Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie is out now, and it’s a film you won’t want to miss.
I’m not just talking about how good it is, either (be sure to read my Thunderbolts* review to find out why). Indeed, it’s far more important than many people realize, especially when it comes to setting up future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects.
Below, I’ll explain how Thunderbolts* lays the foundation for events still to come. I’ll also answer your biggest questions about the Marvel Phase 5 film, including the foremost one on everyone’s minds prior to its release. That being, what’s with the asterisk in its title?
Full spoilers immediately follow for Thunderbolts*. Turn back now if you haven’t seen it yet.
What does the asterisk mean in Marvel’s Thunderbolts* movie?
In short, the group’s unofficial name, The Thunderbolts, is replaced with an official moniker, The New Avengers.
So the reason for the asterisk in the title is due to the titular team being renamed in the film’s final scene, which is reconfirmed by The New Avengers’ logo appearing during the movie’s end credits crawl. From that point on, Yelena Belova and company will go by their new team name.
That won’t be a huge shock to some MCU devotees. Ever since Marvel added the asterisk to the movie’s title, fans have theorized that the ragtag group would be renamed before Thunderbolts* ended.
However, considering that the eponymous team comprises anti-heroes, reformed villains, and superpowered misfits, some observers suggested they’d collectively be called The Dark Avengers. After all, this is the name given to a group of superpowered individuals in Marvel Comics that includes Bob Reynolds/Sentry and John Walker/US Agent, two of the characters who appear in this film.
The New Avengers’ moniker is a better fit for the group in the MCU, though.
Indeed, The Avengers haven’t existed since they defeated Thanos in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Sure, Sam Wilson, the second person to adopt the mantle of Captain America, plans to reform Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Captain America: Brave New World, but he’s yet to do so before the events of Thunderbolts*.
That delay provides Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine with the perfect opportunity to introduce Belova and company to the world as The New Avengers.
After defeating Sentry’s darker half (aka The Void) in his Shadow Realm, The Thunderbolts – a name derived from Belova’s childhood soccer team that lost every match it played – find themselves back in New York. Moments after returning to their reality, they spot the power-hungry de Fontaine and quickly pursue her down Main Street.
Before they can arrest her for her crimes, though, the group stumbles into a street-based live press conference, which de Fontaine has hastily arranged. There, the CIA’s duplicitous overlord tells the assembled press (and those watching the live broadcast) that Belova and company have not only saved the day, but are also a secret project she’s been working on.
It’s here that de Fontaine rechristens the group as The New Avengers. Confused but seemingly won over, the group accepts the new title, but not before Belova tells de Fontaine, “We own you now”.
Essentially, the slippery CIA director has to do as she’s told now. Otherwise, Belova and co. will come clean about de Fontaine’s actual secret project, which involved Sentry/The Void’s creation, her attempts to avoid impeachment, and so many other shady business dealings she made.
How does the titular team defeat The Void?
Through the power of friendship and hugging!
I joke, of course – I don’t mean to belittle the weighty thematic material explored in Thunderbolts*. As someone who’s suffered with mental health issues in the past, I applaud its cast and crew for tackling such difficult subject matter, and for telling a story that’ll strike an emotional chord with many cinephiles. It certainly did with me.
Anyway, the titular group beat The Void via unconventional means. Bob Reynolds’ two superpowered alter-egos are arguably the strongest beings – human race-wise, anyway – in the entire MCU (sorry, Thor and The Hulk). That much is made clear by how easily Sentry deals with the rest of The Thunderbolts during their fight in the Watchtower.
The Void is even more powerful than Sentry. Again, that’s evident by the ease with which his Shadow Realm spreads across New York City. (As an aside, I do wonder if Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will reference this event. After all, that Disney+ show is also set in New York, so, unless the series’ sophomore season takes place prior to Thunderbolts*, it would be odd if it didn’t mention the fact that a giant shadow literally overtook the city.)
But I digress! In a bid to stop The Void, Belova – and, some time later, the rest of the team – enter the Shadow Realm, fight their way through their worst memories and traumas, and eventually find Bob, who’s hiding in his ‘best’ worst memory.
