Thunderbolts* is all about revisiting characters introduced in previous Marvel Cinematic Universe projects and getting to know a different side of them. Anti-heroes, misfits, and misunderstood super individuals all join forces in Marvel's most unlikely crossover since Guardians of the Galaxy. But amidst all the chaos, mistrust, and funny interactions between this team's members, there's also a big story of redemption and rising to the most dire of situations when there's no one else to save the day. Be careful, because the Thunderbolts might just become your favorite MCU heroes.
As it turns out, audiences are not the only ones inspired by the new protectors of New York City. Their actions might've actually played a big part in the path of redemption of a powerful Marvel hero. See, prior to the film's release, fans spent months speculating that there was more to Geraldine Viswanathan's character than met the eye, and it was all due to a small costume design choice. But while Thunderbolts* didn't quite address this theory, we might finally know what it all means thanks to one of its producers. Much to no one's surprise, it appears Marvel is playing the long game when it comes to one of its mysteries.
Thunderbolts* producer hints Mel will become Songbird in the MCU
During an interview with IMDb, Thunderbolts* executive producer Brian Chapek acknowledged fans' theories and stated that Geraldine Viswanathan's Mel could "potentially" become Songbird in the MCU moving forward. But what exactly gave the surprise away? Well, it's all thanks to the character's necklace, which has the Songbird emblem.
"There is a character that fans are trying to figure out whether is she or is she not — I would say, what emblem does she wear that may or may not hint at this character's larger identity moving forward?"
Granted, Brian didn't give us a direct "yes or no" answer (which is rarely the case with any MCU production). However, it's impossible to deny the parallels between Mel and Songbird. For starters, the character's full name in comic book pages is Melissa Gold, which could very well be shortened to "Mel". Besides, she started out as a villain in the source material before going the righteous path. Similarly, Mel was devoted to helping Valentina Allegra de Fontaine on the big screen (who wasn't really a "good" boss) before accepting Bucky's help to take her down.
Songbird is an original member of the Thunderbolts in comic book pages, which would make it all the more fitting for her to make her big screen debut in a live-action adaptation of the same Marvel team. Granted, the character's live-action counterpart currently doesn't hold the power to make solid constructs based on sound. However, that doesn't mean that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine can't subject her to experiments or cybernetical enhancements moving forward. The real question is, when could we see her turn into a superhero?
Avengers: Doomsday is just on the horizon, and it will feature the return of nearly all the Thunderbolts members as revealed by the movie's casting announcement. However, it seems unlikely that a crossover featuring 27 characters already will spend time exploring Songbird's origins instead of Doom's. Besides, we know some Marvel teases take years to be followed up (if ever). With that in mind, it seems that a hypothetical sequel to Thunderbolts* would be the ideal project to see Mel's return.
On the bright side, it seems there's definitely a plan in store for Geraldine Viswanathan's Mel to become a superhero in the MCU. Hopefully, we won't have to wait long to find out just what the future holds for her character.
Thunderbolts* is now playing in movie theaters.