What Does the Asterisk Mean in ‘Thunderbolts’ Title?

The newest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ‘Thunderbolts’, is currently showing in theatres all over the world.  However, since the movie’s initial announcement, viewers have been perplexed by one detail: why is there an asterisk at the end of the title?

 The movie, which was directed by Jake Schreier (Beef), centres on a group of damaged antiheroes who must work together to complete a crucial assignment after falling into a dangerous trap.  Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Florence Pugh plays Yelena Belova,  Hannah John-Kamen plays Ghost, Sebastian Stan plays Bucky Barnes, David Harbour plays Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell plays John Walker, and Olga Kurylenko plays Taskmaster.

Image Courtesy: Marvel.com

‘Thunderbolts’, which was released globally on 1st May, has already created a lot of attention.  As per NME’s reviews, the asterisk in the title makes sense toward the end of the movie.

 One issue remains, though: what does the asterisk actually mean?

The punctuation has generated a lot of fan theories, despite never being explained in the movie.  The most common interpretation is that it indicates that this squad is a stand-in, one that was assembled without the Avengers.  The Avengers are not available is even included in a footnote on one foreign poster, implying that the asterisk is a lighthearted allusion to the Thunderbolts’ status as an unprepared superhero squad rather than a last-minute, mismatched crew.

Image Courtesy: Marvel.com

 The team’s temporary identity may also be referenced by the asterisk. The protagonists are seen experimenting with names like the New Avengers or Dark Avengers toward the end of the movie, suggesting that ‘Thunderbolts’ is more of a stand-in until they settle on their true identities.

–Farheen Ali