I’m Convinced Marvel’s New Thunderbolts* Trailer Just Made The MCU’s Dark Avengers Theory More Likely

After the brand new Thunderbolts* trailer, I imagine that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the point of reveal a Darkish Avengers twist primarily based on a well-liked idea. One of many points I’ve had with the Multiverse Saga is that numerous characters have debuted in recent times however have but to work together within the MCU. That’s the reason I am so enthusiastic about Thunderbolts*. The second of Marvel Studios’ 2025 movies will deliver again a pleasant mixture of fan favorites, underused, and new MCU characters that promise to make it probably the greatest entries within the Multiverse Saga.

With Thunderbolts*‘s cast of characters that includes gamers like Bucky Barnes and Yelena Belova, I am unable to wait to see what the interactions between the staff might be like. The MCU film’s trailers have teased {that a} enjoyable dynamic might be in play. Nevertheless, the story of Thunderbolts* might be far more than that. The most recent trailer for the MCU film arrange a serious menace to the staff, displaying why they got here collectively within the first place. After some teases, the Thunderbolts’ connections to the Avengers have been firmly established, and I am satisfied that makes an MCU idea far more seemingly.

The New Thunderbolts* Trailer Totally Revealed Avengers Tower’s Makeover

The Reply To A Lengthy-Operating MCU Thriller Has Been Revealed

Avengers Tower is without doubt one of the most iconic places within the MCU. 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming revealed that Avengers Tower was being offered by Tony Stark, as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had moved to the brand new Avengers Compound. Two years later, 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From House shared a brand new replace on the placement, with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker swinging previous the constructing, which revealed that the previous Avengers Tower was present process some development work to present it a brand new look. Thunderbolts*‘s first trailer permits Marvel followers to lastly see what the renovations have been about, as the MCU movie reveals Avengers Tower’s proprietor.

Avengers Tower’s purchaser occurs to be Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the MCU character performed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who slowly assembled the Thunderbolts over the MCU’s previous few years. The reveal had already been teased by earlier Thunderbolts* trailers. In them, members of the MCU’s new staff arrived at what appeared to be the placement to speak with Valentina, who was clearly their host. After becoming a member of the MCU as a shadowy determine, Black Panther: Wakanda Ceaselessly revealed that Valentina is the Director of the CIA within the MCU. This explains why Tony Stark could be okay promoting it to her.

After some inside pictures with Valentina and the Thunderbolts urged that they have been speaking on the new Avengers Tower, the brand new trailer for Marvel’s Thunderbolts* confirmed that to be the case with exterior pictures. One in all them exhibits the enduring format of the constructing, together with its helipad, as Sentry — or his evil model, the Void — floated exterior Valentina’s new constructing. As probably the most vital places in MCU historical past, serving as the primary headquarters for the Avengers, I discover the presence of Avengers Tower as a location owned by the character who assembles the Thunderbolts to be very fascinating.

The Cause Why The Thunderbolts* Come Collectively Has To Do With The Avengers

The MCU Wants Its Premiere Group Of Heroes

I discovered the brand new Thunderbolts* trailer to be enlightening, because it not solely teased the key menace the staff will face and revealed Valentina’s buy of Avengers Tower, however it additionally defined why the staff comes collectively. What shocked me about that was how Marvel is absolutely leaning into the Avengers comparisons for the Thunderbolts. The brand new MCU film trailer opened with Valentina claiming that “The Avengers aren’t coming” and displaying folks being killed by a robust new MCU character whose face stays hidden within the shadows for now, however I am sure is Sentry as his the Void persona.

Valentina’s phrases to the congress cemented what we already knew. The Avengers have been inactive within the MCU since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, with a brand new roster resurrecting the staff in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday. After the digicam focuses on Bucky, when Valentina finishes asking, “Who will hold the American folks secure?” it’s clear that the Thunderbolts need to do what the Avengers cannot. Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes then ties up the opposite members of the Thunderbolts and tells them they’ve to assist him cease this main new menace. The Thunderbolts are the alternative for the Avengers on this story.

Thunderbolts* Will See One other Main Battle For New York 13 Years Later

The New MCU Film Brings Again The Avengers’ Setting

I do not assume that it’s a coincidence that there are such a lot of connections between the Thunderbolts and the Avengers. In addition to the staff seemingly calling the revamped Avengers Tower its middle of operations via Valentina and the Thunderbolts coming collectively to cope with a villain the Avengers ought to have been round to take down, it additionally occurs to be the case that Thunderbolts* will do exactly what 2012’s The Avengers did. Sentry, because the Void, will current a serious menace to New York like Loki did when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes first teamed up.

Avengers: Endgame has already revisited the MCU’s Battle of New York, and the outcomes have been nice. Thunderbolts*‘s related setup makes me very excited concerning the MCU film, as all indicators level towards it birthing the Darkish Avengers. All of the connections to the Avengers current within the new Thunderbolts* trailer assist the favored idea that the staff might be renamed on the finish of the movie, with the surviving members of the Thunderbolts changing into the Darkish Avengers. The idea began after Marvel Studios added an asterisk to the top of the film’s title, and it has roots within the comics.

How The Comics Clarify The Darkish Avengers Concept

The Thunderbolts And The Avengers Will Co-Exist In The MCU

In addition to the connections established between the Thunderbolts and the Avengers within the trailers for the second MCU film of 2025, the comics clarify why there’s a good likelihood that the asterisk in Thunderbolts* is said to the staff changing into the Darkish Avengers by the top of the movie. Within the pages of Marvel Comics, that very scenario has already occurred. Beginning out because the Thunderbolts, subject #175 of the staff’s comedian guide sequence noticed a shock title change to Darkish Avengers, with Norman Osborn serving because the chief of the staff.

I am satisfied the identical is going on within the MCU, as there are just too many connections for all of it to be one huge coincidence. I believe that the Thunderbolts turning into the Darkish Avengers addresses one of many largest complaints the MCU has handled through the Multiverse Saga. The Avengers’ absence has pissed off followers, and with groups just like the Darkish Avengers and the Younger Avengers, who have been arrange in The Marvels, the MCU seems to not solely be bringing again a brand new model of the Avengers subsequent yr but additionally establishing completely different takes on the staff, beginning in Thunderbolts*.

Film

My Favourite Films
My Watchlist

Thunderbolts*

Launch Date

Could 2, 2025

Director

Jake Schreier

Writers

Lee Sung-jin, Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo

All Introduced Upcoming MCU Films