Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts has finally hit theaters, and as expected, the film includes two impactful post-credit scenes that reshape the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). These scenes not only rebrand a controversial team of anti-heroes but also signal the long-awaited arrival of Marvel’s First Family.
🕒 Mid-Credits Scene: Thunderbolts Become “New Avengers”
In the mid-credits scene, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine publicly rebrands the Thunderbolts as the “New Avengers”, in a bold PR stunt to sway public opinion. The team—including Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and U.S. Agent—is thrust into the spotlight with over-the-top media coverage.
This rebranding leads to political tension in the MCU, particularly with Sam Wilson’s camp, which is reportedly forming a separate Avengers initiative. Legal and ideological battles over the “Avengers” name are hinted to play a major role in future MCU storylines.
🚀 Post-Credits Scene: Fantastic Four Enters the MCU
The final post-credits scene delivers one of the most anticipated moments in recent MCU history. Set more than a year after the events of Thunderbolts, the newly dubbed New Avengers are seen at their base in the former Avengers Tower, now called the Watchtower.
Suddenly, they receive a distress signal from a mysterious spacecraft emerging from a dimensional rift. The camera zooms in on a bold “4” insignia on the hull—confirming it’s the Fantastic Four. This marks the team’s first appearance in the MCU and sets up the upcoming film Fantastic Four: First Steps, releasing July 25, 2025.
Notably, this scene was directed by the Russo brothers, linking it to the storyline of Avengers: Doomsday (2026), in which the Fantastic Four are expected to play a major role.
⚠️ What This Means for the MCU
These two post-credit scenes establish:
- The Thunderbolts/New Avengers as a central team in MCU Phase 6
- The return of political and team-based tensions seen in Captain America: Civil War
- The introduction of cosmic threats likely connected to characters like Doctor Doom or Galactus
- The official MCU debut of the Fantastic Four, leading into multiverse-level conflicts
With these revelations, Thunderbolts has delivered one of the most game-changing MCU post-credit sequences in years.
