How That ‘Thunderbolts*’ Post-Credits Scene Sets Up ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ in a Major Way

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SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers for “Thunderbolts*,” now playing in theaters.

After several months of anticipation, it has been revealed that the mysterious asterisk in “Thunderbolts” actually signifies the introduction of a new superhero squad within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)!

Following “Endgame,” there hasn’t been an official Avengers team, however, the Thunderbolts have transformed into the New Avengers, prepared to assume the role of Earth’s strongest superheroes. The team includes Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker aka U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Sentry (Lewis Pullman). It appears that Sentry is managing his powers carefully to prevent the Void from regaining control of his body once more.

Ultimately, the Thunderbolts joined forces to vanquish the Void, preventing New York from becoming a grim jail. Their supervisor Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who initially dispatched each of the unconventional heroes on a lethal assignment to eliminate them, later boasted about assembling the team and presented them as the New Avengers in public.

After the closing credits, it becomes clear that the New Avengers have moved into their new base, formerly known as the Avengers Headquarters but now called Watchtower. They’re sporting updated uniforms and are embroiled in a legal dispute with Captain America (Anthony Mackie) regarding copyright infringement of the Avengers symbol. As we saw at the end of “Captain America: Brave New World,” Sam Wilson is working to bring back the Avengers, although the team’s roster remains unclear other than him and Falcon (Danny Ramirez). It looks probable that in next year’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” we’ll witness the first encounter between the New Avengers and Captain America’s group. The question arises as to which team is authentic, or if they’ll combine forces to defeat Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).

In the post-credits scene of “Thunderbolts”, we see the Fantastic Four’s spaceship approaching Earth from another dimension, with their signature tune playing in the background. This sets off a warning system for the New Avengers, but it’s uncertain where this scene fits in relation to the upcoming movie “Fantastic Four: First Steps” this summer. Could it be that the Fantastic Four are fleeing their universe after Galactus, the planet-devouring villain, destroys their world? Or is this the moment when Marvel’s First Family first gain their powers before returning to their original universe? It could also be a trick, with Doctor Doom stealing a spaceship and entering the New Avengers’ world instead of the Fantastic Four themselves. Marvel enthusiasts will have to wait until July 25 to discover the truth when “Fantastic Four: First Steps” is released in theaters.

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2025-05-03 02:47