The Shocking Truth Behind Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scene: New Avengers, Captain America’s Lawsuit, And The Road To Doomsday

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to undergo its most chaotic rebranding yet, and the *Thunderbolts* movie is the catalyst. As of December 10, 2025, highly detailed leaks regarding the film’s ending and crucial post-credit scene have emerged, confirming a shocking conclusion that will directly set the stage for the Multiverse Saga's grand finale, *Avengers: Doomsday*.

The anti-hero team, assembled by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, is reportedly set to shed its villainous moniker for a title that will send shockwaves through the MCU—one that current Captain America, Sam Wilson, is apparently not happy about. The post-credit sequence is not just a teaser; it’s a full-blown plot device that redefines the franchise’s future and finally explains the mysterious asterisk in the title, *Thunderbolts*.

The Thunderbolts* Dossier: Cast, Crew, and Controversial Plot Summary

The *Thunderbolts* movie, which serves as the final installment of MCU Phase 5, unites a collection of morally ambiguous characters from previous Marvel projects. The film is set to take place around 2027, placing it firmly after the events of *Captain America: Brave New World* and other recent Phase 5 entries.

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The plot centers on the team being sent on a dangerous mission by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a mission that forces them to confront their pasts and their true purpose. The film's ending reportedly features a betrayal and a dramatic shift in the team's allegiance, culminating in a secretive rebranding.

Complete Thunderbolts* Cast and Crew Profile

• Director: Jake Schreier
• Writers: Eric Pearson (Screenplay), Joanna Calo (Screenplay)
• Producer: Kevin Feige
• Release Date: May 2, 2025 (Opening the summer movie season)

The Core Team (The Thunderbolts)

• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova / White Widow: The depressed assassin and de facto leader.
• Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier: The reformed super-soldier.
• David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian: The Russian super-soldier counterpart to Captain America.
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent: The disgraced former Captain America.
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost: The phasing former villain from *Ant-Man and the Wasp*.
• Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster: The highly skilled imitator.
• Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds / Sentry: A powerful newcomer character whose role is central to the plot.

The Handlers and Political Players

• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Val): The team’s mastermind and recruiter.
• Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross: The new President of the United States.

The Two Post-Credit Scenes: Explained and Analyzed

The *Thunderbolts* movie is said to feature two credits scenes, one mid-credits and one post-credits, both of which are critical for the MCU’s future. The leaks suggest a dramatic power play that redefines the status of the entire team and their relationship with the established heroic order, specifically Captain America.

Mid-Credits Scene: The Red Guardian's New Career

The first scene, a lighter moment, reportedly features Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian. In a moment of unexpected humor, the scene shows him posing next to a cereal box. The box features the team’s new, controversial name: the "New Avengers." This scene immediately confirms the team's new identity and sets up the central conflict of the main post-credits sequence.

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Post-Credits Scene: The New Avengers Lawsuit and Avengers: Doomsday Setup

The primary post-credit scene is a high-stakes, direct setup for the next major *Avengers* film. This sequence reportedly takes place approximately 14 months after the events of the main movie, giving the team time to operate under their new moniker.

The scene features the team, now officially the "New Avengers," discussing their current legal troubles. The shocking revelation comes from Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), who states, “Sam Wilson is suing us for copyright infringement.”

This detail is a massive reveal for several reasons:

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• The Name Change: The team has been rebranded as the "New Avengers" by Val, a move that explains the mysterious asterisk in the film's title, *Thunderbolts*—it's no longer their name by the end of the film.
• Sam Wilson’s Stance: Captain America (Sam Wilson) is actively attempting to prevent Val's government-sanctioned team of anti-heroes from using the revered "Avengers" name. This establishes a major ideological conflict between the two factions—the government's pragmatic, morally compromised team versus Sam Wilson’s principled, heroic vision.
• The Legal Battle: The lawsuit is a non-violent, political way to create a schism in the MCU, preventing a full-blown "Civil War" scenario and highlighting the bureaucratic chaos following the original Avengers' dissolution.

The scene culminates with the New Avengers receiving an urgent alert about a new, massive threat. This threat is heavily rumored to be the first direct lead-in to the plot of *Avengers: Doomsday*, indicating that the "New Avengers" will be the first line of defense against the impending Multiverse Saga catastrophe.

The True Meaning of the Asterisk and the Path to Phase 6

The inclusion of the asterisk in the official title, *Thunderbolts*—or more accurately, *Thunderbolts***—has been a subject of intense fan speculation for months. The leaks confirm that the asterisk is a meta-commentary on the team's identity. It signifies that the name "Thunderbolts" is temporary and ultimately discarded.

The Asterisk Explained: The team is the *Thunderbolts* in name only for the duration of the film, but their true, controversial identity is revealed in the final moments. The New Avengers name change is a direct challenge to Sam Wilson's authority and the legacy of the original heroic team.

Setting Up Avengers: Doomsday

The post-credit scene is arguably the most consequential setup for *Avengers: Doomsday* (and potentially *Avengers: Secret Wars*). By establishing the "New Avengers" and immediately throwing them into a crisis, Marvel is creating two distinct factions for the next major conflict:

1. The New Avengers (Val’s Team): A government-backed, morally gray team forced to save the world.
2. Captain America’s True Avengers: The traditional heroic team that Sam Wilson is likely building separately, possibly featuring characters like Doctor Strange, Shang-Chi, and others.

This dual-team structure sets the stage for a dramatic crossover, where the two factions may be forced to work together despite their legal and ideological differences. The post-credit scene, reportedly filmed by the Russo Brothers, is designed to deliver a massive cliffhanger, ensuring that the fallout from the New Avengers' name and the ensuing lawsuit will be a central plot point moving forward into MCU Phase 6.