Thunderbolts* Video Previews Florence Pugh’s Tom Cruise-Like Stunt

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Thunderbolts* Video Previews Florence Pugh’s Tom Cruise-Like Stunt

In the build-up to the theatrical release of Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios has shared behind-the-scenes footage of the project, which includes Florence Pugh making the jump from the second tallest building in the world, the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a sequence. The clip has not only increased fans’ enthusiasm to see Pugh’s Yelena Belova in action but has also drawn comparisons to Tom Cruise’s famous climb of the Burj Khalifa.

Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova used no double in killer Thunderbolts* stunt

The latest “Making Of” featurette released by Marvel Studios features Florence Pugh’s preparation and eventual jump from the world’s second tallest building, with many highlighting the similarity Pugh’s Thunderbolts* stunt shares with Tom Cruise‘s mounting of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa during the production of 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

The video opens with Sebastian Stan noting how “all hell breaks loose” once the cast members of the Jake Schreier-led project hear the countdown for their stunts. After a montage of behind-the-scenes clips of several action sequences in the film, the clip cuts to Pugh standing on the Merdeka 118. The Midsommar star seems visibly enthusiastic about performing her stunt, noting, “Of any stunt in any movie, this is amazing. How many times do you see someone throwing themselves off the building? It’s strange how zen I feel.”

Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova is then seen taking a leap of faith off the Merdeka 118 for what seems to be a high-stakes scene in the upcoming Thunderbolts*. Midway through the air, the character opens her parachute, lands on one level of the building, and successfully completes a death-defying maneuver. The video then showcases some more action scenes before ending with a shot of the film’s titular team standing by each other’s side.

Aside from Florence Pugh, the principal cast of Thunderbolts* also includes Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The movie is currently on track to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.