logo
What does the Thunderbolts* asterisk mean in the title?

What does the Thunderbolts* asterisk mean in the title?

USA Today02-05-2025

What does the Thunderbolts* asterisk mean in the title?
When the Marvel Cinematic Universe announced its most recent movie, it was simply Thunderbolts. During filming, however, the title got a new accessory as the movie's stars and the studio added an asterisk. It became Thunderbolts* as the official title, but no one knew exactly what it all meant.
With the release of the movie on May 2, we now know.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THUNDERBOLTS* AHEAD
The unlikely group made up of Yelena (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour) and newcomer Bob (Lewis Pullman) have to team up to defeat The Void. After they emerged from the endless maze of shame rooms that make up The Void, the ragtag team thought they were going to arrest the diabolical Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Instead, the Thunderbolts -- previously named for Yelena's youth soccer team the Westchester Big Valley Thunderbolts -- were dubbed "the New Avengers."
And thus ended the asterisk.
Thanks to the Thunderbolts* post credit scene, we also know that the New Avengers will return in the upcoming Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, dead at 82
Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, dead at 82

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, dead at 82

Brian Wilson, founding member of the Beach Boys and pop music innovator, has died. He was 82. The legendary singer and songwriter's family confirmed his passing through social media. "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away," the post read. "We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world." More from GoldDerby 'Deadpool and Wolverine,' 'Thunderbolts,' 'The Last of Us' lead the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña on Pixar's first Mexican-Dominican animated lead in 'Elio': 'The future of America are Latinos' 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles dish their 'ride of a lifetime,' stolen jokes, and turning drag 'inside out' The post was signed "Love & Mercy," a nod to Wilson's single from his debut solo album. No cause of death was announced. In early 2024, shortly after the death of his second wife, Melinda Ledbetter, it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with dementia. Wilson, originally from Hawthorne, Calif., scored three No. 1 hits with the Beach Boys, including "I Get Around," "Help Me, Rhonda," and "Good Vibrations." He was perhaps just as well known for his work in the studio, evolving the sound of pop music and rock and roll to incorporate more elaborate productions featuring complex harmonies and orchestration. For as seismic as Wilson's impact on the music industry inarguably was, he went under-recognized by awards bodies. A nine-time Grammy nominee, he only scored his first win in 2005 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance with "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow." Wilson won his second of two Grammys eight years later for Best Historical Album with The Smile Sessions. Alongside the Beach Boys, Wilson was a 1988 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a 2000 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. "One Kind of Love," the song he wrote for the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy starring Paul Dano, earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Best of GoldDerby Billboard 200: Chart-topping albums of 2025 Billboard Hot 100: Every No. 1 song of 2025 The B-52s' Kate Pierson talks Rock Hall snub, influencing John Lennon, and fears a solo album would be a 'betrayal' to her band Click here to read the full article.

Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of ‘Elsbeth': ‘She's more than just quirky'
Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of ‘Elsbeth': ‘She's more than just quirky'

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of ‘Elsbeth': ‘She's more than just quirky'

