Warning! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*Jake Schreier's at the end of Thunderbolts*, putting them at odds with Sam Wilson's official version of the team.

Although Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene confirms that Yelena Belova's superhero team spends much longer as the New Avengers than they do as the Thunderbolts, Jake Schreier's Phase 5 movie is technically the first live-action iteration of Marvel Comics' Thunderbolts. Whether a new Thunderbolts line-up eventually takes up the original name in a spiritual sequel to Thunderbolts* is yet to be seen. For now, the MCU's Thunderbolts seem more similar to two DC movie teams than to their comic book counterparts.

Thunderbolts* Features Several Similarities To The DCEU’s Suicide Squad

Jake Schreier's Thunderbolts* And David Ayer's Suicide Squad Share Several Elements

The Thunderbolts and the Suicide Squad resemble each other in many ways, starting with their basic concept. Both teams are made up of anti-heroes or former villains who face a heroic mission that offers them a chance at redemption. In the DCEU and the MCU, the similarities go even deeper. In both 2016's Suicide Squad and 2025's Thunderbolts*, the ruthless leader of a powerful government organization sends a team of criminals to die on an impossible mission, unaware that they'd develop a family bond and beat the odds to redeem themselves at the end.

The least developed of each team (Slipknot and Taskmaster), whose main ability is their adaptability, die unceremoniously early in the movie, raising the stakes for their teammates

Oddly enough, there are other, more specific similarities between David Ayer's Suicide Squad and Jake Schreier's Thunderbolts*. Both June Moon and Robert Reynolds are innocent people who become possessed by dark entities while participating in scientific research. Both of them are able to transform into nearly invincible villains (Enchantress and Sentry) who possess the power to make the heroes relive their most life-changing experiences. Meanwhile, the least developed of each team (Slipknot and Taskmaster), whose main ability is their adaptability, die unceremoniously early in the movie, raising the stakes for their teammates.

Thunderbolts* Almost Had An Oddly Specific Similarity To James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad

Thunderbolts*' Parallels To The Suicide Squad Movies Almost Went Even Further

Peacemaker poster showing the character saluting

Shortly after Thunderbolts*' worldwide release, writer Eric Pearson revealed John Walker was almost Thunderbolts*' main villain. According to Pearson, an early draft of the Thunderbolts* script saw Val manipulate John Walker into getting treatment for his Super Soldier physique, slowly transforming him into a "time bomb" and leading him to turn against his teammates. John Walker's villain turn would have diverged from the character's comic book roots, as US Agent is usually a hot-headed anti-hero, but never a full-fledged supervillain. Besides, John Walker's villain role would have made him too similar to The Suicide Squad's Chris Smith a.k.a. Peacemaker.

Thunderbolts Yelena John Walker and Red Guardian Custom MCU Image
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In James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, the titular team sticks together through their battles against the Corto Maltese government, the Thinker, and Starro, only for Peacemaker to defect. Betraying Task Force X, Peacemaker murders the team's captain Rick Flag, steals the mission's intel, and tries to kill Ratcatcher II and Bloodsport. Thunderbolts*' evil John Walker would likely have been defeated in the end, similarly to Peacemaker, who gets incapacitated by Bloodsport. If John Walker survived and learned of Val's manipulation, he would have been on track to change ways, like Peacemaker, who took a heroic path in his spinoff series.

Thunderbolts*’ Similarities To DC’s Suicide Squad Movies Aren’t A Problem

Thunderbolts* Stands Apart From The Suicide Squad Films, Despite Their Parallels

Thunderbolts*'s international poster

In retrospect, the similarities between Thunderbolts* and the Suicide Squad movies get increasingly specific. However, they aren't distracting while watching the MCU movie, nor do they evoke the feeling that one film is copying the other. Thunderbolts*' more serious tone, less self-aware comedy, and mental health themes are quite different from The Suicide Squad's extravagant tone and humor, as well as the friendship and self-sacrifice themes from James Gunn's DCEU film. David Ayer and James Gunn's takes on the Suicide Squad property are quite different on their own, and Thunderbolts* builds its own identity in the MCU.

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