Marvel’s 'Thunderbolts' joins Fortnite but with a sneaky twist

Fans are noticing some major differences from the film versions.

Fortnite’s latest collaboration with Marvel might seem like just another crossover at first glance, but its new Thunderbolts update comes with some subtle twists that fans are quickly picking up on.

The crossover includes two characters from the upcoming Thunderbolts movie, presented in what’s described as a “pen and ink” style.

It’s a more intricate, comic book-inspired design than previous Marvel skins and, honestly, it might be the best-looking one yet.

But the details reveal a bit of a disconnect.

Although this is being marketed as a Thunderbolts collaboration, the skins are not direct replicas of the movie characters.

For instance, the Bucky Barnes skin isn’t from Thunderbolts at all, but instead resembles The Winter Soldier from Captain America: Brave New World. That’s assuming Bucky doesn’t end up wearing this specific version of the suit in the film.

Then there’s Yelena Belova, appearing in the game as White Widow.

While it seems she’s taking over the mantle from her sister, there’s no confirmation that she officially uses this codename in Thunderbolts. What’s more, her Fortnite skin doesn’t reflect the costume she wears in the movie. In fact, it’s not even white — the last time she wore a white suit was in the Black Widow movie.

Another noticeable difference is in the character model’s face.

Fortnite has been known for crafting impressive, realistic skins that resemble the actual actors — yet this time around, Yelena’s skin bears little resemblance to Florence Pugh.

In an era when Fortnite usually nails real-world likenesses, this version stands out, and not necessarily for the better.

So while fans are excited to see Thunderbolts representation in Fortnite, the crossover raises questions about how closely it aligns with the film, and whether this is more of a stylised nod than a direct tie-in.