First Look at a Younger Yelena Belova in Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Revealed

IMAX released a behind-the-scenes featurette for Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, which shows the first look at a young Yelena Belova.

In the film, Lewis Pullman‘a Sentry will unleash the Void, which is born from Sentry’s self-loathing, fear, and trauma. Yelena (Florence Pugh) will be trapped in the Void, which manifests her negative thoughts, fears, and inner darkness.

The featurette also shows Pugh and a cameraman jumping off the world’s second-tallest building while filming Thunderbolts*. (For reference: Merdeka 118 in Malaysia stands over 2,227 feet tall.) See the images below.

Recently, industry insider John Campea reported that Thunderbolts scored “off the charts” at its recent test screening. The movie reportedly had one of the best test screenings of any film or series in the MCU’s Phase 5.

Directed by Jake Schreier and stars Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Pugh as Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross, Pullman as Sentry, and Geraldine Viswanathan as Erin. Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Weisz are confirmed to reprise their roles as scientist Bill Foster and spy Melina Vostakov.

Here’s the synopsis for Thunderbolts*:

“In Thunderbolts, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes — Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap — set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine — these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart — or find redemption and unite as something much more — before it’s too late?”

Thunderbolts* is projected to earn between $67 million and $82 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes, including post-credits scenes.

The red carpet premiere of Thunderbolts* will take place in London on April 28, 2025.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters across the United States in IMAX, RealD 3D, ScreenX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD, and other premium formats worldwide on May 2, 2025.

Source: YouTube