Move Over, Dark Avengers—Is ‘Thunderbolts*’ Secretly Paving the Way for the Secret Avengers?

Thunderbolts* is shaping up to be one of the most exciting new MCU movies. The film will introduce a team of former villains and anti-heroes, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad, who are now trying to do good. It will also bring in Sentry, one of Marvel’s most powerful characters, played by Lewis Pullman.

We know most of the team members: David Harbour is back as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, and Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent. Olga Kurylenko will return as Taskmaster, and Florence Pugh will return as Yelena Belova, the new Black Widow.

The team’s leader is Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who now owns Avengers Tower—likely to become Sentry’s new Watchtower.

Fans have long speculated that Thunderbolts* might introduce the Dark Avengers. In the comics, the Dark Avengers are a group of anti-heroes and villains posing as familiar Avengers, but with darker, self-serving goals. Unlike the Secret Avengers—who work in secret for good—the Dark Avengers have a more sinister purpose.

But what if the movie is actually setting up the Secret Avengers? Looking at the team’s possible lineup, this theory starts to make more sense. Originally led by Captain America, the Secret Avengers include skilled heroes like Black Widow, War Machine, and Valkyrie, along with others like Ant-Man and Moon Knight, who bring unique stealth and psychological abilities.

When we check upcoming MCU projects, nearly every Secret Avengers member seems likely to take the spotlight soon.

Yelena Belova has taken on the role of Black Widow, just like Sam Wilson took up the mantle of Captain America. War Machine is set to have his own movie, Armor Wars, though recent updates about the film seem concerning.

Valkyrie had a cameo in The Marvels, and despite rumors about her future, she’s still King of Asgard and likely will be for some time. Moon Knight and Hawkeye are both expected to have second seasons, with Moon Knight also rumored to play a major role in a possible Midnight Sons project.

Beast was hinted at in The Marvels, suggesting he could return, especially since his world might eventually connect with Earth-616. Agent Venom, who is one of the notable team members might also resurface in the MCU considering all the rumors that Venom will crossover to the cinematic universe.

Finally, with the introduction of X-Men through Deadpool & Wolverine, the mutant era is beginning in the MCU, according to Kevin Feige. The Secret Avengers have a history of handling delicate issues around mutants, often acting as mediators to prevent public conflict.

As you can see, they’d be a great team to add to the current MCU, especially with most of the members already active—just with a few new faces.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!