Florence Pugh Says “Thunderbolts*” Is an 'Open and Honest and Truthful Idea': 'We Did It Properly' (Exclusive)

Florence Pugh is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yelena Belova, the Russian Black Widow

Florence Pugh is "excited" for people to see her return to the big screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Pugh tells PEOPLE at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 27, that Marvel Studios created something special with her movie, Thunderbolts*.

Acknowledging that the movie “has been years in the making,” the Oscar nominee, 28, says “the reason why it took so long to come together is [that] there would be no point in doing this story unless we did it properly.”

Pugh will reprise her role as Yelena Belova, the Russian Black Widow, first introduced in 2021’s Scarlett Johansson-starring Black Widow. She stars alongside Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes a.k.a. The Winter Soldier, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Related: Florence Pugh Shares Secret ‘Sneak Peek’ at Marvel’s Thunderbolts Filming: ‘Don't Tell Anyone'

“There'd be no point in letting these characters come together and having their character arcs unless we actually spoke the truth about how they'd be feeling — and to come and make this movie in the way that we made it,” Pugh says. 

While plot details are still under wraps, the Jake Schreier-directed Thunderbolts* will center on a new team of superheroes who were all formerly considered villains.

“I feel like this is something that we've never seen before from Marvel,” says Pugh. “I feel like it's a very open and honest and truthful idea. And I'm just really excited for people to watch it.”

Pointing to her castmates, she adds, “This is why we can't stop laughing together, because we genuinely just had such a wonderful time with each other and we've loved working with one another.”

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The Hall H presentation for Marvel’s upcoming slate included never-before-seen Thunderbolts* footage. When asked onstage about the story’s team of reformed villains, Pugh said, “the joy of watching them is that they don’t play well together.”

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Harbour, 49, said onstage that reuniting onscreen with Pugh as his character’s daughter was a treat. Calling the actress “electric to work with," he said, “this time around, we got to go to all these different levels [in their relationship]. There’s warmth and humor… but he’s a terrible narcissist. And she’s very dedicated to killing people.”

San Diego Comic-Con runs July 24–28. Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* premieres in U.S. theaters on May 2, 2025.

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