Summary

Marvel Studios renamed Thunderbolts* to The New Avengers after the movie's release, spoiling a major twist.
Fans anticipating the big reveal of the movie are now left confused due to the unexpected name change.
The decision to rename the movie post-release may negatively impact Thunderbolts* and leave audiences questioning.

Marvel Studios has invested a lot of effort and finances into Thunderbolts* in a bid to make it the franchise's next big hit. With a tremendous ensemble cast and a deeply emotional story, it has already been a big hit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thunderbolts* earned $162 million at the box office worldwide, with $76 million coming from the United States of America, putting it in the top spot ahead of Sinners and A Minecraft Movie. The fans have proven that audiences are interested in Thunderbolts*, but that hasn't stopped Marvel Studios from taking a significant risk to try and increase interest moving forward.

Marvel Is Already Banking On Thunderbolts* Being A Hit - That Might Be A Mistake

Marvel has put a lot of investment into Thunderbolts* being a hit, but that might end up being a major mistake.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

Marvel Has Made A Huge Change With Thunderbolts*

The Reveal Was Made After The Film Had Been Released

From the moment that Thunderbolts* was announced, one of the big questions has been what the asterisk means. It was a unique element to add to the title of a movie, but that ended up being a fun talking point among fans, who presumed they would learn that information when watching the movie. Those who saw it in the first couple of days did, but Marvel Studios has revealed it to the masses by effectively renaming the film The New Avengers. This is what the asterisk was for, as the group isn't going to be known as the Thunderbolts, as people had imagined. While revealing this twist is certainly getting people talking, doing so after all the marketing has been pumped into the Thunderbolts* branding seems like a strange step to take. Disney has claimed that Thunderbolts* remains the title, but The New Avengers is now the asterisk-spelled-out, but the potential negative impact this could have on the film makes it a bold decision.

Marvel's Announcement Effectively Spoils Thunderbolts*

Fans Know The Big Twist Heading Into It

The team on an elevator in Avengers Tower in Thunderbolts*

Heading into this movie initially, the intrigue was finding out what the asterisk was, and the story unfolds in a way that reveals that perfectly. It's a massive moment in the film's ending, and Marvel's decision to spoil that with a marketing decision is strange. Originally, the revelation of their new group name should've been a big talking point coming out of the film. People would've been questioning if they're happy with them becoming The New Avengers, speculating how the other Marvel characters will react, and generally looking ahead to the future. However, audiences will already know the big reveal ahead of time; therefore, the reaction will be muted when it happens. It's a decision that could negatively harm the quality of Thunderbolts*, which makes it feel so bizarre.

Those involved in Thunderbolts* creatively wanted this to be a huge reveal, not something that was spelled out in the title ahead of time. Given that the movie has already been performing well at the box office and the word of mouth has been so positive about Florence Pugh's performance and the general quality, it feels unnecessary. There's no need to take such a gamble when the film is already doing well. Sure, people could easily seek out the major spoiler if they wanted to, but Marvel Studios revealing it feels like a backward step for Thunderbolts* as a project soon after being released.

Marvel's Risk Might Not Pay Off

Thunderbolts* Is Now Surrounded In Confusion

Ultimately, the decision to totally rename the movie and reveal one of the biggest spoilers from within the story is a massive risk. It's a unique marketing plot by Marvel Studios, the likes of which they have never done before, and it does pay off the asterisk that people have been asking about for so long. However, not everyone who will watch Thunderbolts* is tuned into everything that happens within the MCU, which has been a problem for the franchise in general lately. The multiverse phase has made audiences feel like they need to do homework heading into each movie, and this decision has a similar feeling. Not everyone will be aware of why this movie has been renamed, and instead, they will simply be left questioning where Thunderbolts* has gone and why they are now seeing posters that say The New Avengers instead.

Doing this several days after the movie has been released doesn't help matters either. Cinemas worldwide have promoted this in terms of posters, but there is now a totally new name to push, and some people might not have the same level of interest. The change can be off-putting to some, who will feel like the tweaks are going to be something that they won't understand unless they're totally plugged into the franchise. Ultimately, it's not confusing because everything is explained and makes sense within Thunderbolts*, but changing the name this way pushes a different message. It's a decision that Marvel hopes adds a level of intrigue. Plus, the Avengers brand is an established one, which is the opposite of this brand-new team. However, taking a major gamble like this on a movie that has real importance to the franchise, with characters that have a big long-term future, is a risk, and it's one that needs to pay off for Thunderbolts*.

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