Summary
Marvel Studios has invested a lot of effort and finances intoThunderbolts*in a bid to make it the franchise’s next big hit. With a tremendous ensemble cast and a deeply emotional story, it has already been a big hit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Thunderboltsearned $162 million at the box office worldwide, with $76 million coming from the United States of America, putting it in the top spot ahead ofSinnersandA Minecraft Movie.The fans have proven that audiences are interested inThunderbolts, but that hasn’t stopped Marvel Studios from taking a significant risk to try and increase interest moving forward.
Marvel Has Made A Huge Change With Thunderbolts*
From the moment thatThunderboltswas announced, one of the big questions has been what the asterisk means. It was a unique element to add to the title of a movie, but that ended up being a fun talking point among fans, who presumed they would learn that information when watching the movie. Those who saw it in the first couple of days did, butMarvel Studios has revealed itto the masses by effectively renaming the filmThe New Avengers. This is what the asterisk was for, as the group isn’t going to be known as the Thunderbolts, as people had imagined. While revealing this twist is certainly getting people talking, doing so after all the marketing has been pumped into theThunderboltsbranding seems like a strange step to take. Disney has claimed thatThunderbolts*remains the title, butThe New Avengersis now the asterisk-spelled-out, but the potential negative impact this could have on the film makes it a bold decision.
Marvel’s Announcement Effectively Spoils Thunderbolts*
Fans Know The Big Twist Heading Into It
Heading into this movie initially, the intrigue was finding out what the asterisk was, and the story unfolds in a way that reveals that perfectly. It’s a massive moment in the film’s ending, andMarvel’s decision to spoil that with a marketing decision is strange. Originally, the revelation of their new group name should’ve been a big talking point coming out of the film. People would’ve been questioning if they’re happy with them becomingThe New Avengers, speculating how the other Marvel characters will react, and generally looking ahead to the future. However, audiences will already know the big reveal ahead of time; therefore, the reaction will be muted when it happens. It’s a decision that could negatively harmthe quality ofThunderbolts*, which makes it feel so bizarre.
Those involved inThunderboltscreatively wanted this to be a huge reveal, not something that was spelled out in the title ahead of time. Given that the movie has already been performing well at the box office and the word of mouth has been sopositive about Florence Pugh’s performanceand the general quality, it feels unnecessary. There’s no need to take such a gamble when the film is already doing well. Sure, people could easily seek out the major spoiler if they wanted to, but Marvel Studios revealing it feels like a backward step forThunderboltsas a project soon after being released.
Marvel’s Risk Might Not Pay Off
Thunderbolts* Is Now Surrounded In Confusion
Ultimately, the decision to totally rename the movie and reveal one of the biggest spoilers from within the story is a massive risk. It’s a unique marketing plot by Marvel Studios, the likes of which they have never done before, and it does pay off the asterisk that people have been asking about for so long. However, noteveryone who will watch Thunderboltsis tuned into everything that happens within the MCU, which has been a problem for the franchise in general lately. The multiverse phase has made audiences feel like they need to do homework heading into each movie, and this decision has a similar feeling. Not everyone will be aware of why this movie has been renamed, and instead, they will simply be left questioning whereThunderboltshas gone and why they are now seeing posters that sayThe New Avengersinstead.
Doing this several days after the movie has been released doesn’t help matters either. Cinemas worldwide have promoted this in terms of posters, but there is now a totally new name to push, and some people might not have the same level of interest. The change can be off-putting to some, who will feel like the tweaks are going to be something that they won’t understand unless they’re totally plugged into the franchise. Ultimately, it’s not confusing because everything is explained andmakes sense withinThunderbolts*, but changing the name this way pushes a different message. It’s a decision that Marvel hopes adds a level of intrigue. Plus, theAvengersbrand is an established one, which is the opposite of this brand-new team. However, taking a major gamble like this on a movie that has real importance to the franchise, with characters that have a big long-term future, is a risk, and it’s one that needs to pay off forThunderbolts*.
