Marvel Studios returned to theaters last week with its 36th feature film, Thunderbolts* (2025), an ensemble project that puts a spotlight on some of the MCU’s most complex antiheroes. Directed by Jake Schreier, the latest installment in the franchise officially premiered on May 1, marking a new direction for the studio while raising eyebrows over a surprising rebrand.
The film reintroduces audiences to a slate of fan-favorite characters. Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes (AKA the Winter Soldier) headline a gritty team of misfits that includes Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and the ever-enigmatic Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan also enters the MCU as Mel.
In its opening weekend, Thunderbolts* pulled in $74 million domestically and now sits at $173 million globally—a promising start, particularly for a film that veers from Marvel’s traditional heroic formula.
Speculation around the film’s title—especially the asterisk—had swirled for months following its mid-production name change. While Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige offered no early clues, he assured fans that the reasoning would be made clear upon the movie’s release.
The film’s third act delivers the payoff: following a high-stakes battle with Sentry (played by Lewis Pullman), Valentina seizes the spotlight with a bold declaration, rebranding the Thunderbolts as “The New Avengers.” With the original Avengers now disbanded, this moment becomes a defining pivot for the MCU’s next chapter. It also tees up a larger narrative shift, especially as the franchise barrels toward the arrival of Victor Von Doom—portrayed by none other than Robert Downey Jr.—in Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
It didn’t take long for Marvel to update the branding. Just days after the theatrical release, the studio began rolling out new marketing assets that reflect the team’s new moniker. Marvel’s official X (formerly Twitter) profile now reads “The New Avengers,” and updated promotional posters have begun circulating. Cast members, including Sebastian Stan, have acknowledged the change, signaling that this isn’t a one-off twist—it’s a new era.
However, not all fans appreciated the timing. While some anticipated the team’s evolution, others criticized Marvel for revealing such a major development so soon after the film’s release. Social media reactions were mixed, with many calling the move premature.
While trailers had hinted at a shifting team identity, the studio’s swift rebrand confirmed it before many fans even had the chance to see the film.
Despite the backlash, director Jake Schreier maintains that the choice to go public with the reveal was part of a bigger plan. Speaking to The New York Times, Schreier said: “It’s very fun that they were open to embracing that. It’s so interesting in this world, and Kevin talks about it sometimes, where sometimes they wanted things to leak, and they don’t. I think we all assumed that it would be a bigger part of the conversation already, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”
Schreier’s comment speaks to a growing trend in Marvel’s playbook—leaning into real-time fan reactions and evolving the narrative across platforms. And while the early rollout may have split fans, it also may have contributed to a mid-week spike at the box office.
According to Pink Villa, Thunderbolts* saw a significant uptick in ticket sales this past Tuesday—traditionally known as Discount Tuesday, when theaters offer reduced prices. The film earned $7.4 million that day, marking a sharp 48% increase from Monday’s totals.
“With ticket prices lowered, many moviegoers flocked to theaters to catch the new Marvel film on the big screen, pushing its total for the day to USD 7.4 million, marking a sharp 48 percent jump from Monday,” Pink Villa reported.
The future of this new team remains uncertain, especially with a post-credits scene that teases another shake-up. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), now fully stepping into his role as Captain America, is revealed to be working to revive the original Avengers. That effort crosses into the meta, too—Marvel’s official Avengers social accounts now feature a copyright symbol, hinting at Sam’s in-universe move to trademark the team name.
This tug-of-war between legacy and reinvention seems poised to define Marvel’s upcoming slate. Next in line is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, arriving July 25, 2025, under the direction of WandaVision’s Matt Shakman. That release will bridge directly into Avengers: Doomsday in May 2026, uniting the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four—and potentially kicking off the long-rumored Mutant Saga.
With Thunderbolts*—now “The New Avengers”—Marvel isn’t just reshaping its roster; it’s recalibrating its strategy. Whether that means more surprises in marketing or faster narrative pivots remains to be seen.
Thunderbolts* is currently playing in theaters worldwide.
Do you think Marvel revealed too much too soon? And do you think people are more likely to go see the movie with its new title? Let us know in the comments down below!
