Marvel’s latest preview for Thunderbolts* seems to confirm a growing fan theory that Geraldine Viswanathan is playing Songbird in the movie. Viswanathan has officially been listed on the cast playing “Mel,” and she has said that her character is the “little right-hand man” to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Since last summer, some fans have suspected that “Mel” will actually turn out to be Melissa Gold, a cybernetically-enhanced vigilante with the alias Songbird. The latest TV spot released on Sunday seems to confirm this with a distinct piece of jewelry, although fans still have their reservations about her role in this movie.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Sunday’s new TV spot features many of the same shots and lines of dialogue we’ve seen from Thunderbolts* trailers before, with a few additions and new angles. One change that’s easy to miss is a close-up on Viswanathan, who warns, “No one’s coming to save the day.” Fans were quick to spot the necklace she’s wearin in that shot — a small metal charm that just so happens to be in the shape of a songbird.
To many commenters, this seems to seal the deal, proving that Viswanathan is secretly playing a Marvel Comics hero. At the same time, some fans are unhappy about the amount of change this will entail for Melissa Gold’s story. First introduced in 1979, the comic book version of Songbird was a teenage runaway and a criminal. After her cybernetic enhancements, she was incarcerated at a young age, then went on to join several villain teams. She wound up on the original lineup of the Thunderbolts when they were villains posing as heroes.
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Since then, Songbird has been a frequent member of the Thunderbolts over the years at various places along the hero-villain spectrum. While there were times she reluctantly teamed up with S.H.I.E.L.D., she was never an employee for Fontaine, nor an agent for the CIA. Fans fear that the MCU’s Songbird will be completely different from her comic book counterpart, without the criminal background or the runaway spirit.
That’s far from confirmed based on what we’ve seen so far. If Songbird’s inclusion in this movie has been kept secret in general, her role and characterization is obviously under wraps as well. We can only speculate, but there are many ways she could be working for Fontain without giving up her outlaw spirit altogether.
We’ll know more about Mel’s role soon enough. Thunderbolts* hits theaters on Friday, May 2nd in the U.S.
