The Answer To The Thunderbolts* Asterisk Could Make A Major Avengers 5 Theory Come True

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A new Thunderbolts* trailer has been released, and the major mystery surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie"s title asterisk might not only have been revealed, but the answer to the burning question could connect to a major Avengers: Doomsday theory. One of the biggest issues the MCU has been facing during its Multiverse Saga is that the franchise has seemed directionless. While several new characters have been introduced in the past few years, many of them have only a single appearance and no plans set for them to return in future MCU movies and series.
Thunderbolts* happens to be a nice solution to that problem. The reason for that comes from Thunderbolts*"s expansive cast, which features many stars from past MCU projects, such as Sebastian Stan"s Bucky Barnes and Florence Pugh"s Yelena Belova. There are many questions surrounding the characters" mission, why Valentina Allegra de Fontaine chose these specific members for her team, and most of all — Why does Thunderbolts* have an asterisk in its title? The asterisk was added to the title after the movie had been announced for some time, and it seems like a new Thunderbolts* trailer might have revealed its meaning.
The Thunderbolts* Asterisk’s Meaning Being Dark Avengers Is Looking More Likely The MCU Movie Could Feature A Temporary Team Name Close The leading theory behind the reason Thunderbolts* has an asterisk in its title is that the team"s name is just temporary. Either sometime during the MCU movie or when the credits roll, it would be revealed that the Thunderbolts" real name in the MCU is a much bigger one, with the team being called the Dark Avengers. This theory was helped by the new Thunderbolts* trailer, which featured a few key moments that make it seem like Valentina Allegra de Fontaine"s covert team will not be named Thunderbolts for long.
In the new Thunderbolts* trailer, it becomes clear that Valentina bought Avengers Tower. Previous footage from the MCU movie seemed to be set in the iconic location, but Julia Louis-Dreyfus" character outright asks the Thunderbolts, "How crazy is it to think of all the monumental fights that happened exactly here where you are standing?" Valentina also mentions that the place was not cheap, confirming that it is Avengers Tower. Adding to that, after Red Guardian calls the team the Thunderbolts in the trailer, Bucky, Ghost, and Yelena dislike the choice, and the asterisk appears, suggesting it is a temporary name.
The Dark Avengers’ MCU Debut Would Connect To An Avengers: Doomsday Theory The Thunderbolts Could Return In The Next Avengers Movie

With Val having bought Avengers Tower, the Thunderbolts possibly operating out of it, and the MCU movie"s new trailer teasing that the team will have a new name by the end of the film, it seems like the theory that the Thunderbolts will become the MCU"s Dark Avengers team from the comics will come true. That could lead to another major MCU theory also being accurate, which would make Avengers: Doomsday even more exciting. The Multiverse Saga"s biggest complaint has been the absence of the Avengers, and Thunderbolts*"s asterisk could lead to a story that solves that in spades.
Every Confirmed Avengers: Doomsday Cast Member
Actor
Character
Robert Downey Jr.
Doctor Doom
Benedict Cumberbatch
Doctor Strange
Pedro Pascal
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic
Vanessa Kirby
Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman
Joseph Quinn
Johnny Storm/The Human Torch
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Ben Grimm/The Thing
The Avengers: Doomsday theory claims that Marvel Studios has been slowly setting up multiple Avengers teams so that the heroes can separate into different groups to take down Doctor Doom and any multiverse villains that appear in the Avengers" next movie, which would have made even more sense when the film was set to feature Kang the Conqueror and his many variants. The MCU has teased the debut of teams like the New Avengers, the Young Avengers, possibly the West Coast Avengers, and a street-level version of the team with Daredevil. The Thunderbolts becoming the Dark Avengers would suit that.
The Dark Avengers’ Marvel Comics Connection To Doctor Doom Explained Robert Downey Jr.'s Character Is The Multiverse Saga's Main Villain Close Interestingly, the timing of Thunderbolts* and Avengers: Doomsday"s releases does tease that a possible comic book connection could be repeated in the MCU. In Marvel Comics, the Dark Avengers" first mission was saving Doctor Doom after Norman Osborn, their leader, received a distress call from the Marvel villain. The MCU has yet to reveal what is Valentina Allegra de Fontaine"s ultimate goal. However, the character is a shadowy figure whose motivations could very well line up with those of master manipulator Doctor Doom, leading to the Thunderbolts helping Doctor Doom as the Dark Avengers.

Related Avengers: Doomsday Theory Undoes The Ending Of Spider-Man: No Way Home With A Major Twist A new Avengers: Doomsday theory based on MCU Spider-Man 4 updates explains how Spider-Man: No Way Home"s ending can be undone in the near future.
The team could very well go through some changes before that happens. It has been reported that a previous version of Thunderbolts*"s script saw the team die on their mission. That could still be partially true, with a few characters dying in Thunderbolts*, especially if Sentry turns out to be a villain due to his the Void persona. As such, only the characters more comfortable with something like working alongside Doctor Doom could remain by the end of Thunderbolts*. The Dark Avengers could also believe that Doctor Doom is trying to save the multiverse, leading to a misguided partnership.

Thunderbolts* Marvel's Thunderbolts* is a superhero movie based on the comic team of the same name. The movie acts as a part of the MCU's fifth phase of films. The film sees the likes of Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell, the Red Guardian, and more as an unlikely group of heroes and villains brought together to fight for good.
Director Jake Schreier Release Date May 2, 2025 Cast Florence Pugh , Sebastian Stan , David Harbour , Wyatt Russell , Olga Kurylenko , Hannah John-Kamen , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Geraldine Viswanathan , Lewis Pullman , Joshua Mikel Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe

Avengers: Doomsday (2026) Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert DOwney Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
Director Anthony Russo , Joe Russo Release Date May 1, 2026 Cast Vanessa Kirby , Joseph Quinn , Pedro Pascal , Robert Downey Jr. , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Benedict Cumberbatch Franchise(s) The Avengers All Announced Upcoming MCU Movies