After The First Thunderbolts* Reactions, I'm Convinced Marvel Is Finally Fixing A 4-Year-Old MCU Problem

:0:1

The MCU has had a specific problem for four years now, but the first reactions to Thunderbolts* imply it is finally being fixed. The social media reactions to Thunderbolts* were released in April 2025, over a week before the film had its theatrical release. This indicates that Marvel Studios has great faith in Thunderbolts* to be one of the better Marvel movies of 2025, as the studio is trusting audience word-of-mouth to drive people to theaters for opening weekend.
These reactions are seemingly having the intended effect, with heaps of praise being directed towards Thunderbolts* cast of characters, their team dynamic, the exploration of their mental health, and the film"s focus on practical effects. As many have pointed out, Thunderbolts* apparently feels like an old-school Marvel movie, harkening back to the days of the best-ranked MCU movies of the Infinity Saga. Beyond all of this, though, another specific aspect of Thunderbolts* is being praised, hinting that a four-year-old problem the MCU has had is finally being rectified once more.
The First Reactions To Thunderbolts* Praise The Film's Post-Credit Scenes Thunderbolts* Has Two Scenes Throughout The Credits

Custom image by Nicolas Ayala The aspect of the MCU in question is its now-synonymous post-credit scenes. According to the first reactions to Thunderbolts*, the 2025 film has two credit scenes, one mid-way through and one right at the end. More than just having two, however, critics and other early viewers are hyping up the credit scenes of Thunderbolts* as some of the best in a very long time. Matt Ramos states that the second credit scene of Thunderbolts* is the most important and exciting in years, while Ian Sandwell claims the "lengthy post-credit scene" sets up the MCU"s future well.
Cris Parker claims that Thunderbolts* perfects the balance between being its own film and teasing the future, stating that 95% of the runtime is dedicated to the story at hand, but that the 5% that sets up the future is overly exciting. Big Gold Belt Media echoes all of these sentiments by simply placing the mind-blown emoji next to the words "1 Mid & 1 Post credit scene." Clearly, the post-credit scenes of Thunderbolts* are resonating with those who got to see the film early, promising a switch from the recent status quo for Marvel.
The Multiverse Saga Has Had A Problem With Post-Credit Scenes Going Nowhere Marvel's Interconnectivity Has Suffered For One Reason Or Another

Custom Image by Kai Young The reason why the reaction to Thunderbolts* post-credit scenes is so important is the trouble Marvel has had with making compelling ones of late. Since Avengers: Endgame ended the Infinity Saga, Marvel has had a lot of post-credit teases that either mean nothing now or have not been addressed since they were first seen. Since 2021 and the Multiverse Saga"s debut, this has been the case, with only three Marvel movies having post-credit scenes that have been important or will prove to be in upcoming MCU movies. These three are Black Widow, The Marvels, and Captain America: Brave New World.

Related Every Upcoming Marvel Movie: Full MCU Phase 5 & 6 List (& Beyond) Between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, here is every upcoming Marvel movie release date and what we know about the projects so far.
Posts 6 Black Widow"s post-credit scene teased Yelena"s MCU future, which has been in focus in Hawkeye, Thunderbolts*, and soon-to-be Avengers: Doomsday. The Marvels confirmed the return of the X-Men set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday"s story, and Captain America: Brave New World set up the multiversal events of the future. Beyond that, there have been eight movies with post-credit scenes that have come to nothing.
For example, teases for what was once to be the story of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty were featured in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania"s post-credit scenes. Jonathan Majors" assault charges meant that Marvel changed direction, substituting Kang for RDJ"s Doctor Doom and rendering these scenes inconsequential. Other scenes, like Eternals setting up a future for the team or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness teasing a third film, are yet to be capitalized on. This is not to mention some other examples, typifying Marvel Studios’ post-credit scene woes of late.
Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scenes: What Could They Be? The Interconnectivity Of The MCU Could Be Back On Track

Custom image by Nicolas Ayala Thankfully, it seems Marvel"s post-credit issues are finally coming to an end if the reactions to Thunderbolts* are to be believed. This begs the question, then, of what exactly Thunderbolts* post-credit scenes tease. The most logical answer is the story of Avengers: Doomsday. The cast members of Thunderbolts* were confirmed to be part of Avengers: Doomsday"s cast list over a month before the former film was even released, meaning their next major MCU appearance will likely be set up in the post-credit scene.
This leaves the mid-credit scene to potentially set up other important aspects of the MCU"s future, like The Fantastic Four"s debut...
This could involve the Thunderbolts team being told about the incoming multiversal threats or maybe even feature the first appearance of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. If either of these elements or, indeed, both of them, are part of Thunderbolts*, they will likely come in the post-credits scene for the film. This leaves the mid-credit scene to potentially set up other important aspects of the MCU"s future, like The Fantastic Four"s debut. Whatever these Thunderbolts* scenes hold, they are sure to be exciting, finally fixing a years-long issue the MCU has had.

Like Follow Followed Thunderbolts* PG-13 Adventure Action Sci-Fi Release Date May 2, 2025 Runtime 126 Minutes Director Jake Schreier Writers Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Cast See All