Disney Clarifies 'Thunderbolts*' Title Change Isn't Complete
If you've not yet seen Thunderbolts*, you might be a little confused about the title of the movie. And even if you have seen it, you may also be wondering whether or not Disney and Marvel Studios' new marketing stunt actually changes the title of the movie. Here's what's going on. Mild spoilers ahead.
At the end of Thunderbolts*, the team is rebranded The New Avengers, a designation that sticks, because in the post-credits scene, they're very much functioning as the Avengers and even living in the Avengers tower. In the real world, just after the film's release, several pre-made images and videos dropped featuring the cast ripping off the title of the movie to reveal "The New Avengers" underneath.
But, in terms of databases, and eventually, streaming and home video versions, does this mean the movie is called Thunderbolts* or The New Avengers?
Officially, according to Deadline, the title of the movie is still Thunderbolts*.
"We hear from Disney that the studio didn’t technically re-title Thunderbolts* (that would be crazy), rather just spelled out that asterisk," Deadline reported on May 5.
Related: 'Thunderbolts*' Spoilery Post-Credits Scene Makes Marvel's Next Chapter Utterly Wild
So, there you have it. The asterisk in the title was hiding the phrase "The New Avengers," but the movie is still called Thunderbolts.
Are we okay with this? Does it make sense? If you've seen the movie, this sense of internal contradiction and quirkiness does totally work. It may seem like a cynical Marvel scheme to make money and drum up attention, but, the plot of the film more than justifies these shenanigans.