THUNDERBOLTS*: What Does the Asterisk Mean? Find Out Ahead of Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan Starrer's Release

THUNDERBOLTS* asterisk has lastly been decoded as fan screenings reveal the MCU masterstroke. Fans have successfully deciphered its intriguing title ahead of the official launch.

At exclusive fan screenings in the U.S., Marvel screened the entire film, including the post-credit sequences. Spoilers soon appeared on the web, explaining the asterisk that has kept fans wondering ever since it first appeared in advertising.

Speculation surrounding the asterisk has been doing the rounds for months, with internet scoopers speculating about a New Avengers link. The asterisk, as it happens, means "New Avengers."

A final title card, according to those present, confirms that the team of misfits will return under that new moniker. Bob, the enigmatic character played by Lewis Pullman, is also set to return in upcoming films in the next phase of the Marvel Universe.

The theory now confirms the link between the movie with a continuity that started in Marvel Comics following the Avengers Disassembled arc by Brian Michael Bendis. Directed by Jake Schreier, THUNDERBOLTS* takes a much darker turn with a bunch of morally grey superhero characters played by Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, and more.

Under orders from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to complete a clandestine mission. The group must come to terms with their histories as they're caught in a fatal trap. The film will not initiate a conventional follow-up, but the New Avengers hint indicates that Marvel is establishing the Thunderbolts as an element of broader change within the MCU team dynamics.

THUNDERBOLTS* hits the theatres worldwide on May 2, 2025.

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