We’ve been keeping our ears to the ground here at The Cosmic Circus and have an interesting update about the upcoming Thunderbolts production which is expected to begin filming in June. The film brings together a rag-tag team of Marvel characters, reminiscent of the Avengers.
The cast that Marvel Studios has gathered for Thunderbolts is heavy with talent. Not only will Julia Louis-Dreyfus return as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, but Harrison Ford will portray Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in a rare villainous role. David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Wyatt Russell are set to reprise their previous MCU roles in the film as well as Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr, aka Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov, the Taskmaster. A more recent addition to the cast is Nope, Beef, and Invincible actor Steven Yeun in an undisclosed role.
In the comics, the Thunderbolts are a group of reformed villains, and the team assembled for this film certainly could fit that designation. We previously reported that the film is using the working title Oops All Berries. We can now report that we’ve learned that Thunderbolts’ production company is Cantina Productions LLC.
How might Cantina Productions LLC relate to the Thunderbolts film?
There’s usually a method to the madness in how Marvel Studios names their project production companies, perhaps giving us some clue of what to expect. For example, Captain America: New World Order is called Changeup Productions LLC. Considering that the MCU will feature major changes in captains, going from Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), there’s a logic to it.
The question for Thunderbolts then becomes, what is the connection to the word Cantina and why does the production company bear that name? Our first thought when hearing the word “cantina” is that iconic Star Wars location on Tatooine – the Mos Eisley Cantina. Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness) famously calls the spaceport a “wretched hive of scum and villainy.” Given that the Thunderbolts are, well, mostly villains, that could be the connection. As more information about the movie is released, time will tell if this theory about the name is true.
Why does Marvel Studios bother with an LLC? Or a working title?
Working titles and LLCs are different things. Marvel Studios typically uses one production company per project, so it’s a big deal when a new one pops up. It means we’re getting fresh content. We keep a close eye on these things and have reported about many of them in the past, including Blade’s production company as well as Ironheart’s.
A working title is like a codename for a project. It helps keep prying eyes away from film sets and also helps keep spoilers under wraps when casting calls or vendor searches are happening. In contrast to production companies, a single project might have many working titles. The new Daredevil: Born Again series uses Out the Kitchen as one code name but there may be others we haven’t seen yet.
Direct to Consumer Series or Theatrical?
I’ll add to this report that there’s an interesting anomaly in the California filing for Cantina Productions LLC. A section on the corporate forms requests the type of business services provided by the LLC. Cantina Productions LLC’s purpose is to be a “Production Entity for DTC Series.” DTC stands for direct-to-consumer series – aka something you’d find on Disney Plus.
Was Thunderbolts originally a television series? It’s an interesting question. However, according to the latest information, Thunderbolts is a movie that will get a theatrical release. The DTC listing with the California Secretary of State is likely a mistake and something that may be corrected with a future amended filing.
When to expect Marvel’s Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts will release in theaters on July 26, 2024. It’s one of several Marvel films slated out that year, including Captain America: New World Order, Blade, and Deadpool 3.
While you’re waiting for more information on the Thunderbolts’ production, check out our other coverage of the film. Writer Uday Kataria recently wrote about Ghost belonging on the team, and Alex Perez wrote about legendary cinematographer Steven Yedlin joining the crew.
Are you excited about Marvel Studios’ upcoming Thunderbolts movie? What do you think of the cast? Do you have any predictions about the story? Join the conversation with us on Twitter @MyCosmicCircus or our Discord.
Exclusive: Working Title for Marvel’s Thunderbolts
