Is ‘Thunderbolts’ Teasing ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Scene? Hidden Clues Revealed!

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

At long last, Thunderbolts* has made its entrance and has been met with widespread acclaim from both critics and viewers. There’s certainly no shortage of conversation starters, ranging from the game-altering explanation of those asterisks to the film’s fresh crop of captivating new characters. Nevertheless, one aspect that has sparked much discussion among fans is the movie’s post-credits scene, which harkens back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s golden age by hinting at an impending project we all know is on the horizon. In the post-credits scene, The Thunderbolts*, now rebranded as The New Avengers, discover that the ship of The Fantastic Four has breached their universe.

It was disclosed by Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier that he didn’t handle the film’s post-credits scene; instead, it originated from a different production that might be starting soon. Since only Avengers: Doomsday is currently being filmed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), this strongly implies that the Russo brothers directed the scene.

Remarkably, the Thunderbolts post-credits scene is the longest after-credits scene in the MCU so far, providing a sneak peek of The Fantastic Four: First Steps this summer and offering fans their first glimpse of Avengers: Doomsday, an entire year before it hits cinemas.

Filming a Marvel Post-Credits Tease

It’s not unexpected that the Russo brothers filmed a post-credits scene for Thunderbolts, given that directors for upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) titles often shoot the post-credits scene to set up their movie. For example, James Gunn directed the mid-credits scene in Thor: The Dark World, where Volstagg and Sif handed over the Aether (The Reality Stone) to the Collector, as he would later appear in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Joss Whedon and the Russo Brothers filmed additional scenes after the credits for Thor, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain Marvel, and Avengers: Endgame. These scenes served as previews for their respective Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies, The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, and for Captain Marvel’s encounter with The Avengers post-Thanos’ snap. Interestingly, these bonus scenes were directed by the filmmakers who were to follow in the MCU, but did not appear in the actual films themselves, instead acting as enticing glimpses into future storylines.

Occasionally, scenes from one Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film have been reused as post- or mid-credit scenes in another movie. For instance, the famous post-credits scene in Iron Man 2, featuring Mjölnir and hinting at Thor, was originally part of that film itself. The post-credits scene for Ant-Man actually appeared in Captain America: Civil War, while the mid-credits moment in Doctor Strange is a fresh take on a similar scene from Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi. Similarly, the post-credits scene of the Ms. Marvel finale was originally intended for The Marvels.

Doomsday, serving as a sneak peek and perhaps the very first scene audiences will witness from the movie?

A Sneak Peek at ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ But Likely Not in the Finished Film

It appears that this particular scene was created specifically for the Thunderbolts movie and serves as a precursor or hint towards the events of Avengers: Doomsday. Although it could potentially take place during the main storyline of the film, it’s quite unlikely that this scene will be repeated in Avengers: Doomsday due to its length and the fact that the forthcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover has limited space for introductions of Sam Wilson’s Avengers team, The New Avengers, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, and Doctor Doom.

In the movie titled “Avengers: Doomsday,” we can expect to witness the swift consequences following this significant event as the Thunderbolts team springs into action upon the arrival of The Fantastic Four’s spacecraft. Additionally, the narrative could delve into the events leading up to this moment, providing a glimpse from Sam Wilson’s perspective, potentially revealing an unsuccessful conversation between him and Bucky Barnes.

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I initially got excited when reports emerged that the filming for “Avengers: Doomsday” was set to kick off in early April 2025. However, it turned out that principal photography didn’t start until the 28th of April, a day following the breaking of the review embargo for “Thunderbolts.” This implies that several film critics had already watched the movie and its post-credits scene prior. Intriguingly, this suggests that the “Thunderbolts” post-credits scene might have been filmed during the promotional phase of the movie, much like the iconic shawarma scene from “The Avengers,” which was shot a day after its premiere. It appears that the filming for the post-credits scene could have taken place quite recently, perhaps even close to Marvel’s grand five-hour livestream announcing part of the cast for “Avengers: Doomsday.

Additionally, it’s possible that a post-credit scene for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” was shot around this period. This could be the moment when viewers first see Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. With this development, all paths seem to converge towards “Avengers: Doomsday”.

What Does This Tell Us About ‘Avengers: Doomsday?’

In a nutshell, the brief 2-minute, 54-second post-credit scene from Thunderbolts offers significant insights into the upcoming movie, Avengers: Doomsday.

In a different way, it was the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene that was filmed by a separate team compared to the majority of the film. It’s been reported that Newton Thomas Sigel, who worked on X-Men: Days of Future Past and Da 5 Bloods, will be shooting Avengers: Doomsday. The bright, over-saturated lighting in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, contrasting with the more muted, darker tones of the main film, highlights the distinct visual style that the New Avengers might bring to Avengers: Doomsday, hinting at a potentially more visually striking approach than the Russos’ previous Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, which were admired for their story but criticized for their bland color palette and simple shot composition.

The post-credits sequence provides a fascinating progression of the timeline for Avengers: Doomsday and various other MCU projects. Specifically, it’s been over a year since the new team of Avengers has been in action, as shown by the scene taking place 14 months after Thunderbolts (though the exact placement of Thunderbolts is yet to be determined). However, we do know that Thunderbolts happens post-Captain America: Brave New World, given Valentina’s reference to the Red Hulk incident. Captain America: Brave New World occurred in late April 2027 in MCU timeline terms, so Thunderbolts could be set in late summer or early fall of 2027. With a time leap of 14 months, this sequence is likely set in late 2028 or early 2029.

It appears that Sam Wilson hasn’t successfully established his own Avengers team for over two years, as he promised at the end of “Captain America: Brave New World.” If a team had been formed, it would seem they would be facing opposition from The New Avengers. Bucky mentioned that their conversation didn’t go smoothly, which could mirror the situation in “Captain America: Civil War.” This discord among the Avengers continued into “Avengers: Infinity War,” contributing to Thanos winning the battle and erasing half of all life in the universe. If these two teams don’t unite, it could pave the way for Doctor Doom’s triumph.

In relation to The Fantastic Four, it seems that at first, the New Avengers might perceive them as a potential threat and could initiate conflict. This behavior mirrors the early Marvel Comics from the 1960s, where The Fantastic Four would often clash with new teams like the Avengers or X-Men upon their introduction. Some enthusiasts of The Fantastic Four’s appearance in the MCU speculate that Galactus will ultimately annihilate their Earth in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

It’s not typical for Marvel Studios to reveal the ending of an upcoming movie in a post-credits scene of another. Instead, they might use misdirection, leading audiences to think that is how “First Steps” concludes. Given Doctor Doom’s role as the main antagonist in Avengers: Doomsday, it seems quite probable that the team will encounter their most renowned adversary, who probably comes from their own universe.

The movie titled “Avengers: Doomsday” will hit theaters on May 1, 2026, exactly one year after the public viewing of the post-credits scene for the “Thunderbolts.” This highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, along with 2027’s “Avengers: Secret Wars,” is gearing up to deliver a grand finale to a tale as epic as that of “Infinity War” and “Endgame.

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2025-05-04 21:42