This past weekend, Thunderbolts* hit theaters and, while audiences were settling into the MCU magic, Marvel decided to drop a bombshell: the film’s title now includes “The New Avengers.” Yep, you read that right—if you thought you knew what you were in for, well, buckle up. Fans are split! If you haven’t caught the movie yet, brace yourself for some major spoilers ahead.
Spoiler Alert and Fan Fallout Right off the bat, Marvel’s cheeky move to reveal that Thunderbolts* is also The New Avengers has stirred up quite a bit of chatter online. Some die-hard fans feel the studio gave away a crucial twist way too early—spoiling that key element just three days after the opening weekend. One commentator on Reddit slammed it as “complete nonsense to spoil the movie,” while another jokingly accused Disney of using the retitle to drive ticket sales. It’s as if Marvel was saying, “We trust you… sort of,” and for some moviegoers, the trust got a little lost in translation.
Business Brilliance or Backfire? Not everyone is throwing pitchforks, though! Some folks are ready to back Marvel’s strategy from a business standpoint. One Reddit user pointed out that with competition from Mission Impossible and even the nerd-favorite Lilo & Stitch looming over the weekend, this early retitle was a clever ploy to maximize buzz and cash in before the competition smashes its momentum. In their view, the “New Avengers” subtitle might just be the ticket for drawing in fans who might not have been into Thunderbolts in the first place. As another fan perfectly summed up, it’s all about keeping the chatter alive—word of mouth makes the magic happen even if a twist gets spoiled.
Social Media’s Hilarious Take Of course, where there’s Marvel news, memes are never far behind. One Reddit user humorously remarked, “Imagine not seeing this on opening night,” complete with a GIF of Eddie Murphy laughing his socks off. Over on Twitter (well, X now), someone joked that calling the film “The New Avengers” is like that one friend in school who gave himself a nickname he overused—“Bro! I’m not calling you Dragon!” And yet another social media maven quipped, “Like The New Avengers hits, but don’t hit at the same time,” adding an amusing twist to the debate.
Concerns About the Blu-ray The marketing prank even raises real-world worries—what happens when Thunderbolts* hits Blu-ray? Some fans are already lamenting that the physical copy might end up labeling it as “New Avengers” instead. This concern sparked even more creativity online, with one user suggesting a brilliant compromise: why not have a Thunderbolts logo sticker that says “peel after watching” to reveal the New Avengers title underneath? Genius, isn’t it?
Marvel’s Official Stand At the end of the day, Marvel is standing by its decision, with the studio insisting that Thunderbolts* remains the official title. The “New Avengers” addition is just their way of spelling out that intriguing asterisk in the title. Clever and strategic, if you ask me. They’re banking on the fact that even with some fans grumbling, the film’s core twists and character dynamics are strong enough to hold their own.
So whether you’re here for the explosive action, the newfound Avengers twist, or just to see what all the fuss is about, Thunderbolts* is making waves. Love it or hate it, Marvel has certainly got us talking—and that’s half the fun of the movie-going experience.
Attribution: Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
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