Working together, the group eventually finds a memory of Bob’s that shows he’s not only been experimented on by de Fontaine’s OXE research group, but also marked the first time that The Void manifested.
Long story short, The Void overpowers everyone except for Bob, who eventually fights The Void for control of his mind. As Bob pummels his darker self, though, The Void starts to silently overtake his consciousness with its shadow powers – a move that’ll wipe Bob out of existence because The Void will have absorbed him into itself.
In a Hail Mary move, Belova – with Red Guardian’s help – breaks free of her shackles, parkours her way to Bob, hugs him from behind, and tells him he’s not alone. The rest of the team soon follow and silently embrace Bob, too. Overwhelmed by their humanity and comradeship, Bob breaks down and, in doing so, stops physically and mentally beating himself up.
Free of the darkness that consumed them, the group is suddenly transported back to New York. Belova asks Bob if he’s okay, to which he responds that he is but has no idea what just happened. From here, we lead into the above section’s stuff about de Fontaine, the press conference, and The New Avengers reveal.
Who dies in Thunderbolts*?
There’s only one major character death in Thunderbolts* and it’s one that was foreseen by fans many months before the film’s release.
While appearing in Thunderbolts* first trailer and initial slate of press images last August, Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster has been conspicuous by her absence in promotional materials ever since. In fact, in the weeks leading up to one of May 2025’s new movies arriving in theaters, Taskmaster has been completely MIA.
Inevitably, that led MCU devotees to suspect she wasn’t long for this world – and that proves to be the case. During the four-way fight between Belova, Walker, Ava Starr, and Dreykov in the film’s first act, Taskmaster is shot in the head and killed by Starr. It’s an unceremonious way for her to bow out of the MCU and, based on some early fan reactions following the launch of Thunderbolts*, it’s a death that’s not gone down well with some.
Are there any Marvel cameos in Thunderbolts*?
No. Unlike Bucky Barnes’ surprise cameo in Captain America 4, there are no unexpected appearances from new or returning MCU characters in Thunderbolts*.
There’s the odd reference or two to those who populate Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut. Wilson is namechecked a couple of times. Meanwhile, former US President Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross is briefly mentioned by de Fontaine during her Senate hearing; the CIA director reminding the assembled elected individuals of Ross Hulk-ing out in Brave New World.
Those rare occurrences aside, you won’t see other Marvel characters at any point. Well, unless you count the appearance of a certain group by way of a space vessel, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Is Geraldine Viswanathan’s Thunderbolts* character Mel going to become Songbird in the MCU?
Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel, aka de Fontaine’s assistant, might not seem like the superhero type. In fact, to the average viewer, one of the primary supporting characters in Thunderbolts* will be seen as nothing more than de Fontaine’s diligent albeit emotionally torn lackey.
Diehard Marvel fans, though, may pick up on the fact that Mel isn’t just a simple background character. If you were paying attention, you’ll have noticed Mel wears a gold necklace – one that has a gold bird sitting in a ring – throughout the film. Hmm, I wonder where we’ve seen that before…
Alright, enough teasing. Some fans believe Viswanathan is another Marvel hero hiding in plain sight. That’s because, in Marvel Comics, there’s a superhero called Songbird whose civilian identity is – wait for it – Melissa Gold.
Now, this could be nothing more than a curious case of misdirection on Marvel Studios’ part. That said, the fact that there’s a character called Mel who wears a gold necklace with a songbird hanging at the end of it is too much of a coincidence in my and many other viewers’ eyes.
It might not be a coincidence, either. In a January 2025 chat with ScreenRant, Viswanathan danced around a question about whether she’s playing Songbird in the MCU.
Asked if she considers herself to be a songbird, she replied: “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Never in my life have I heard something like that…Oh, look what you’ve done. Now, I’m all nervous.”
Don’t be surprised, then, if Viswanathan isn’t just confirmed to be playing Songbird in the MCU at some point, but that she’ll also return in the next Avengers movie as part of a yet-to-be-revealed second round of Avengers: Doomsday cast reveals. Sure, Doomsday may already have 27 confirmed characters, but there’s always room for more!
