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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.

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