Thunderbolts Trends Over Squadron Supreme Rumor

Marvel's Thunderbolts movie is generating new buzz, as a new rumor states that a major Marvel superhero team could make its debut in the film: The Squadron Supreme. It all started with a cryptic tweet from Marvel insider KC Walsh, which depicted some iconic artwork of the Squadron Supreme taking down some Marvel heroes. When Walsh indicated he was hearing rumors of the team being in Thunderbolts, Marvel fandom started to either go wild with excitement – and/or casual fans started researching who, exactly, the Squadron Supreme is. We can help you there. 

What Is The Squadron Supreme? 

The Squadron Supreme began as The Squadron Sinister, a team of heroes pulled together from various alternate realities of the Marvel Universe (and mirrored on DC's Justice League). The team was originally brought together to fight various members of The Avengers, in a cosmic tournament between the Grandmaster and Kang the Conqueror. The Squadron Sinister was also resurrected to fight one of the original iterations of the Thunderbolts, as well. 

After their villainous debut, the Squadron Sinister was re-imagined as the "Squadron Supreme". The new version of the team was made into more of a heroic (and original) set of characters, including Hyperion, Nighthawk, Doctor Spectrum, Power Princess, and the Whizzer. The Squadron Supreme appeared in 1970s and 1980s Marvel Comics, going so far as getting their own twelve-issue limited series. Like other obscure Marvel characters (Guardians of the Galaxy), The Squadron Supreme got a major resurgence in 2000s Marvel Comics. An adult-focused series called Supreme Power was released as part of the Marvel MAX imprint and featured the Squadron; a mid-2010 version was introduced into the main Marvel Universe reality as remnants of the Marvel Multiverse's destruction after the "Secret Wars" event. Most recently, Marvel's "Heroes Reborn" crossover event (by Thor's Jason Aaron) re-wrote Marvel's reality to make the Squadron Supreme the superhero team that protected the world, instead of The Avengers. 

With the Squadron Supreme gainging more exposure and relevance with modern Marvel fans, it's been understandable that fans also want to see the team brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Is The Squadron Supreme In Thunderbolts? 

It's unclear if Squadron Supreme is in Thunderbolts, as this is the first rumor we've heard about it. That said, there are some points of the rumor that do make sense in the context of MCU Phase 5. 

1. The Squadron Supreme's connection to the Marvel Multiverse and Secret Wars means that they could easily be introduced in the current MCU "Multiverse Saga," in any number of ways. As Kang's personal team of heroes; as a superhero team that survives the destruction of their own reality; or a group that is formed from survivors of destroyed universes, and has some larger cosmic role to play. 
2. Both Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: The Kanga Dynasty hint at a larger story about how an amalgamated Marvel reality is created out of Kang's destruction of the Multiverse – the Squadron Supreme could be a fitting set of antagonists for that event. 
3. Marvel star David Harbour has teased that Thunderbolts will drop a "bomb" on storyline of the MCU as it ends Phase 5: breaking reality or causing an incursion that mashes the reality of the MCU together with the alternate reality of the Squadron Supreme would certainly qualify. 

Thunderbolts hits theaters on July 26, 2024.