Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Asterisk Reveal: Another Big Title Flop Leaves Fans Disappointed

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🚨 SPOILER ALERT: The upcoming content discloses significant plot details about the latest Marvel movie – ‘Thunderbolts’. Viewer discretion is advised if you haven’t watched it yet. Proceed with caution! 🌪️

Approximately a year ago, the title of the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster underwent an unusual alteration. During the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2024 held at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige unveiled that the upcoming film, initially titled Thunderbolts, would now be referred to as simply Thunderbolts*. The reason for the asterisk was not disclosed, with Feige merely hinting, “we’ll keep quiet about that until after the movie releases.

Now, it’s clear that the movie has been released under the title “Thunderbolts,” but we now understand why there was a unique celestial body in the plot. Initially, the characters from the film are referred to as the Thunderbolts, a name reminiscent of Yelena Belova’s dismal childhood soccer team. However, the climax unveils that this motley crew is actually Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s New Avengers in disguise. This revelation suggests that “New Avengers” was the covert title of the film, a possibility seemingly validated by the end credits.

In summary, I appreciate the plot progression featuring the New Avengers clashing with Sam Wilson’s team as they both deal with the entrance of the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom into the universe. However, I’m not a fan of the method used to unveil the title, which I believe is a misstep on Marvel Studios’ part for the second time in this regard.

The “Big Reveal” With The Thunderbolts Asterisk Was A Little Too Obvious

By altering the title of Thunderbolts, Marvel Studios aimed to instill a sense of enigma and spark speculation lasting over a year. The creative minds behind this concept intended to ignite curiosity among viewers, with the question “What does the asterisk denote?” becoming a topic of discussion. This wasn’t exclusive to comic book enthusiasts; it was the actual title of the film, leaving everyone, including casual moviegoers, questioning the punctuation. The anticipation would drive them to catch the blockbuster during its opening weekend, either to validate their theories or be amazed by an unexpected revelation.

In an ideal scenario, this marketing scheme would lead to a satisfying resolution, but in this specific instance, it doesn’t seem accurate. The Thunderbolts, serving as a covert means of gathering a revamped team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, was my initial assumption and I was anticipating something more intricate instead.

You don’t have to search any farther; the movie’s source material, the comics themselves, provides plenty of inspiration. The title of this project is inspired by a significant event in late 1990s Marvel Comics, where the Avengers were killed off and replaced by a new series called Thunderbolts. In the first issue, it was hinted that this team was a new group of heroes, but it turned out to be the Masters of Evil in disguise, later known as the Dark Avengers. This clever twist was unexpected and couldn’t be repeated by Marvel Studios.

I’d like to reiterate my interest in the developing New Avengers versus Avengers struggle within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, I can’t help but feel that the buildup for this twist might be overly dramatic, as it seems less surprising given recent developments and character arcs.

As A Fan, I’m Not Sure What I’m Supposed To Call The Movie Now

The point at stake, which the unveiling brings forward, is a distinctive debate surrounding the appropriate conversation about the film – and I’ll confess that this matters particularly to me because, being an ardent Marvel Cinematic Universe fan and TopMob editor, I plan to delve into it extensively in the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years. To put it simply: should we carry on designating the movie as Thunderbolts (as I’ve been doing throughout this piece), or should we switch to calling it New Avengers from hereon?

At some stage during the film’s theater release, will there be changes in the marquees, or perhaps new commercials and previews produced? Will fresh posters be designed and distributed to cinemas? What kind of marketing strategies will be employed for the movie when it becomes available on digital platforms and physical media like 4K UHD and Blu-ray? There seems to be no clear information about these matters.

The film seems stuck in a peculiar limbo when it comes to branding, giving off an ambiguous vibe. It might be overly revealing, but it appears that the movie is passing up a significant chance to reveal itself more widely as New Avengers, aiming to generate increased excitement and fresh buzz in the run-up to its second weekend, thereby potentially boosting ticket sales.

The Thunderbolts* Asterisk Explanation Reminds Me Of The Disappointing Title Reveal For Avengers: Endgame

Endgame.

Originally, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were referred to as Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part 2 during their production stages. However, at some point, this plan underwent a change. The initial film retained its title as Avengers: Infinity War, while the sequel’s name remained a secret to create anticipation and allow audiences to fully appreciate the first movie before moving on to the next one. The Russo brothers kept this secret in mind to give people time to savor the first film experience.

The strategy didn’t turn out as we anticipated, and it’s not just my opinion – even Kevin Feige acknowledged that things had spiraled beyond control before the reveal. He stated that the surge of speculation and excitement made it impossible for the revelation to meet expectations. And he was correct. The title of Avengers: Endgame, while referencing a line from Doctor Strange in Avengers: Infinity War, is rather ordinary and underwhelming.

In simpler terms, I appreciate Marvel Studios’ approach to surprising audiences instead of following predictable paths. However, I find that their surprise title reveals don’t usually work as well as expected for the franchise, possibly due to its own excessive hype. To be honest, I was a bit puzzled and let down by the Thunderbolts title, but overall, I enjoyed the movie!

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2025-05-06 00:12