Some roles are a stretch. Other are more like a leap of faith.
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is headed to digital and Blu-ray, and Polygon has exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Florence Pugh gearing up for her death-defying stunt. The charming, never-before-seen clip shows Pugh working through nerves and anxiousness as she prepares to take her tower leap from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 — the second-tallest building on the planet, alongside the production crew behind the anti-hero-centric film.
Director Jake Schreier recently explained in a featurette called “The Jump” that the stunt was incorporated into the film’s opening sequence to give the “movie more weight and a little bit more surprise…to up the stakes.”
Pugh’s behind-the-scenes confessions add to Schreier’s admission, humanizing the cinematic stunt, explaining that they took the jump “really, obviously, unbelievably, seriously,” and it was admittedly scary. However, there was magic in the light and the “sensation of being caught.”
The behind-the-scenes clip also takes a moment to honor the real MVPs of Marvel’s gargantuan successes: the film crew. Shots of various stunt riggers, coordinators, production designers, and managers are shown working hard to ensure that Florence Pugh is safely secured before, during, and after her stunt.
Along with the featurette “Around the World and Back Again,” the Thunderbolts* digital and Blu-ray releases will include deleted scenes, a deep dive into Sentry’s character, additional commentary from Schreier and the rest of the cast, and even a blooper reel.
Marvel Studios will release Thunderbolts* on digital on July 1 and 4K/Blu-ray on July 29.