Does Thunderbolts* have a mid-credits scene?
There is – and it’s a call-back to a humorous line of dialogue Alexei Shoshtakov/Red Guardian utters around the film’s midpoint.
The scene opens with Shoshtakov loitering in the cereal aisle of a grocery store. Striking up a conversation with a fellow shopper, he tries to convince her to buy a box of Wheaties, which is adorned with images of The New Avengers. He even poses next to the box, hoping that she’ll recognize him (FYI, it doesn’t work).
Earlier in the film, Shoshtakov jokes that, if The Thunderbolts save the day by putting a stop to de Fontaine’s nefarious plans, they could not only end up on the front of Wheaties cereal boxes, but also be the “little kiddie toy” that children find among the cereal itself.
Despite appearing to convince his fellow cereal enthusiast to buy a box of Wheaties, though, Red Guardian doesn’t realize that the person puts it back on a different shelf when he’s not looking. Clearly, he put them off with his over-the-top persuasive tone!
What is the Thunderbolts* post-credit scene? And how does it set up The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
Thunderbolts‘ end credits stinger takes place 14 months after the film’s primary narrative.
Initially, it reunites us with Bucky Barnes, Belova, Walker, and Starr, who have returned to The New Avengers’ headquarters – they might be stationed in The Watchtower, aka the building formerly known as Avengers Tower, but it’s hard to tell. The quartet is sporting new costumes that look a bit corny (I’m hoping this is down to the corporate or commercial nature of The New Avengers, rather than the suits they actually decided to wear!).
Anyway, as they enter the main room of their HQ, they discuss the fact that Wilson/Cap 2.0 is suing them for trademark infringement. Wilson is upset they’ve snatched the Avengers moniker from under his nose. Despite Bucky meeting Wilson to smooth things over, Bucky reveals the conversation “went poorly”.
As the conversation continues, Belova mentions some form of “space crisis,” but, before we learn more, Shoshtakov interrupts to say he’s fashioned a new, garish-looking tracksuit they can all wear. It’s littered with sponsors, such as Tide, and has a giant ‘New AvengerZ’ logo on the front, which Shoshtakov suggests can circumvent Wilson’s attempts to sue them for the team’s new name.
Bob is also present, but he hasn’t – and doesn’t want to – use his powers to fight anyone (if it comes to that) because he’s worried The Void will return. He says he “did the dishes”, though, so at least he’s of some use.
Suddenly, a data pad held by Belova lights up. Moments earlier, Bucky told Belova to use Earth’s satellite system to learn more about these “space anomalies” they’ve been made aware of. Lo and behold, Bucky’s idea works – and it’s here that Thunderbolts* reveals its ties to The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which arrives in theaters on July 25.
The data pad alerts the group that a mysterious space vessel has appeared above Earth-616 via a multidimensional portal. Belova pulls up the footage on her tablet and, as a short motif of The Fantastic Four‘s MCU theme plays, we see the group’s futuristic-looking rocket ship, complete with a huge ‘F4’ logo on it, barreling towards Earth.
So, how does this film’s post-credits scene set up what’ll happen in The Fantastic Four’s latest big-screen reboot?
The short answer is: I’m not sure, but we know First Steps is set in an alternate reality. That much was made clear last April when Marvel teased some key story details about the film and then released a poster that confirmed to fans that it wouldn’t be set in the MCU. So, Marvel’s First Family will exist in another universe for much of First Steps‘ runtime.
“For much of” are the key words here. Again, we’ve no idea about how First Steps, aka the first Marvel Phase 6 movie will end, but fans have speculated that the titular team will be forced to flee their universe – because First Steps‘ main villain Galactus destroys it, Robert Downey Jr’s Victor von Doom (who’ll be the Big Bad of Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel Secret Wars) casts them out, or for some other reason.
Regardless, Thunderbolts* confirms The Fantastic Four will find themselves in the MCU by the time First Steps‘ story ends. The *ahem* steps taken to get there, though, are still up for debate.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
