Summary

The asterisk in Thunderbolts* is intentional, hinting at a hidden meaning teased by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige.
The title could change by the end of the movie to reveal the superhero group's new name, potentially linking to Dark Avengers.
Thunderbolts* may transform into Secret or New Avengers.

The first trailer for Thunderbolts* just dropped, and it looks like the MCU’s new team of anti-heroes is here to stay. But will the asterisk (*) in the title stick around as well? The cast and crew of the upcoming Marvel movie have been careful not to give away what the stylized title implies, which has only increased speculation among fans.

Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is already one of the MCU’s most hyped projects in recent memory, especially since it’s the final film of Phase Five. While the film’s updates have been closely followed in all its development stages since 2021, the asterisk in the title quickly became the center of theories and discussion after being revealed in March 2024.

Thunderbolts* Star Hints at the Meaning Behind the Title's Asterisk

Marvel’s Thunderbolts* title change sparks speculation. David Harbour hints the asterisk has a hidden meaning, to be revealed upon the film's release.

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By Katarina Trajkovic

What Has Been Said About The Asterisk?

In the recent official Thunderbolts* trailer, the asterisk in the title is far from subtle, and it clearly intends to get fans talking. Initially, many assumed it meant that Thunderbolts was a placeholder or working title for the movie that would change sometime before its release. However, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige clarified that the asterisk is a conscious inclusion, and that Thunderbolts* is the final, official title. He also hinted that the sign has a meaning which fans will fully comprehend only after watching the movie. At April’s CinemaCon 2024, Feige was quoted saying:

Yes, you’ll notice the asterisk on Thunderbolts. That is the official title of Thunderbolts, and we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out.

Kudos are in order to Feige for his marketing genius, as MCU fans immediately put on their detective hats and began deciphering the meaning behind the asterisk in Thunderbolts*.

The Title May Change By The End Of The Movie

The most likely theory builds on the initial perception that it’s a placeholder. Chances are it still is one, except it will change by the end of the movie into a different title to reflect the superhero group’s new name. This would replicate how the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was re-titled into Captain America and the Winter Soldier by the end of the six-episode seasonIt’s clear that any title that replaces the current one would reveal a key piece of information about their role in Phase Six of the MCU.

Possibility 1: The Dark Avengers

Going by the source material in Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts might evolve into the Dark Avengers – villains who pose as heroes to fill the void left by the real Avengers. This lines up with the MCU’s current state, as the Avengers had to disband after defeating Thanos in Endgame.

The Thunderbolts* trailer also dropped a huge hint when it showed CIA Director Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and the team assembled at Avengers Tower, formerly Stark Tower. However, the characters in Thunderbolts* differ from the Dark Avengers in the comics, which includes unconventional, non-MCU names like Norman Osborn and Venom.

Thunderbolts Member	Actor
Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian	David Harbour
Yelena Belova	Florence Pugh
Bucky Barnes	Sebastian Stan
Ava Starr / Ghost	Hannah John-Kamen
John Walker / U.S. Agent	Wyatt Russell
Bob / Sentry	Lewis Pullman
Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster	Olga Kurylenko

Possibility 2: The Secret/New Avengers

Another option for a title change would be the Secret Avengers or the New Avengers, teams with more noble intentions who operate covertly. Judging by the trailer, Bucky Barnes leads the Thunderbolts, and he might be the one to make this name change happen by bringing in Sam Wilson to reform this group of anti-heroes. The Thunderbolts* becoming the Secret Avengers would also tie in with the Secret Invasion event, as well as the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars.

But if a name change is inevitable for the group, why call them the Thunderbolts in the first place? This is where the events of another upcoming MCU movie will come into play– Captain America: Brave New World. Though Valentina assembles the team, she may be acting under orders from President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, played by Harrison Ford. The team could initially be named after him, only to change later based on his actions as Red Hulk.

The Asterisk Can't Just Be A Placeholder

The MCU will not let any opportunity slip, and won't let the asterisk in Thunderbolts* be a working title or a potential spoiler. There’s definitely bound to be more layers to it. The trailer gives off the franchise’s signature humor, and it’s also obvious that the Thunderbolts* largely resembles DC’s Suicide Squad. Marvel could borrow a page from DC’s book here. Just like how "Task Force X" rebranded itself with this meme-worthy Will Smith line, Marvel could also lean into a cheeky, meta joke:

So, what? We some kinda suicide squad?

Moreover, the asterisk could be a running joke within the movie itself. It could work as a “TBD” or “subject to change” marker, hinting that the group is incomplete and badly needs more heroes than just the few characters shown so far. For instance, Lewis Pullman’s Bob seems like an ordinary guy with no powers, but he is most likely the all-powerful Sentry from Marvel Comics. Either way, Thunderbolts* will unmask the asterisk’s meaning in all its glory when the movie finally hits theaters on May 2, 2025.

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