For Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, the award-winning visual effects team at Digital Domain brought grounded, high-impact action to life in two pivotal sequences. Led by Visual Effects Supervisor Nikos Kalaitzidis, the team at Digital Domain departed from the traditional superhero spectacle, and, instead, focused on realism, tension, and seamless integration of “invisible” VFX into practical sets. Additionally, Digital Domain was responsible for developing the digital assets for Yelena Belova (Black Widow), John Walker (Walker), and Ava Starr (Ghost), which were also shared with other VFX vendors for use throughout the film.

One of the studio’s key sequences unfolds inside a hidden vault owned by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. After luring the Thunderbolts* into the space under false pretenses, de Fontaine sets off a brutal confrontation, but as the stakes rise, they come to the realization that they’ll have to work together if they want to survive.