena (Pugh), Ghost (John-Kamen), and John Walker (Russell) in the back. During the trip, Alexei nags the former Winter Soldier about being co-leaders of their newly formed squad just before they crash into a building, choosing to forgo a stealthy approach.

A brief shootout ensues before the voice of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Louis-Dreyfus) sounds off, inviting them upstairs. From there, the Thunderbolts are greeted by a barrage of brutal barbs at the group, with Fontaine calling John Walker "a junior varsity Captain America" and Red Guardian "old Santa" (how often do we see young Santa?). While the team takes the hits, Valentina confesses to her initial plan as to why they're all together. “I send you down there to kill each other, but instead, you make nice and form a team.”

It's that line alone that could confirm a Reddit theory regarding the formation of the Thunderbolts and Valentina's motives. It now seems more likely than ever that the group was brought together as cannon fodder for the new superhero on the block, Lewis Pullman's The Sentry, whom we recently got a good look at thanks to an action figure. Judging by those in the van, it also suggests that Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster won't make it out alive.

Thankfully, the rest will to ensure that they appear alongside the likes of the Fantastic Four, some OG Avengers, and a handful of forgotten X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday. For now, we can only wait for when the Thunderbolts strike on May 2, 2025. For every other Marvel movie and TV show planned, head on over here.