Leaked Thunderbolts* trailer shows return of Bradley Cooper’s Rocket & Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes

"Deadpool & Wolverine" is the only MCU film released in theaters this year and has already achieved significant box office success, surpassing $1 billion in just three weekends.

Additionally, another Marvel project, "Thunderbolts*," has been gaining considerable attention. Notably, the asterisk is part of the title.

"Thunderbolts*" is poised to be Marvel’s biggest crossover event since "Avengers: Endgame," and is positioned as a direct rival to the two "Suicide Squad" films from the DCEU. Similar to those movies, "Thunderbolts*" will feature a team of former villains and antiheroes who must collaborate to combat a larger threat.

The first trailer for "Thunderbolts*" was shown at D23 and has since leaked online in low quality, spreading rapidly across the internet. The leaked trailer also highlighted a humorous detail that recalls a continuity issue involving Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier (played by Sebastian Stan).

Some plot spoilers for "Thunderbolts*" follow.

The last appearance of Bucky in the MCU was in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," which is set in mid-2024 (MCU timeline). The current timeline in the MCU is around 2026, within the Earth-616 reality. In contrast, "Deadpool & Wolverine" takes place in 2024 but within an alternate reality, Earth-10005.

Rocket’s last appearance was in 2026 during the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," where he became the new leader of the Guardians. However, a continuity issue emerged in the MCU, specifically in "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special," which takes place during Christmas 2025. In this special, Nebula (Karen Gillan) gifts Rocket Bucky's vibranium arm, a weapon Rocket had shown interest in during "Infinity War."

Rocket originally expressed a desire to take Bucky’s arm in "Infinity War," but following Bucky’s disappearance and Rocket’s transformation over the five years between "Infinity War" and "Endgame," it’s unlikely that Rocket would have taken the arm. This discrepancy is highlighted in "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" when Rocket is surprised to receive the arm from Nebula.

The connection to "Thunderbolts*" becomes clearer in the leaked trailer, which shows Bucky moving away from using force to fight crime. He is seen wearing suits, with plot leaks suggesting that he is now serving as a congressman. Eventually, he joins the Thunderbolts. One scene in the trailer humorously depicts the Winter Soldier cleaning his arm by putting it in a dishwasher, a moment that adds a comedic element to the film.

This scene also brings attention back to the Rocket-related continuity issue. It remains unclear whether Nebula stole Bucky’s arm or if a replica was created, a question that "Thunderbolts*" may address, potentially through a joke or a comment from the Winter Soldier regarding Rocket.

While this detail might seem minor, it underscores the interconnected nature of the MCU. Easter eggs and continuity callbacks, such as the Winter Soldier’s arm in "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special," help maintain the cohesion of the MCU narrative. Seeing Bucky’s arm in the "Thunderbolts*" trailer could evoke recognition for those who have closely followed the MCU’s extensive storyline.