At San Diego Comic-Con this year, Marvel Studios set the stage for an exciting new team-up movie to close out the MCU's Phase 5, with Thunderbolts coming to the big screen in 2024. Then a thrilling cast for the movie was announced at D23, however, it doesn't include the once classic MCU character that many were expecting, Daniel Brühl's Helmut Zemo.
Zemo was last seen being taken back to the Raft as a prisoner in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but with Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Val appearing during that series, he was expected to be a key player in Thunderbolts. Alas, Brühl's name was missing when Marvel made its presentation for the official movie, leaving many to wonder if Zemo would actually come back for the team-up.
But in asking Brühl himself about his mysterious absence from the cast list, the star couldn't offer much of an update.
Zemo Star Touches on Thunderbolts Cast Absence
Speaking with Radio Times, MCU star Daniel Brühl was asked about Baron Helmut Zemo being absent from the cast of Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts.
When asked if he could share an explanation, he admitted that he wasn't allowed to say a word on the matter:
"Even if I could… I couldn't, you know."
However, he made it clear that fans know he's "not dead," indicating a very real chance that he could return for Thunderbolts in the end:
"The only thing I can say, everybody knows – is I'm not dead!"
Will Zemo Make It Into Thunderbolts?
Since he first appeared in Captain America: Civil War, Zemo has turned himself into a force to be reckoned with, as he tore the Avengers apart during his MCU debut. Since then, he's only continued to show a knack for getting under people's skin, something that was shown even more fully during his time in the latter half of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+.
Given his skills and personality, he seems to be a perfect fit for the Thunderbolts, especially considering his past with confirmed team members Bucky Barnes and John Walker. And if he wasn't necessarily on the ground with the team in battle, his strategic mind would surely be an asset.
Thankfully, there is still plenty of time for Marvel to add Zemo should the studio decide he's a right fit for the movie, which is already set to be a key piece of the Multiverse Saga.
Thunderbolts will debut in theaters on July 26, 2024.
