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The first reactions are in for Thunderbolts* – and audiences are calling the new Marvel movie one of the best yet.

The latest MCU team-up features fan favorite characters like Bucky Barnes and Yelena as the titular group of antiheroes is forced into a dangerous mission that could bring them all redemption, just as long as they manage to work together.

Directed by Jake Schreier, who previously helmed Paper Towns and several episodes of Netflix’s Beef, the movie’s cast includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Lewis Pullman.

While Thunderbolts* hasn’t officially hit the big screen yet, it’s been shown to critics and fans, who are responding with some pretty overwhelming positivity – and praising the absolute heck out of Pugh.

“#Thunderbolts is raw, hilarious, and deeply human. It’s a bold dive into trauma, healing, and redemption,” one person praised. “Proof that even the so-called defective losers and disposable delinquents can rise above their past and become the heroes no one expected. It’s gritty, emotional, and unlike anything Marvel has done before — a must-see story that hits where it hurts and heals where it matters.”

“Thunderbolts takes the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the world of independent cinema. It is unlike any product that came before,” one fan wrote. “Florence Pugh gives a performance worthy of an Oscar. The MCU is finally back and better than ever! Stay till the end for something magnetic.”

“THUNDERBOLTS* is, in many ways, different from other MCU films that have come before it, and that freshness couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune time, when the franchise is in need of new blood and direction,” someone tweeted. “It’s some of Marvel’s darkest material to date, dealing with the emotional wreckage of broken individuals grappling with their past choices and finding camaraderie amidst the emptiness of their lives. This may be a team-up film, but it very much belongs to Florence Pugh, who carries much of the dramatic weight of the movie on her back, while Lewis Pullman delivers a complex performance as a sympathetic character at war with himself.”

“Shocked how good Thunderbolts is,” someone else said. “Putting emphasis on the character work and practical action makes this feel like the old Marvel that has us for a decade plus. Wish we’d gotten this sooner. Helps that this dysfunctional team has chemistry too.”

“Thunderbolts introduces a new era for Marvel, the most humane film filled with allowing their anti hero being flawed, broken and regretful,” said one fan. “Sebastian Stan has an absolute scene stealing moment, yet Florence Pugh shows she is the true lead of the new generation and team.”

“#Thunderbolts is one of Marvel’s most enjoyable films in a while. It feels different than most of the studio’s projects,” another account praised. “It’s bold, funny, filled with great action and an unexpected emotional punch. Florence Pugh is the star that shines the brightest. There’s a lot to love here. Make sure you stay for the credits…”

Thunderbolts* arrives in UK cinemas on May 1 and US theaters on May 2 as the final movie in Marvel Phase 5. While we wait, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the other upcoming superhero movies on the way in 2025 and beyond.