RUMOR: We May Know What That Asterisk In THUNDERBOLTS* Signifies - Possible SPOILERS

There's been a lot of speculation about that mysterious asterisk that was added to the title of Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts, and we may finally know what it means...

By MarkCassidy - Sep 18, 2024 06:09 PM EST

Filed Under: Thunderbolts

Back in March, after star Florence Pugh shared our first behind-the-scenes look at the movie, Marvel Studios announced a minor but significant change to the title of Thunderbolts* with the addition of a mysterious asterisk.

Fans have been speculating ever since, and the most popular theory seems to be that the characters will ultimately form a completely different team.

Several cast members have been asked about the asterisk, and David Harbour came closest to at least hinting at its significance during a recent interview.

“Yes, they retroactively put the asterisk (in). The asterisk was an idea that that someone had. What can I say that's not going to get me in trouble? The asterisk is very cool. I understand why people might put an asterisk there (laughs) I'm excited for the viewers to see that as well. But I, again, I just can't say anymore.”

Possible spoilers from this point on.

So, will the Thunderbolts actually be revealed to be the Dark Avengers? According to MTTSH, they're actually going to be the New Avengers.

This doesn't necessarily mean that these characters alone will make up the next incarnation of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but it seems the plan is for them to form the basis for a new, most likely government-sponsored (we'll see how long that lasts) team that would officially activate after (or maybe during) the events of Avengers: Secret Wars.

What do you make of this rumor? Be sure to let us know in the comments section down below.

Though other characters might well join up during the movie, the Thunderbolts roster currently consists of Red Guardian (Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Taskmaster (Kurylenko).

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julie Louis Dreyfus) will put the team together, and rumor has it that she may also be partially responsible for Sentry's creation.

As for Sentry, Lewis Pullman (Salem's Lot, Top Gun Maverick) joined the cast as the powerful, unstable character after The Walking Dead alum Steven Yeun was forced to step away due to a scheduling conflict.

There were rumors that Harrison Ford's Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross would be involved, but that seems to have been debunked. Black Widow's Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) from Ant-Man and the Wasp are also rumored to appear.

Thunderbolts* is currently set to be released in theaters on May 2, 2025.

David Harbour Talks THUNDERBOLTS*'s Mysterious Asterisk And His DCU Future As CREATURE COMMANDOS' Frankenstein

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70 Comments

1 2

IAmAHoot - 9/18/2024, 6:27 PM

CaptainFlapjaks - 9/18/2024, 7:14 PM

@IAmAHoot - i could see the thunderbolts being playfully called the new avengers in a quick little bit. Because this team definitely seems like ross trying to replace the avengers after endgame. Knowing they will need a team the fight for the world but one that is run by the government and used on government operations.

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 8:16 PM

@CaptainFlapjaks - I would rather they just be this universe’s Thunderbolts but I do like your idea.

TheFinestSmack - 9/18/2024, 6:37 PM

Oh. We're still committed to MTTSH, I see...

DTor91 - 9/18/2024, 6:55 PM

@TheFinestSmack - Yuuuuuup. They run this site now.

Malatrova15 - 9/18/2024, 6:57 PM

@TheFinestSmack - I miss Mr Sunday

WruceBayne - 9/18/2024, 8:26 PM

@Malatrova15 - I still listen to his podcast

CreateNowSlpL8r - 9/18/2024, 6:56 PM

Even reading the rumor is silly. Why would they form an Avengers group after Secret Wars. My guess is they are resting the Avengers brand for awhile to concentrate on the X-men.

Also, there isn't a normie on earth who gives a shit about this movie. It has bomb written all over it. Its mostly a BW sequel centered around Florence Pugh. They don't have a single character to draw people in.

GameOn - 9/18/2024, 6:58 PM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - If it’s good, people will see it. Just like Guardians or Ant-Man.

MuadDib - 9/18/2024, 7:09 PM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - I gotta agree that Pugh is overhyped and though not terrible, not amazing either. The team dynamic could be enough to draw in some of a crowd especially fanboys, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it do relatively well at the BO. But I wouldn’t be holding my breath for a billion dollar blowout without some very big surprise cameos or leaks to really draw audiences in

Comicmoviejunki - 9/18/2024, 8:06 PM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - oh STFU

Amaru - 9/18/2024, 8:28 PM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - People like you are so [frick]ing weird. Why do you think you speak for so many people?

newhire13 - 9/18/2024, 9:46 PM

@Comicmoviejunki - Was just about to say the same thing lol

CreateNowSlpL8r - 9/19/2024, 12:43 AM

@Comicmoviejunki - You are breaking TOS. If can't present an counter argument, attacking someone isn't the answer.

