The Avengers franchise, a linchpin of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has transformed the superhero genre in ways no other film series has achieved.
Starting with the assembly of six iconic heroes—Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)—the franchise kicked off with Joss Whedon’s The Avengers in 2012, creating a seismic shift in blockbuster filmmaking.
Over four epic films, these heroes battled foes like Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Ultron (James Spader), and, ultimately, Thanos (Josh Brolin) in narratives that defined the Marvel Cinematic Universe and set new standards for interconnected storytelling on the big screen.
The Avengers movies have been a box office juggernaut, collectively grossing over $7.7 billion worldwide, with Avengers: Endgame (2019) becoming a cultural phenomenon and briefly holding the record as the highest-grossing film of all time.
Iconic moments like the Avengers’ assembly in Endgame have etched themselves into pop culture, forever influencing the landscape of cinema and solidifying the Avengers’ place as a defining force in 21st-century entertainment. But with no new Avengers movie in five years, a new squad is about to take center stage.
The Thunderbolts are a unique and evolving team of antiheroes and reformed villains in Marvel Comics. They were first introduced in “The Incredible Hulk #449” (1997) by writer Kurt Busiek and artist Mark Bagley. Initially posing as heroes to gain public trust, the Thunderbolts were actually the Masters of Evil in disguise, led by Baron Zemo.
The team’s original plan was to exploit the absence of the Avengers and Fantastic Four, who were presumed dead at the time, and seize power. However, the twist came when many team members, including the likes of Songbird and Mach-1, genuinely began to enjoy being heroes, leading to internal conflicts and a gradual shift towards genuine heroism.
The Thunderbolts have yet to appear in full in the MCU. The team, which was announced in 2022 at San Diego Comic-Con, has already been featured in the studios’ four previous Phases.
Appearing for the first time together in a Marvel movie next May will be Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova/Black Widow), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), and Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster).
Harrison Ford will also star in Thunderbolts* (2025) as President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Ford will make his debut as Thunderbolt Ross (and seemingly Red Hulk) in next year’s penultimate Phase Five movie, Captain America: Brave New World (2025), alongside MCU veteran Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America).
While initially known as just Thunderbolts, Kevin Feige updated the title at this year’s CinemaCon, adding an asterisk to the end—an addition he could not explain until after the movie’s release. Many have surmised that the asterisk will somehow connect the Thunderbolts to the Avengers, maybe even that the Thunderbolts will become the MCU’s current Mightiest Heroes.
On the change, Red Guardian actor David Harbour recently alluded to the gravity of the change.
“Yes, they retroactively put the asterisk (in). The asterisk was an idea that someone had. What can I say that’s not going to get me in trouble? The asterisk is very cool,” the Stranger Things star told Comic Book. “I understand why people might put an asterisk there; I’m excited for the viewers to see that as well. But I, again, I just can’t say anymore.”
According to entertainment scooper MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH), the asterisk means “New Avengers.”
*New Avengers
*New Avengers https://t.co/usyKaMJ79k
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) September 18, 2024
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“This doesn’t necessarily mean that these characters alone will make up the next incarnation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” Comic Book Movie explains, “but it seems the plan is for them to form the basis for a new, most likely government-sponsored (we’ll see how long that lasts) team that would officially activate after (or maybe during) the events of Avengers: Secret Wars.”
With plans to bring back Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom for Avengers: Doomsday (2026), the state of the current Avengers squad is currently unknown. Many expect Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange to become the new leader of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but this report regarding the Thunderbolts may signal a more drastic restructure of the team is underway.
Thunderbolts* is directed by Jake Schreier from a screenplay written by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo. It will be released on May 2, 2025.
The Thunderbolts Through the Years
Over the years, the Thunderbolts’ roster and mission have constantly evolved. They’ve served as a government-sanctioned team, a redemption group for villains, and even a squad of mercenaries. Some notable members have included characters like Hawkeye, who took over leadership to reform the team; Venom; Red Hulk; Punisher; and Winter Soldier.
The group’s dynamic nature, often blurring the lines between heroism and villainy, has allowed the Thunderbolts to tackle missions other teams wouldn’t touch, frequently dealing with morally gray and complex situations.
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The Thunderbolts’ ongoing appeal lies in their complex character dynamics and their continuous struggle for redemption and acceptance. Their stories often explore themes of second chances, the nature of heroism, and the possibility of change, making them one of Marvel’s most unpredictable and compelling teams.
The team has become a symbol of the constant tug-of-war between good and evil, reflecting the idea that even the most flawed individuals can choose to be heroes or revert to their darker impulses at any moment.
What do you think the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* title means? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!