Thrilling Moments in Marvel’s “Thunderbolts”
Marvel’s upcoming film “Thunderbolts” features an action-packed scene where Bucky Burns, played by Sebastian Stan, rides to rescue his allies, including Valentina and agent Yelena, portrayed by Florence Pugh.
Joe Dryden, a stunt performer who took on the Harley-Davidson Pan-America 1250 ST for Stan, shared insights with the media about how those exhilarating scenes were filmed.
“I drew upon a lot of my freeride experience,” Dryden said. “We were actually in the same location as the main cast but often worked separately on smaller units. Director Jake Schreier and the cast kept their distance while we filmed some parts together.”
“With that smaller team, I worked alongside talented colleagues like George Cottl, the second unit director, and stunt coordinator Heiji Moneymaker,” Dryden continued. “It was a tight-knit group, and everyone was really knowledgeable. It created a calm atmosphere which helped a lot.”
Dryden filmed the motorcycle scenes in Utah over a three-week period.
“I initially traveled to Georgia in February 2024 and then headed to Utah for scouting. It was crucial to be prepared, and Jake was really supportive, saying, ‘If something doesn’t seem to work, let’s figure out a different approach.'”
He noted that this collaboration evolved from initial concepts to something a bit different, which he believes will resonate well with audiences. Surprisingly, this was his first time working with Stan, despite having been involved in other Marvel projects before.
“Motorcycles are my forte,” Dryden mentioned. “I’ve built quite a niche in this field. I’ve doubled for actors like Tom Hardy in ‘Venom’ and Keanu Reeves in the ‘John Wick’ series.”
His experience in “John Wick” actually opened the door for his role in “Thunderbolts.” “Heidi Moneymaker is close with Chad Stahelski, and she consulted him about this project. That’s how my background from ‘John Wick’ landed me in ‘Thunderbolts.'”
Watching the film for the first time was an emotional experience for Dryden. “It really struck a chord with me. The performances were stunning, and Jake really highlighted themes of mental health within the story. It blew me away—I didn’t have any expectations going in.”
“Thunderbolts” is currently in theaters.