Carrie Preston has portrayed Elsbeth Tascioni — a delightfully unpredictable attorney — for more than 15 years. What began as a recurring character on The Good Wife evolved into a fan-favorite performance that continued on The Good Fight and now leads her own CBS series, Elsbeth, heading into its third season. With each iteration, Preston has peeled back more layers of Elsbeth's eccentric persona, revealing a character as emotionally complex as she is offbeat. 'I love Elsbeth's curiosity and her wonder and her positive attitude,' Preston tells Gold Derby. 'It takes discipline to approach the world that way. It's infectious. I love getting inside of that mindset every day because it really helps me in my life.' More from GoldDerby Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, dead at 82 'Deadpool and Wolverine,' 'Thunderbolts,' 'The Last of Us' lead the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña on Pixar's first Mexican-Dominican animated lead in 'Elio': 'The future of America are Latinos' While 'quirky' is often the go-to descriptor for Elsbeth, Preston believes there's more beneath the surface. 'I don't mind anyone calling her that, but that can be a little bit of a simplification,' she said. 'Especially now that we've gotten to be in her world on a regular basis … she's more than just that. I think we're seeing her vulnerable side, her maternal side. ... We're seeing a deeper side to her, a more complicated side.' That complexity has evolved over the character's journey from recurring guest to leading role. 'When you're a guest, you're really trying to honor and serve the story and the show that you've come onto,' Preston explained. 'But once we got to her being in the center of her own world … I really wanted to make sure that it stayed grounded.' CBS The CBS procedural sees attorney Elsbeth Tascioni team up with NYPD Officer Kaya Blanke (Carra Patterson) as they crack cases which each episode kicking off with a crime committed by a character portrayed by a high-profile guest star. Preston reflected on working alongside some of her acting idols: 'It was a couple of times where some of my idols were on the show — Laurie Metcalf, Pamela Adlon, Tracey Ullman. These are actors that I want to be like and I am inspired by. And to have them come on the show was really extraordinary.' One particularly unforgettable moment? Fencing with Matthew Broderick. 'I love to do physical comedy,' Preston said. 'To have that happening while we're doing dialogue with these fencing masks on … wearing full-on fencing costumes that were regulation and making it somehow work … we had to practice a lot.' Preston also recalls being deeply moved during a scene with Ullman, who played a psychic. 'She reads that Elsbeth had a grandmother who really believed in her… the lines between me and Elsbeth were just gone. All I had to do was look at Tracey's eyes … and the actor Carrie was totally in awe.' When asked what other series she'd love to see Elsbeth crossover to, Preston has an idea. 'It would be interesting to see her in the Matlock world,' she said. 'Maybe as a consultant… or somehow she stumbles into a crime there. It could be a really fun little crossover episode.' Preston also noted how playing Elsbeth has changed her real-life perspective — especially living in New York City. 'Elsbeth is so enchanted by New York. It really has made me be that way more… appreciate what someone is wearing and then tell them that, or get to know whoever I'm ordering a coffee from.' As for what comes next on the show, Preston is open to wherever the writers take her. 'I don't like to come up with things that I wish, because then that takes me away from what I have… I do think and hope that the ramifications of the assassination of Judge Milton Crawford will carry over into Season 3.' Preston — who previously received acclaim for her roles in Claws and True Blood—clearly enjoys portraying a character that both challenges her and connects with audiences. 'I'm just so touched at how there's such a love for the show,' Preston said. 'Everybody likes to tell me that their mom loves the show … and that makes me feel like, right, we're doing a good job. We've got something for everyone.' Best of GoldDerby TV Hall of Fame: Top 50 best choices who should be inducted next 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles dish their 'ride of a lifetime,' stolen jokes, and turning drag 'inside out' Making of 'Mid-Century Modern': How comedy legends created Hulu's freshest sitcom starring Nathan Lane and the late Linda Lavin Click here to read the full article.

‘Deadpool and Wolverine,' ‘Thunderbolts,' ‘The Last of Us' lead the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations
‘Deadpool and Wolverine,' ‘Thunderbolts,' ‘The Last of Us' lead the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

‘Deadpool and Wolverine,' ‘Thunderbolts,' ‘The Last of Us' lead the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations

