With the release of Thunderbolts* on May 2, 2025, Marvel Studios is ready for a pivotal moment.  This next picture sets a radical new direction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), breaking a 13-year tradition of sequels.  It is a recent addition to the super-antihero genre and is unique in that it reimagines the studio's storytelling methodology.  Let's examine how "Thunderbolts*" innovates and what this movie portends for the MCU's future. 

With Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo serving as screenwriters and Jake Schreier as director, the action movie, which is based on the Thunderbolts team from Marvel Comics, thrives. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Hannah John-Kamen are all part of the ensemble cast.

Joanna Calo and Eric Pearson wrote the screenplay, which establishes the plot of a gang of antiheroes who are compelled to form an alliance.  They traverse a dangerous assignment that tests their mettle.
 
Thunderbolts*, the MCU's 36th film, is a significant milestone that brings the universe's Phase 5 to a close. Phase 5 began with "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" in 2023.  With "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," "The Marvels," and "Deadpool & Wolverine" in 2024, the phase has since come to a close.  It continues the action-packed plot that culminated in the february 14th release of "Captain America: Brave New World" earlier this year.  

"Thunderbolts*" is poised to upend the MCU's well-known cadence and usher in a new era that questions the franchise's long-standing release custom.  It is slated for release in May, making it the first non-sequel movie in the series to do so since "The Avengers" in 2012.

Iron Man, the first film in the MCU, debuted in May 2008, and its sequel came out barely two years later.  The arrival of Thor in 2011 solidified the month's status as a key location for Marvel's newest releases.  Then came "The Avengers" in 2012, which set the stage for the slew of Marvel sequels that would follow.

Its May releases were mostly sequels to its most popular titles as the universe grew.  From Captain America to The Avengers to even Guardians of the Galaxy, the pattern persisted, making May the preferred month for Marvel's big-budget comebacks.  However, "Thunderbolts*" deviates from this trend and adds a new narrative and perspective. 

"Fantastic Four: First Steps" will open Phase 6 in July 2025, and "Avengers: Secret Wars" will mark the phase's conclusion in 2027.  Remarkably, the upcoming Avengers movies, such as "Avengers: Doomsday," will carry on the May custom and be released in 2026 and 2027.  Being the final non-sequel Marvel movie for at least the next two years, "Thunderbolts*" stands out as a unique addition to the universe.  
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Thunderbolts*

G GOWTHAM

29/04/2025 10:57 AM