CreateNowSlpL8r - 9/19/2024, 12:44 AM

@newhire13 - Were you? Then you would also be breaking TOS. Would you like to present an intelligent argument or is it too much that you disagree with someone?

CreateNowSlpL8r - 9/19/2024, 12:49 AM

@Amaru - Because I understand what this movie was going to be. It was greenlit at a time when Marvel thought a certain strategy was going to work for them which the fans have rejected. Take Deadpool out and they havent had a hit in quite awhile. Meanwhile they assembled bomb after bomb with characters no one know. Normies got hooked on the MCU because of great characters. So where is the money coming from? Who is going to see it?

I'm not speaking for so many people. I'm looking at the numbers. Cap4 has almost no chance to make money. They spent so much on it so it won't do damage. Why do you think they brought the Russo's and RDJ back?

Has The Marvels, Ms. Marvel, Echo, Shang-Chi or anything of the new IPs gotten sequels? Are they even announced?

No.

MG0019 - 9/19/2024, 1:42 AM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - But they’ve already announced TWO Avengers films, titled as Avengers. Meanwhile, there’s zero clarity on how Marvel will treat X-Men.

So they’re really not resting the Avengers brand at all. Bringing back Downey Jr shows they’re kind of doubling down on the Avengers brand. Who knows what will come of X-Men. Whether it’s a full reboot, a merging of the Fox characters. Or some messy in between, lol.

supermanrex - 9/19/2024, 10:05 AM

@CreateNowSlpL8r - your hot take is trash. people are really excited for this movie. you dont have to be which is your deal. but dont be blanket pushing your own opinion as [frick]ing gospel.

supermanrex - 9/19/2024, 10:08 AM

@Amaru - because they are clown shoes. they come to the comments and just throw out their shitty opinions. its not even the fact that they are not excited which is shitty about the opinion but the fact they just think everyone [frick]ing agrees with them. get the [frick] outta here with that shit. i see tons of excitement and hype for this movie.

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 7:02 PM

If true then that makes more sense then Dark Avengers to me (which I think would be corny if said out loud lol)…

Yes , the team is made up of former villains or anti-heroes but I think the government or Val would try to assemble their/her own team of Avengers I feel .

Plus , we don’t know what the makeup of this team may be by the end with some perhaps not being in it or the likes of Sentry or Geraldine Vishwanathan’s character (who is rumored to be Songbird) joining.

hainesy - 9/18/2024, 7:05 PM

I doubt they use Dark Avengers, but could see Ross wanting to create a "new" Avengers group in Cap 4, but then after the Red Hulk debacle, he is either dead or discredited. But they codename the "New Avengers" as the Thunderbolts in his honour. OR the title is indeed a placeholder to avoid Cap spoilers and they then call it New Avengers.

Either way, I just want a good movie

bkmeijer1 - 9/19/2024, 4:38 AM

@hainesy - that's exactly what I think as well. The asterisk probably mean it's Thunderbolt's recruits for his new Avengers, but they won't called the Avengers

Apophis71 - 9/19/2024, 5:42 AM

@bkmeijer1 - The way I could see it go down is Sam refuses to create a POTUS controlled Avengers team so this is what is created instead under Government control but by the end the remaining who are on a hero path (as in some may defect to Zemo's side if he turns up) form part of Sam's New Avengers (independent from US control) along with some he brings to his side in Brave New World and remaining prior ones like Hulk, Thor, Spider-Man and Hawkeye (may not ALL be there all the time in a story just like how Falcon only turned up at the end of AoU).

MAYBE the official name for the team Ross has made is Avengers but the members create their own name for it as not sold on the propaganda of being the new Avengers and uncomfortable taking on that mantle.

bkmeijer1 - 9/19/2024, 7:17 AM

@Apophis71 - that's a good one too. The intent is probably for them to be the new Avengers, but everybody in-universe just refuses to go with that name

Vigor - 9/18/2024, 7:12 PM

This makes no sense when we have the likes of she hulk, Shang chi, capt marvel, ms marvel, and falcon-america out there

If anything dark avengers makes more sense

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 7:24 PM

@Vigor - true but I don’t see any if not most of them joining a possibly government sponsored team.

Apophis71 - 9/19/2024, 6:45 AM

@Vigor - Even something like dark avengers would initialy just be called avengers and once outed as of villanous intent revert to a villain name like the original Thunderbolts revealed to be Zemo's Masters of Evil but some members going on to revert to being a heroic team...

...actualy being dark avengers without Osborn would in many ways be worse than being Thunderbolts sans Zemo as at least there has been a dozen versions of the latter that didn't have Zemo in it and at times fully a hero team, others villains in disguise and everything inbetween.

The likely case is that Ross we know wants to create an Avengers team but Sam refuses to do so under government control thus this team created instead but official name IS Avengers with members not buying into that and coming up with their own nickname for it. Then after this and going against Val Cap steps in with others to from the true non-government controlled Avengers team.

