Marvel Is Already Banking On Thunderbolts Being A Hit - That Might Be A Mistake

Summary

Marvel has high expectations for Thunderbolts to bring a fresh take to the MCU, despite the risks involved.
Thunderbolts features underused characters like Winter Soldier, creating intrigue for fans.
Marvel’s plans for Thunderbolts tie into Avengers: Doomsday, with early feedback being positive.

Thunderbolts* is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, set to hit cinemas on May 2, 2025. With a brilliant ensemble cast that features some talented actors and characters that haven’t been overexposed at this point, there is a genuine buzz for what the movie can deliver.

Thunderbolts* is set to be totally different from anything else within the MCU at this stage, which is precisely what the franchise needs at the moment. That is one of the reasons why Marvel Studios has put so much expectation on his movie to deliver, and there’s undoubtedly an element of risk in that.

Marvel’s Best Thunderbolts Lineup Is Not In The Movie, But The Groundwork Is There For A Sequel

The Thunderbolts film doesn’t feature the team’s best lineup, but some of its members are already part of the MCU, which offers potential for sequels.

Marvel Is Putting Total Faith In Thunderbolts* Delivering

The Majority Of The Cast Has Been Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday

Thunderbolts* is an interesting concept from the start due to the fact that it doesn’t feature any major Marvel Studios stars. The most significant name that has been developed is the Winter Soldier, but he’s never been shown as one of the A-List characters, which is one of the reasons people are so intrigued by this film. It’s a bunch of underused and underutilized characters being thrown together as a dysfunctional team, and seeing how that comes together has the potential to be a lot of fun. Marvel certainly thinks so, as they have put a lot of faith into this movie despite its lack of a typical established character.

Thunderbolts* hasn’t even been released, and most of the cast has already been confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. That film is set to be one of the biggest in Marvel history, and the fact that it is going to feature the majority of the Thunderbolts* movie is a huge statement of trust from the decision-makers at Marvel. They believe this movie will be a brilliant one, and that level of confidence could result in many fans wanting to check Thunderbolts* out just to see who everyone is and how they might impact Avengers: Doomsday. It isn’t normal for Marvel to push this level of trust into an entire group of characters like this; therefore, there is already a level of intrigue.

Thunderbolts* Backfiring Would Have Huge Consequences

Marvel Has Already Put Plans Together For The Team

Marvel’s decision to back Thunderbolts* before it is even released is a positive for the movie. It is the level of confidence that audiences genuinely want to see from the studios heading into a film. Thunderbolts* might seem like a gamble on paper, but it has a similar feel to Guardians of the Galaxy, where it’s an ensemble of wild personalities that aren’t overly known but have the potential to come together to create something truly special. However, if Thunderbolts* doesn’t take off the way that Marvel needs it to, then including these characters in Avengers: Doomsday in such a prominent manner will be a total misfire on Marvel’s behalf.

After such a rocky period for Marvel throughout the Multiverse phase, which has had people questioning the future of the franchise in a serious way for the first time since its inception, the last thing they need is another flop. There isn’t that long between now and Avengers: Doomsday, and Thunderbolts* is set to be an important film in that journey. Therefore, it must deliver. Audiences need to be gripped by these characters and the story that is told so that it can seamlessly transition into Avengers: Doomsday. If the opposite happens, it might lead to serious problems for the upcoming Avengers movies. Marvel has obviously planned for Thunderbolts to play a significant role in the fight against Doctor Doom, but if the audience rejects them after their own introductory movie, then there’s a chance people will lose interest in Avengers: Doomsday. That would then create a ripple effect for Avengers: Secret Wars, even though they’re supposed to be two massive projects for Marvel.

Thunderbolts* Early Feedback Has Been Positive

Marvel Will Hope That Continues With Its Full Release

Fortunately for Marvel, the early feedback from those who saw the UK premiere or attended an early fan screening has been highly positive. There have been rave reviews about Thunderbolts* so far, with the fight scenes being praised and the amount of emotion that’s put into it. Florence Pugh is set to come out of this movie as Marvel’s next big star, which is likely what the studios had intended, given her star power and long-term potential. However, those who have seen this movie early are more than likely to be big fans of the MCU generally. Therefore, the risk factor is a lot lower going in as to whether they’ll enjoy it or not. The true test will be when Thunderbolts* is released to the general public, as it will quickly become clear as to whether Marvel’s decision to gamble and go all in on the film will pay off.