The THUNDERBOLTS report offers details on the main characters and how the team gets its name

A little bit’ Lightning rumors are making the rounds online and offer possible insight into the story, main characters, and how the team gets its name. Lightning is now in production and fans are hoping that with a series of characters like this the film can be a highlight for Marvel Studios.

Internal discovery @CanWeGetToast is reporting it Harrison FordPresident “Thunderbolt” Ross or Tiamut will have no role in the story. These characters are two key elements of Captain America: Brave New Worldand previous reports said they would enter Lightningbut that may not be the case.

I’ve heard this from two different sources now, which means we won’t see Ford as Red Hulk in the movie. Ross has always been one of the core members of the Thunderbolt team and is the inspiration behind the group’s nickname. It would be a strange choice if they chose not to include it.

So how does the team get their name in the film? Well, the Thunderbolts are supposedly named after Yelena Belova’s childhood soccer team, which I guess will be some kind of gag.

Hollywood Insider Daniele Richtmann also shared some news saying that Bucky Barnes is not the Thunderbolts co-star alongside Yelena. It was previously reported that he would lead the team. Instead, US Agent is said to have a bigger role than Bucky, and in terms of story priorities, Black Widow and The Sentry will be the main protagonists alongside Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and… Ghost.

These are just rumors, but there may actually be some truth to them.

The cast of Lightning includes Sebastiano Stan as Bucky Barnes, Davide Porto in the role of the Red Guardian, Julie Louis-Dreyfus as Countess Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Wyatt Russell as a US agent, Hannah John-Kamen in the role of Ghost, Olga Kurylenko in the role of Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman he was offered the role of the Sentinel and, of course, Florence Pugh in the role of Elena Belova. Then, there is Harrison Fordwho takes on the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who will become President of the United States in Captain America: New World Order.

The film is directed by Jake Schreier (Paper cities, joke), from a screenplay by Joanna Calo Eric (The bear) Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow) AND Kurt Busiek. Lightning it is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.