Marvel executed a surprising marketing twist for its summer tentpole film, “Thunderbolts.” During the opening weekend, a giant billboard in Los Angeles promoting the movie underwent a significant change. The title was updated from “Thunderbolts” to “The New Avengers.”
This alteration coincides with a reveal in the third act of the movie. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, announces that the group is indeed the New Avengers.
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The team includes various characters such as Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, John Walker, Ghost, and Sentry. Director Jake Schreier commented on the unique marketing move.
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He explained that the asterisk in the “Thunderbolts” title, which fans found curious, was part of a master plan.
“It felt right for Val to pull a switcheroo and sell the New Avengers to the world. We wanted our marketing to reflect that twist,” Schreier noted.
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Unexpected title change shocks fans
The film reveals that the New Avengers operate out of the original Avengers’ headquarters, now renamed the Watchtower. They find themselves in a legal battle with Captain America over copyright infringement of the Avengers logo. This plotline connects back to the recent film “Captain America: Brave New World.”
The “Thunderbolts” cast is set to return next summer in “Avengers: Doomsday.” The New Avengers will team up with the original Avengers and the Fantastic Four to counter a new threat orchestrated by Robert Downey Jr.’s villainous character.
The post-credits scene in Thunderbolts teases the arrival of the Fantastic Four, with their spaceship entering Earth’s orbit. The Russo brothers directed this scene on the set of Avengers: Doomsday.
As a standalone debut in the MCU, “Thunderbolts” delivered a decent box office performance. However, it is the second-lowest domestic debut ever in the MCU, behind only “The Marvels.” The opening weekend came in below estimates at $74.3 million, in the same range as “Eternals.”
The success of “The New Avengers” will be closely scrutinized as a crucial indicator of the MCU’s ability to transition into a new era of heroes.
The industry will be watching to see if this bold strategic gamble pays off for Marvel Studios.
