WARNING: There are spoilers for Thunderbolts* ahead! Marvel Studios is not worried about spoiling the end of Thunderbolts* for those that haven’t seen it yet. The movie has only been out for three days now, but on Sunday some of the movie’s biggest billboards were changed to include the team’s official title: The New Avengers. Photos of these massive ads hit social media as well, meaning that fans who hadn’t caught the movie knew this one massive part of the ending, if nothing else. Some commenters complained that it was too soon for Marvel advertisers to make this assumption, and that fans who couldn’t see it on opening weekend were being punished. Others thought it was a triumphant way to welcome the new era for the MCU.
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Thunderbolts* follows a group of MCU underdogs who form an unlikely team to take on a global threat in spite of all the obstacles and doubt cast their way. They take on the name Thunderbolts ironically, and it doesn’t last long. At the very end of the film, they are declared “The New Avengers,” and in the post credit scene set 14 months later, they’re going by the name Avengers, though they’re disputing Sam Wilson for the moniker.
At least one billboard in Los Angeles was changed on Sunday, and it quickly made the rounds on social media. It’s unclear how far this change in branding will go, as Marvel has been pushing Thunderbolts* hard with TV spots, social media ads, and signage around movie theaters.
[RELATED: When Will Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Stream on Disney+?]
Whether Marvel stops here or not, for some commenters, the damage is done. They flooded replies on X questioning why Marvel would make this move so early. Many suspected it was a bid to frighten fans into seeing these movies on opening weekend or opening night from now on. At this point, it’s the safest way to avoid all spoilers, especially if you live in L.A. where you’re likely to see billboards like this one. Others thought it was not a big deal, noting that they had muted Thunderbolts in their social media feeds until they could see the movie.
Still, it’s true that Marvel is counting on fans to get out and see this movie to recover from recent flops. While Deadpool & Wolverine was a success, The Marvels and Captain America: Brave New World both underperformed at the box office and in reviews. That trend needs to change quickly as Marvel pushes The Fantastic Four: First Steps followed by Avengers: Doomsday, and from there, the real finale of the Multiverse Saga.
Thunderbolts* is in theaters now in the U.S. Previous Marvel titles are streaming now on Disney+.
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