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Marvel Studios' latest film, Thunderbolts*, has changed course mere days after it's release and revealed a new identity for the film's heroes. This rebranding was revealed in the end credits to the film, with the plot point where Valentina Allegra de Fontaine re-brands the group as the New Avengers. It was then later revealed that the asterisk in the title was indeed a foreshadowing, that there was more than one major plot point in the film, and that the team would be rebranded as the *New Avengers.
The marketing side of the film received good reactions along with the narrative structure, as the posters and social media posts for the new avatar of Thunderbolts* were ultimately branded to reflect the hypothetical rebranding of the team in the film. However, many have pointed out that the revelation was made too soon and that Marvel should have waited a while longer to spoil the film's ending as audiences are still watching the movie in theaters.
Speaking to The New York Times, Schreier revealed how this was a planned move and has been a part of the idea since the beginning. The director said:
“It felt like, if Val is also trying to pull a switcheroo and sell the New Avengers to the world, we could do that, too. Especially given that the asterisk has been on the movie for a year, hopefully it doesn’t feel sweaty — it feels like this was a plan, and we built up to it.”
More details on Thunderbolts* new rebranding
The new title was released less than a week after Thunderbolts* release as Marvel finally has a brand new team of superheroes on hands as the studio anticipates the epic lineup that will take place in Avengers: Doomsday. Led by Black Widow Yelena Belova, The New Avengers includes Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent and Lewis Pullman’s Sentry. The team is facing some rifts with Sam Wilson's Avengers, as hinted at the end of Thunderbolts*, a tension that will certainly be a significant part of Marvel's upcoming ventures.
The rebranding is certainly a risky marketing play and a narrative shake-up, but one that’s already showing signs of paying off. From revamped posters to updated digital listings, the shift is now official, with the asterisk fading just like the old Avengers themselves. But this isn’t just a buzzing stunt.
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The rebrand serves some sharp strategic goals: it reshapes audience expectations by reframing a gritty, antihero team into one primed to carry the Avengers torch; it redirects the MCU’s broader trajectory, especially with Avengers: Doomsday and The Fantastic Four: First Steps on the horizon; and most crucially, it recharges fan excitement after a rocky post-Infinity Saga phase by tying fresh faces to Marvel’s most iconic legacy.
Thunderbolts*, or *The New Avengers is now in theaters.
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