S24 - Ep 1 - Thunderbolts* - Props

What does it take to keep Marvel’s superhero worlds grounded in reality? On Thunderbolts*, that meant practical stunts, iconic props, and a crew operating at the top of their game.

This week on Below the Line, Skid and co-host Gianni Damaia welcome back Assistant Property Master Travis Bobbitt to talk about his latest MCU project, after nearly two decades working on Marvel films.

Highlights from the conversation:

• Travis’s journey from Iron Man to Thunderbolts*, and even a cameo in She-Hulk
• How the post-strike production assembled “the best crew in every department”
• A deliberate push toward practical filmmaking: real explosions in Malaysia, Humvee flips in Utah, and base jumps off one of the world’s tallest buildings
• Prop highlights including John Walker’s taco shield, Bucky’s rebuilt Winter Soldier gear, Florence Pugh’s parachute backpack, and a very real Molotov cocktail
• Tracking 15,000 individual prop cues with a massive spreadsheet to keep continuity across the film
• Stories from set: Florence Pugh handling a live scorpion and black widow spider without breaking character, plus that mischievous guinea pig
• Marvel’s formal “Easter egg meetings,” including Travis’s favorite hidden detail: Alfredo’s Bail Bonds

What emerges is a portrait of a veteran prop master whose work bridges spectacle and detail — from designing hero props that stand up to fan scrutiny to collaborating across departments so that props, costumes, and VFX felt seamless on screen.

🎧 Press play and go Below the Line on Thunderbolts*. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.