Summary
Thunderbolts* is one of the major Marvel Studios releases on the calendar for 2025 and trailers have given some idea of what to expect. However, a recent Star Wars episode provides a further taste of what’s to come from director Jake Schreier inThunderbolts*.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crewis a surprising new series out of Lucasfilm’s galaxy, far, far away. The action-adventure series wears its inspirations clearly on its sleeve, with comparisons drawn toE.T.andThe Goonies. The series follows a group of children who are swept up in a galactic adventure when they commandeer an old ship and must try and find their way home.Star Wars: Skeleton Crewhas recruited several big-name directors for its episodes including Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Homecoming), David Lowery (The Green Knight), andthe Daniels (Everything Everywhere All at Once). Episode 5 titled ‘You Have A Lot to Learn About Pirates’, was directed by Jake Schreier, and it may indicate what to expect from the director’s next major project, Marvel’sThunderbolts*.
Thunderbolts and Skeleton Crew Share Similarities
WhileThunderboltsandSkeleton Creware from two very different cinematic universes, they do share some similarities.Skeleton Crewis about an unlikely group of children being swept up in a galaxy-spanning adventure with ramifications bigger than they realize.Thunderboltsfollows an unlikely group of villainsand anti-heroes who are forced together to undertake high-risk tasks for the government (which will probably also have bigger ramifications than they realize).
Both projects are also a departure from the mold of their respective cinematic franchises.Skeleton Crewis a fun-loving coming-of-age adventurestory that puts the focus on a younger set of characters.Thunderboltsmeanwhile is basically the equivalent of Marvel’sSuicide Squad, with the movie being something of an antithesis to theAvengersmovies by focusing on non-traditional heroes from different MCU projects. In both instances, Schreier has been brought on board to share his particular vision and set of skills for each franchise and the way hisSkeleton Crewplays out gives some interesting insight intoThunderbolts.
Skeleton Crew Episode 5 Could Hint at Thunderbolts*’ Tone
Skeleton Crew’sfifth episode saw Jod and the children arrive on Lanupa, a luxury planet, where they bribe the staff and impersonate a group of wise elders to infiltrate the resort’s high security. The group’s goal is to find Captain Rennod’s stash, with the hope that it will include coordinates for the children’s home of At Attin. Along the way,Skeleton Crewdraws on many tonal inspirations such asIndiana JonesandPirates of the Caribbeanto craft an action-packed adventurous episode.Skeleton Crew’sfifth episode has a bit of everything. It is a heist episode with whimsical humor, unexpected betrayals, and treasure hunting.
This isn’t to say thatThunderboltswill include all of these elements, but a balance of tone, genre, and character is the main facet that Schreier expertly handles here.Thunderboltswill likely also see its group of heroes infiltrate unwelcome scenarios where they are forced to overcome their differences to get the job done. The mixture of action, stakes, and humor that is instilled throughoutSkeleton Crew’sfifth episode is a promising sign of how the group dynamic will be handled inThunderbolts*and also indicates that the movie will lean into the humorous moments between its characters along with plenty of alliances and betrayals.
Jake Schreier Knows How to Handle Major Franchises
Before landing directing roles on Star Wars and Marvel projects,Schreier was best knownfor directing the Emmy Award-winning seriesBeefand the coming-of-age filmPaper Towns. The director has since been handed the keys to two of the biggest pop culture kingdoms. In 2023, Schreier shared his thoughts on handling Marvel and Star Wars projects withScreen Rant, revealing he enjoyed how many different artists were able to share their love and ideas for the respective franchises:
“I think when you’re coming from smaller projects you really have to kind of pick an idea and stick to it and make it work. What’s so exciting about these worlds is you get to explore a little bit more, and you get to maybe be wrong and step back, or adjust things or take a different perspective on what something should look like, or what world do you want to go into. That’s just such a luxury to have, and to see how many people have so many different ideas to it, and when they bring that kind of love for those worlds. If you can harness that. That’s just been very, very fun over the last year or so.”
IfSkeleton CrewEpisode 5 is anything to judge by, it’s clear that Schreier is adept at coming into an established franchise and handling it with care and respect.Skeleton Crew’sfifth episode is one of the best in the series to date and adds a unique flavor whilst also fitting the style and tone of the rest of the series. This isa good sign forThunderbolts*and will hopefully allow for an enjoyable entry that furthers the MCU but also allows for a unique tone and character dynamic.
Thunderbolts*will be released on May 2.
Thunderbolts*
Marvel’s Thunderbolts is a superhero movie based on the comic team of the same name. The movie acts as a part of the MCU’s fifth phase of films. The film sees the likes of Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell, the Red Guardian, and more as an unlikely group of heroes and villains brought together to fight for good.
