Captain America: Brave New World is kicking off the batch of upcoming Marvel movies on the 2025 movies schedule, and Thunderbolts* will follow a few months later and, among other things, give Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine another platform to shine on. In fact, the actress has teased that her character’s origins will finally be explored in what will be the 36th of the Marvel movies in order. However, I’m especially impressed the sweet gift that Louis-Dreyfus’ husband gave her when she landed her MCU role, which is giving me all the nerdy feels.
In addition to sharing how she has a lock on keeping MCU spoilers secret from even her family, Louis-Dreyfus had the following to say in her interview with EW about how both this special gift and what lays ahead for Valentina in next year’s Thunderbolts*:
When I got this gig, my husband got me the first Marvel comic in which her character is revealed. It's the original, isn't that cool? But yeah, some of her earlier schemes are going to be revealed, and you're going to get a better understanding of why she behaves the way she does.
The issue Julia Louis-Dreyfus is referring to is Strange Tales #159, which was published in August 1967. She was introduced during the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. run by Jim Steranko that run until issue #168 who crossed paths with Nick Fury. She would go on to become Fury’s love interest and one of high-ranking members in the international espionage agency. While the Seinfeld alum isn’t the first to play Valentina in live-action (that honor belongs to Lisa Rinna in the 1998 Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV movie starring David Hasselhoff), this is unquestionably the character’s most prominent appearance outside the comics, so I’m glad Louis-Dreyfus’ husband got her that issue to commemorate the major casting.
As for these “earlier schemes” Louis-Dreyfus mentioned, it’ll be nice to finally have that “better understanding” that’s coming about Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in Thunderbolts*. With the exception of previously being married to Martin Freeman’s Everett Ross, as revealed in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we don’t know anything about her past. What we do know is she’s been plotting her machinations for years and has recruited folks like Yelena Belova and John Walker to help her. Whatever she’s plotting will come to a head in Thunderbolts*, but she’s more than cemented her status as a sinister version of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury.
These answers and more will be revealed when Thunderbolts* opens in theaters on May 2, 2025. Meanwhile, you can stream Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ previous Valentina appearances with your Disney+ subscription.
