How Thunderbolts Teased Its Surprising New Avengers Twist Before Release

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Reflecting on it now, the launch date for Thunderbolts and its connection to the rest of the MCU subtly foreshadowed the significant twist in the New Avengers at the end of the film well before its premiere. The climax of Thunderbolts delivered a monumental surprise for the franchise as Valentina declared the primary antagonist team to be the MCU’s version of the New Avengers, instantly propelling them into a major new superhero collective. Additionally, the post-credits scene hinted at friction between this group and Sam Wilson’s Avengers, with Captain America expressing concern over Valentina’s new moniker directly infringing upon the original Avengers’ name.

The Thunderbolts’ post-credit scene seems to connect them to the story of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as their spacecraft enters the main Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in this film. This sets up events for Avengers: Doomsday, making the post-credit sequence a crucial part of MCU history. Given its significance, the hints dropped earlier about its importance are even more striking, considering that the New Avengers’ twist was kept secret until the movie’s premiere. Despite its position in the release schedule and the records it broke with its debut, these early indications provided some subtle clues about this development.

Thunderbolts* Had A Unique Place In The MCU Release Timeline

Previously, much discussion centered around the diverse group of antiheroes joining forces in the storyline of Thunderbolts*, as well as hints about the upcoming appearance of Marvel’s mighty characters, Sentry and Void. However, what truly stands out about Thunderbolts* is its release date – a departure from an established trend in the MCU. Specifically, the movie will debut on May 2, 2025, marking the first time in over a decade that a non-sequel MCU film has been released during the May period, which has previously hosted blockbusters like The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The given slot in the schedule holds considerable importance because major Marvel Cinematic Universe films have typically been released during May. For instance, it’s home to Iron Man (2008), its sequels, Thor, Captain America: Civil War, both Avengers movies, and more recently Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Future releases like Avengers: Doomsday on May 1, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027, only emphasize the significance of this annual time slot within the MCU schedule.

The Timing Of Releasing Thunderbolts* Teased That Its Big Ending Twist Way Before We Knew It

The MCU’s Previous Use Of The May Release Slot Is Significant

Since May has historically been filled with MCU films carrying significant weight, such as the first two Avengers movies and Captain America: Civil War, which significantly shaped the franchise’s overall narrative, it was hinted early on that this upcoming movie might hold a greater role within the franchise than initially perceived. In fact, considering the Thunderbolts ending establishes the New Avengers and sets up a confrontation between them and the original Avengers, releasing the film during this time slot seems quite strategic.

By frequently being occupied by sequels, choosing to present a completely new film during such a crucial time period underscored its significance, and indeed, it proved to be significant as expected. On the other hand, the marketing of Thunderbolts* as The New Avengers indicates that the time slot might have been deliberately chosen, especially since it corresponds with the original release date of The Avengers, which was May 4, 2012. This strategic decision creates a chronological connection between the real-world inceptions of the two teams.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I must admit that the intricacies of the MCU release schedule can sometimes be a bit tricky to decipher at first glance. With numerous adjustments in recent years, it’s not always straightforward to determine whether some specific release slots are intentionally chosen or not. The fact that this particular time slot has previously hosted self-contained films like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” in 2017 and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in 2023 suggests a certain flexibility, as it wasn’t exclusively reserved for Avengers movies like it would have been had the “Thunderbolts” been released in such a window.

Reflecting upon it now, this detail undeniably foreshadowed the climactic twist in a multitude of ways. Reexamining the film, it’s evident that this was one of the earliest hints that something grander might be unfolding on screen. And given the speculation that the characters could evolve into the Dark Avengers, along with the asterisk (*) next to Thunderbolts in the title, these elements certainly fueled such theories and added a layer of intrigue.

Thunderbolts* Releasing Where It Did In The MCU’s Release Schedule Makes So Much More Sense Now

During the same period as the events depicted in Captain America: Civil War, the upcoming film Thunderbolts will essentially divide the Avengers team, much like how that movie fractured the original roster.

Introducing the New Avengers into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will undoubtedly add layers of complexity to the Avengers’ tale within the franchise, potentially having a profound impact on “Avengers: Doomsday” and future installments. However, if the fifth Avengers movie doesn’t swiftly resolve this major narrative thread, it could lead to more advantages. Primarily, it provides an opportunity for the MCU to explore other factions that carry the Avengers name, paving the way for the introduction of the Young Avengers in the future.

The conclusion and additional scenes in Thunderbolts may not fully reveal their impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) immediately, but they certainly hint at a significant future development that could significantly benefit the direction the MCU takes moving forward. As one of the most intriguing plot twists in recent MCU history, it’s worth examining the various elements that contribute to its intrigue, and the release date seems to be another fascinating aspect contributing to this narrative arc.

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2025-05-17 15:10