Thunderbolts* Has The Perfect Opportunity To Answer A 7-Year-Old MCU Hero Mystery

Summary Thunderbolts* will reveal the fate of a long-missing MCU hero and explore the backstory of Ghost, including her history will Bill Foster.

Foster's potential death could bring a tragic element to Ava Starr's story in Thunderbolts*, adding emotional depth to the team dynamic.

The upcoming MCU movie Thunderbolts* will feature a star-studded cast of reformed villains and antiheroes led by Bucky Barnes on a mysterious mission.

A mystery surrounding one clandestine MCU hero can finally be answered in Thunderbolts* after 7 years. Thunderbolts* is slated for release on May 5, 2025 and is set to feature a slew of reformed villains and antiheroes comprising the eponymous team. Bucky Barnes is reportedly going to lead the team as they engage on a mission that has thus far been kept under wraps, though Sentry is supposedly set to make his MCU debut in the movie, likely as its primary villain under the guise of his dangerous alter-ego, the Void.

Among the confirmed members of the team is Ava Starr, AKA Ghost. Ghost debuted in the MCU in Ant-Man and the Wasp, where she was portrayed as another of Marvel's many sympathetic villains as her primary objective was to seek a cure for her uncontrollable quantum phasing, which required her to steal Hank Pym's portable lab. The pursuit of this goal would cause her to commit multiple crimes, and despite being cured by the end of the movie, would cause her to go on the run from the authorities. Yet Ghost was not acting alone.

Related Who Are MCU's Thunderbolts? Team Members, Origin & Comic History Explained Marvel Studios is officially working on a Thunderbolts movie, with production to begin in 2023. Here's all you need to know about the Thunderbolts!

Ghost's MCU Story Means Thunderbolts* Has To Answer Where 1 Other MCU Character Is

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Hank Pym's ex-colleague, Bill Foster, acts as a surrogate father to Ava Starr, who is the daughter of his late friend Elihas. As such, he is deeply invested in her plight and an accomplice to her crimes, meaning Foster is also unaccounted for and still tied to Ghost's state of affairs. Laurence Fishburne's Bill Foster is not yet confirmed to be starring in Thunderbolts*, but the fact that Ghost will be making an appearance means that his location - or fate - needs to be addressed.

A younger Bill Foster, voiced by Fishburne, starred in What If...Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes? as Goliath in the 1980s.

Foster is closely tied to Ava Starr and Hank Pym, as his work with the latter surrounded the since-scrapped GOLIATH project within SHIELD. Goliath has a pretty extensive history in Marvel Comics, which makes Bill Foster's an intriguing story for Marvel to delve into, and Thunderbolts* might be the perfect place to elaborate. With that in mind, Foster's current status can be extrapolated from the details revealed about Thunderbolts* so far.

Confirmed MCU Thunderbolts Member Portrayed By Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Julia Louis-Dreyfus Yelena Belova/Black Widow Florence Pugh Alexi Shostakov/Red Guardian David Harbour Taskmaster Olga Kurylenko John Walker/U.S. Agent Wyatt Russell Ava/Ghost Hannah John-Kamen Bucky Barnes Sebastian Stan

How Thunderbolts* Will Most Likely Explain What Has Happened To Bill Foster

Thunderbolts* looks set to bring the titular team together via a series of deals, as the characters involved aren't exactly the first to spring to mind when thinking about team players in the MCU. Given Ghost and Goliath were last seen to be on the run (with 8 years now unaccounted for), the most likely scenario is that the two have accepted a plea deal, with Ghost being employed once more by government forces to help deliver on their goals. With that being said, Bill Foster's absence from the official lineup thus far is concerning.

There is a chance that Foster may have died in the intervening years. This would be a tragic development given the fact his backstory remains unexplored and Lawrence Fishburne's talents would feel underutilized, but it could also give Ava Starr a more compelling narrative as she wrestles with the death of her father figure. Until Fishburne's involvement is confirmed or Thunderbolts* is released, however, Foster's fate is up for speculation.