Vigor - 9/18/2024, 7:14 PM

I'm watching rings of power season 2. This show is um, excellent????
Granted I haven't read the book it's based on

I feel so confused that the internet hates it

BART - 9/18/2024, 7:23 PM

@Vigor - I’m two episodes in and I like it a lot. The internet likes too hate on a lot of things don’t go directly to the source material which is understandable but you can’t expect them to do things like all the time. When Harry Potter it didn’t always stick to the source either which everyone pretty loved .

BART - 9/18/2024, 7:23 PM

Yikes that was a lot longer than I should’ve put it lol

Shivermetimbers - 9/18/2024, 8:18 PM

@Vigor - I agree! I really didn't love the first half of the first season since it was kind of slow and confusing, but it really picked up and the second season has been really good! It inspired me to rewatch the original LOtR trilogy and I understood more of the character references and enjoyed that even more. I also havent read the books other than The Hobbit, so I dont really care if it is true to the source.

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 8:36 PM

@Vigor - I thought S1 was decent but I think this season has been an improvement and made me more invested then I was.

How far are you along?.

Apophis71 - 9/19/2024, 6:53 AM

@Vigor - Isn't realy one book it is based on as it draws from a whole load of tales that were primarily written as word of mouth versions told in the bars of middle Earth so there would be a lot of wiggle room to say this is the true story without the warping and creative licence of wandering minstrels over the centuries...

...haven't gotten to watching any of it yet however, on my list but keeping it till I get my lounge back. My eldest and her BF moved out of their old flat as rents were ridiculously high and rising above inflation so saving up a deposit for renting a house instead so turned out front room into a temp bedsit :(.

BraxtonHicks - 9/18/2024, 7:28 PM

Soooooooo like how Falcon/ Winter Soldier turned into Captain America and Winter Soldier in the end....?

StSteven - 9/18/2024, 7:30 PM

If I had to guess, that they'll likely be picking up on the whole "Pres. Ross wants his own team of Avengers" thread and have a post credits scene with Ross, Val, and the (surviving) tam members that goes something like this:

Ross: "Well? Bring in my new Avengers team."
Val: "They're really more of a... dark ops team, to be honest."
Ross: "So... my Dark Avengers. I like it (smiles)."

Then cut to black with the line on the screen "The Dark Avengers will return"

Or something like that. A little cheesy? Yeah, kinda. A little contrived? Probably also yeah. Still cool? Sure. Why the hell not? 😊

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 7:33 PM

@StSteven - idk man , I still think it’s a bit cheesy

But I also thought Val saying US Agent out loud was cheesy too so idk lol.

Not sure why that is

StSteven - 9/18/2024, 7:59 PM

@TheVisionary25 - Yeah it’s cheesy but keep in mind that the GA has no idea who the Dark Avengers are so they have to get that name out there and provide some kind of easy to understand explanation behind it.

Then, of course, keep in mind all the marketing (which will inevitably leak the name), the action figures, Outwatch DLC, Halloween costumes, etc. that will come afterward. Gotta get that brand out in front of everyone 😏.

TheVisionary25 - 9/18/2024, 8:09 PM

@StSteven - yeah true

Idk how to explain it but Dark Avengers as a title in the comic worked better for me because I don’t think they were ever called that in the series but the public were just the Avengers because they didn’t know their true identities at the time so it felt like dramatic irony of us knowing something the world in the series didn’t so if someone calls them that it would feel odd , especially if this is a story of redemption

However I could easily see someone or even Val introducing them to the public as the “New” Avengers

Apophis71 - 9/19/2024, 6:59 AM

@StSteven - Merch could label it Dark Avengers, like the comics were titled, but in universe unlikely they would ever be called that and just announced as the new Avengers (slipping in the word Dark is possible however). Hardly a good look for a government to announce to the world the creation of a new team and call it Dark Avengers end of the day, Secret Avengers would be more on brand for that kind of thing.

BruceWayng - 9/18/2024, 7:36 PM

They have turned the MCU into an absolute shitshow. Why do they have SUCH a hard time just letting things be the thing they’re supposed to be and not an alternate, reinterpretation, multiversal, revamp of itself…

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RUMOR: We May Know What That Asterisk In THUNDERBOLTS* Signifies - Possible SPOILERS

There's been a lot of speculation about that mysterious asterisk that was added to the title of Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts, and we may finally know what it means...

David Harbour Talks THUNDERBOLTS*'s Mysterious Asterisk And His DCU Future As CREATURE COMMANDOS' Frankenstein

Steven Yeun Rumored To Be Up For Another MCU Role After Missing Out On Playing Sentry In THUNDERBOLTS*