Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier: You want to give Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan something worthy of their talent - EXCLUSIVE

As Marvel unleashes their new band of heroes in 'Thunderbolts', director Jake Schreier shared his vision for delivering a film that not only entertains but also wounds, heals and haunts audiences long after the credits have rolled.
Opening up about the deeply collaborative spirit behind the film and the creative process, Schreier tells ETimes about the importance of authenticity and emotional truth in storytelling. “I think, if you're trying to make a movie about things that feel real and human, then you just want everyone that you're working with to bring their best and also bring something personal of themselves to the work,” he said. “And I think on this movie, we just felt very lucky to have an incredible crew but also this incredible group of actors who really care deeply about these characters that they've already portrayed and want to make sure that there's an honesty in where you take them going forward. It was very collaborative in that way—working together on where we were going to take the story.”

When asked about what most impressed him about working with Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Lewis Pullman—actors who have won over fans for their intense action with emotionally layered performances—Schreier didn’t hesitate to praise their commitment.
“Yeah, the likability part was not surprising because they're all so charming,” he noted. “But I think just, what felt great every day was that they wanted to take it seriously... even when it's funny. They really showed up.”
He went on to say, “If you have this group of actors—Sebastian and Florence and all of them—you want to give them something for them to sink their teeth into that feels worthy of their talents. And I think every single one of our actors showed up every day excited to make it better, with ideas how to make it better. They always brought their A-game—they never phoned it in.”
Schreier gave special mention to David Harbour, whose commitment remained unwavering even in the subtlest moments as the Red Guardian. “David could be deep in the background, out of focus of a shot, and he was giving it his all every single time. It just felt like a really special group, and it made you want to do your best to give them work that felt worthy of them.”

Thunderbolts opened in theatres in India on May 1.