Deadpool & Wolverine, Thunderbolts, and The Last of Us are having a super good Wednesday. The pair of Marvel Studios movies lead the film nominations for the fifth annual Critics Choice Super Awards, with six apiece including Best Superhero Movie. That top category is rounded out by Captain America: Brave New World, The People's Joker, Robot Dreams, and Venom: The Last Dance. More from GoldDerby Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña on Pixar's first Mexican-Dominican animated lead in 'Elio': 'The future of America are Latinos' 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles dish their 'ride of a lifetime,' stolen jokes, and turning drag 'inside out' 'And then somebody throws a piece of sh-t at you': 'The Diplomat' star Ato Essandoh on Stuart getting honeytrapped For television, HBO's zombie apocalypse drama The Last of Us leads the field with six bids, including Best Superhero Series, Limited Series, or Made-for-TV Movie. The other programs competing in that race are Agatha All Along, The Boys, Fallout, The Penguin, and Superman & Lois. Liane Hentscher/HBO The Critics Choice Super Awards honor films and shows in four separate genres: action, superhero (which includes comic book and video game adaptations), horror, and science fiction/fantasy. While heroes are the stars of the show, there are also two categories for villains. This year's nominated baddies are: Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two), Emma Corrin (Deadpool & Wolverine), Hugh Grant (Heretic), Jack O'Connell (Sinners), Lewis Pullman (Thunderbolts), and Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) for film; and Vincent D'Onofrio (Daredevil: Born Again), Michael Emerson (Evil), Colin Farrell (The Penguin), Takehiro Hira (Shōgun), Julianne Nicholson (Paradise), and Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror: USS Callister: Into Infinity) for television. "The Super Awards continue to spotlight the incredible achievements in genre cinema and television. This year's slate of nominees truly blew us away with their performances and craftsmanship. These selections represent the very best of popular culture, and we can't wait to see who takes home the honors," Sean O'Connell, CCA director of the Super Awards, said. Marvel Studios The eligibility period for scripted features and TV series is from Jan. 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025. Content may be delivered to audiences theatrically and/or by broadcast, cable, or online apps and services. Here are the 2025 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations: BEST ACTION MOVIE Civil War The Fall Guy Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Monkey Man Rebel Ridge Warfare BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE Tom Cruise – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Taron Egerton – Carry-On Ryan Gosling – The Fall Guy Dev Patel – Monkey Man Aaron Pierre – Rebel Ridge Jack Quaid – Novocaine BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE Emily Blunt – The Fall Guy Ana de Armas – From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Kirsten Dunst – Civil War Cailee Spaeny – Civil War June Squibb – Thelma Anya Taylor-Joy – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE Captain America: Brave New World Deadpool & Wolverine The People's Joker Robot Dreams Thunderbolts Venom: The Last Dance BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE David Harbour – Thunderbolts Tom Hardy – Venom: The Last Dance Hugh Jackman – Deadpool & Wolverine Anthony Mackie – Captain America: Brave New World Lewis Pullman – Thunderbolts Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool & Wolverine BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO MOVIE Emma Corrin – Deadpool & Wolverine Vera Drew – The People's Joker Lady Gaga – Joker: Folie à Deux Jennifer Garner – Deadpool & Wolverine Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Thunderbolts Florence Pugh – Thunderbolts BEST HORROR MOVIE Bring Her Back Heretic Longlegs Nosferatu Sinners The Substance BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE Nicolas Cage – Longlegs David Dastmalchian – Late Night With the Devil Hugh Grant – Heretic Michael B. Jordan – Sinners Bill Skarsgård – Nosferatu Justice Smith – I Saw the TV Glow BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR MOVIE Lily-Rose Depp – Nosferatu Willa Fitzgerald – Strange Darling Sally Hawkins – Bring Her Back Demi Moore – The Substance Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners Naomi Scott – Smile 2 BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE Alien: Romulus Companion Dune: Part Two Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Mickey 17 The Wild Robot BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE Austin Butler – Dune: Part Two Timothée Chalamet – Dune: Part Two David Jonsson – Alien: Romulus Robert Pattinson – Mickey 17 Jack Quaid – Companion Miles Teller – The Gorge BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY MOVIE Naomi Ackie – Mickey 17 Lupita Nyong'o – The Wild Robot Cailee Spaeny – Alien: Romulus Sophie Thatcher – Companion Alicia Vikander – The Assessment Zendaya – Dune: Part Two BEST VILLAIN IN A MOVIE Austin Butler – Dune: Part Two Emma Corrin – Deadpool & Wolverine Hugh Grant – Heretic Jack O'Connell – Sinners Lewis Pullman – Thunderbolts Denzel Washington – Gladiator II BEST ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE 9-1-1 Black Doves The Day of the Jackal The Gentlemen Reacher Shōgun BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Sterling K. Brown – Paradise Theo James – The Gentlemen Eddie Redmayne – The Day of the Jackal Alan Ritchson – Reacher Hiroyuki Sanada – Shōgun Ben Whishaw – Black Doves BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 Viola Davis – G20 Keira Knightley – Black Doves Lashana Lynch – The Day of the Jackal Zoe Saldaña – Lioness Anna Sawai – Shōgun BEST SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Agatha All Along The Boys Fallout The Last of Us The Penguin Superman & Lois BEST ACTOR IN A SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Charlie Cox – Daredevil: Born Again Colin Farrell – The Penguin Walton Goggins – Fallout Tyler Hoechlin – Superman & Lois Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us Antony Starr – The Boys BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPERHERO SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Danai Gurira – The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Kathryn Hahn – Agatha All Along Cristin Milioti – The Penguin Erin Moriarty – The Boys Ella Purnell – Fallout Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us BEST HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire Evil From The Last of Us True Detective: Night Country What We Do in the Shadows BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Kevin Bacon – The Bondsman Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows Mike Colter – Evil Michael Emerson – Evil Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us Harold Perrineau – From BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows Jodie Foster – True Detective: Night Country Katja Herbers – Evil Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets Niecy Nash-Betts – Grotesquerie Bella Ramsey – The Last of Us BEST SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Andor Black Mirror Doctor Who Dune: Prophecy Fantasmas Severance BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Ncuti Gatwa – Doctor Who Walton Goggins – Fallout Diego Luna – Andor Adam Scott – Severance Tramell Tillman – Severance Julio Torres – Fantasmas BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Adria Arjona – Andor Caitriona Balfe – Outlander Kathryn Hahn – Agatha All Along Britt Lower – Severance Cristin Milioti – Black Mirror: USS Callister: Into Infinity Michelle Yeoh – Star Trek: Section 31 BEST VILLAIN IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE Vincent D'Onofrio – Daredevil: Born Again Michael Emerson – Evil Colin Farrell – The Penguin Takehiro Hira – Shōgun Julianne Nicholson – Paradise Jesse Plemons – Black Mirror: USS Callister: Into Infinity SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Stephen King movies: 14 greatest films ranked worst to best 'The Life of Chuck' cast reveal their favorite Stephen King works, including Mark Hamill's love of the 'terrifying' 'Pet Sematary' From 'Hot Rod' to 'Eastbound' to 'Gemstones,' Danny McBride breaks down his most righteous roles: 'It's been an absolute blast' Click here to read the full article.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store