Key players include Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster, each bringing unique backgrounds that set the stage for a darker chapter in the MCU.

Populated by the schlubs of the superhero world, "Thunderbolts*" is another step in the right direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it continues extricating itself from the mess of the Multiverse Saga.

The answer, of course, is that “Thunderbolts” has no more indie cred than “Avatar.” What it is, though, is the best Marvel movie in years. “Thunderbolts,” about a group of MCU rejects who band together after CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine ( Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) tries to erase them and their covert program,