(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
Three characters in the upcoming "Thunderbolts*" film hail from the "Black Widow" roster, but while Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster are all returning, Rachel Weisz's Melina Vostokoff is notably absent from the reunion with Yelena and Red Guardian. This has led some fans to wonder about her whereabouts.
Addressing this, "Thunderbolts*" screenwriter Eric Pearson explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter (THR) that Melina's absence from the film is primarily due to her not sharing the same sense of loneliness or unacceptance as the other characters, which wouldn't align with the movie's central theme. Furthermore, her emotional connection with Yelena isn't as intimate as Red Guardian's, with her bond being stronger with Natasha Romanoff.
(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
Speaking of Yelena, Pearson also admitted that the initial draft of the "Thunderbolts*" script originally referenced Yelena's pursuit of Clint Barton in "Hawkeye," a mission she undertook after being misled by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Pearson revealed that the early script began with Yelena confronting Valentina about the order to assassinate Clint Barton. He described it as one of his favorite scenes, noting it highlighted Valentina's manipulative nature. Yelena would have appeared full of rage, accusing Valentina of setting her up to kill the person she believed murdered her sister, only to discover she was targeting her sister's best friend.
Pearson also disclosed that another reason for the scene's removal was his concern that the four-year gap between the "Hawkeye" series and the release of "Thunderbolts*" might diminish audience recall and emotional connection to the events of "Hawkeye."
(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
Pearson then described how Valentina would have turned the tables, recalling her lines: "Setting you up? Your idea of being set up is being paid to do a job you were supposed to do, and then didn't? So what, I got some bad intel, I'm sorry I tried to motivate you. But this is your job, and questioning your job is not your job." He added that their conversation would then shift to Yelena's dissatisfaction with her work/life and her desire for more constructive change.
Pearson also revealed that Marvel originally had no plans to make "Thunderbolts*," with the entire film concept initially proposed by him. As the screenwriter for "Black Widow," Pearson became acquainted with Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena. Deeply impressed by Pugh's capability to lead a film, he then conceived "Thunderbolts*" specifically for her.