Marvel’s Thunderbolts* dived into something deeper than cosmic threats and multiverse madness. The movie has been earning praise for its unexpected and relatable portrayal of mental health, not just from fans but also from one of its stars, Florence Pugh.
The film still delivers plenty of superhero action (or, in this case, antihero action). There are still explosive team dynamics, but underneath all the story about dangerous missions, the story about mental health, even when you’re a superhuman, is one of the movie’s main themes.
Florence Pugh: “It’s a Huge Deal”
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pugh said, “Oh my God, it’s massive. It’s a huge deal. It’s a huge deal that that theme was made with a Marvel budget, and they cared enough about it to make it the main event. And that is so important, so important for everybody right now.”
Pugh also recounted her 2021 movie, Black Widow, and how the film educated and inspired girls and women who saw the movie: “I feel the same with this. So many people, adults and children, are going to watch this, and if they need it, they’re going to see themselves or their friends or their partners in it, and it’s so wonderful to be able to make a movie for the masses that you know is going to be helpful.”
Thunderbolts*: A Different Kind of Marvel Movie
Director Jake Schreier, best known for his work on Netflix’s Beef Season 1, set out to make a different kind of Marvel movie, one that directly tackles the Thunderbolts*’ mental health. He said, “These themes are not niche anymore; that we all struggle with this and that they were universal ideas. And even if it felt scary for a big Netflix show or a Marvel movie to take that on, the audience is out there, and these aren’t things that we push away so much. They’re things that everyone confronts.”
One of those important scenes in the movie that perfectly depicts Pugh’s Yalena’s mental health as she battles depression is when she steps off the second-tallest building in the world. Schreier says of the scene, “It’s the idea of finding a young woman in a low place where you might imagine for a second that it’s suicide, but then actually is this kind of disaffected bored version of a Bond stunt where she can pull off this stuff with no regard for her own safety.”
Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.
