The secret is officially out as Marvel Studios has shared a series of social media posts with posters for The New Avengers, the movie formerly(?) known as Thunderbolts*.
This might seem premature so soon after opening weekend, but a video featuring the cast revealing the title change—clearly taken during the premiere—confirms this has been the plan for a while now.
However, you've got to feel for Taskmaster actor Olga Kurylenko being included in the group shot, all things considered.
So, is this an official title change? It's hard to say, but what else are we supposed to think after seeing these posts? Had Thunderbolts* been a critical and commercial flop, we doubt Marvel Studios would have tarnished the Avengers brand by highlighting the post-credits scene reveal.
However, with Thunderbolts* receiving widespread acclaim and fans falling in love with these characters, why not make The New Avengers part of the Multiverse Saga ahead of Avengers: Doomsday's release next year?
The exhibitor-exclusive posters for Dolby, 4DX, RealD 3D, IMAX, ScreenX, and Fandango have also been rebranded with The New Avengers, suggesting this should be considered Thunderbolts*'s new title.
When you search for "The New Avengers" on Letterboxd, for example, Thunderbolts* is displayed, so spreading the word about this name change looks to have been a deliberate effort by Disney and Marvel Studios.
Will you be heading to theaters to watch Thunderbolts* The New Avengers again this weekend?
Even Sebastian Stan is getting in on the action...
In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes - Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
"Thunderbolts* redefines superhero storytelling to deliver a moving and powerful story that does for the 'Multiverse Saga' what The Avengers did for the 'Infinity Saga' in 2012," we said in our review. "These heroes have earned their place on a Wheaties box."
The cast of Thunderbolts* will be led by Florence Pugh as Yelena Boleva, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as "Bob."
Written by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo, and directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.