THUNDERBOLTS*

Adelaide, Australia – 16 May 2025 – Rising Sun Pictures (RSP)contributed over 150 visual effects shots for Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Thunderbolts*, delivering a range of complex visuals across ten sequences.

The studio’s primary contribution centred on an explosive desert chase sequence, featuring the team’s getaway vehicle – a stretched weathered limousine – pursued by armed Humvees. The work included crafting environments and set extensions, CG vehicles and weaponry, face replacements and complex simulations.

Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* brings together a team of unlikely antiheroes — Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) who find themselves caught in a deadly trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).  These castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Working under Production VFX Supervisors Jake Morrison and David Allen and Production VFX Producer Bryan Searing, RSP’s team was led by VFX Supervisor Matt Greig and Senior VFX Producer Natalie Dury.  Over the course of two years, approximately 120 RSP artists and technicians worked to bring the visuals of Thunderbolts* to life.

“We had a great time with the team at Marvel. From day one, there was a strong foundation of mutual respect and creative trust.  They provided clear, thoughtful direction, while allowing us the space to explore creative solutions. That kind of trust afforded us the opportunity to define some key moments in our sequences.” RSP VFX Supervisor, Matt Greig.

One of the film’s most ambitious sequences unfolds in a high-speed desert chase involving Red Guardian’s limousine pursued by armed military vehicles and Bucky on a motorbike. RSP created digital versions of vehicle-mounted .50-caliber machine guns, complete with animated recoil, muzzle flashes, smoke, and bullet impacts on the vehicles and ground. The team also removed stunt rigs and added additional effects including sparks off US Agent’s shield, shattering glass inside the limousine, and pyro enhancements on the pursuing Humvees.

RSP was also tasked with replacing the helmeted stunt performer’s head with that of Sebastian Stan (Bucky). This was achieved by scaling, and where possible, adding additional dynamic digital hair performance. However, several shots required a full CG head replacement.

Bucky’s weapons—including his magnetic bombs and launcher—were digitally recreated by RSP’s team to depict the bombs flying through the scene, attaching to enemy vehicles, and detonating on impact. In one particular shot, where the practical prop was not rigged to fire, RSP also replaced the handheld launcher entirely with a CG version, match-moved to Sebastian Stan’s performance and then fired.

To support sequence continuity, the team was tasked with replacing or altering the plate sky in numerous shots, primarily using a 2.5D skydome setup in Nuke. This technique incorporated a 16K sky and mesa element crafted by our DMP.

In one key moment, Alexei (Red Guardian) hurls an improvised Molotov cocktail at the enemy convoy. For this shot, RSP replaced the practical prop with a fully digital vodka bottle, complete with a flaming rag.

One of the most technically ambitious shots in this sequence involved the limousine flip. Originally intended as a practical stunt, the physical vehicle failed to flip over. RSP completed the shot with a seamless digital takeover, in slow motion, flipping it over, skidding the limo across the road, and surrounding it with debris, dust, and shattered glass.

“This shot was a great collaboration between our FX, lighting, and comp teams,” said Phil Outen, Compositing Supervisor. “It went through a lot of iterations, and the communication across departments was key to turning around high-quality updates quickly.”

Beyond the desert sequence, RSP also contributed to the film’s opening - where Yelena (Florence Pugh), carries out a mission for her employer, Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), at a lab in Malaysia, as well as a surreal, dreamlike sequence set in The Void. RSP created a CG whip augmentation and utilised its proprietary machine learning toolkit, REVIZE™, to handle complex stunt substitutions and twinning shots with precision and efficiency.

The RSP team is immensely proud of the work they delivered for Thunderbolts*. “I’m proud of the high-quality work we achieved,” said Phil Outen, Compositing Supervisor. “The show ran smoothly overall, and we delivered a fantastic outcome.”

Senior VFX Producer Natalie Dury echoed the sentiment: “Thunderbolts* was a standout experience. It pushed us creatively and technically, and I’m incredibly proud of what the team accomplished. The collaboration—both within RSP and with Marvel—really demonstrated the strength of teamwork in delivering ambitious visual storytelling.”

“The client required several last-minute face replacements,” said Dury. “Thanks to the flexibility of our ML team, we were able to deliver high-quality results under a tight deadline without sacrificing fidelity.”