Thunderbolts*, the latest Marvel entry directed by Jake Schreier, has sparked fan debate over both its surprising ending and marketing approach. The director opened up to Variety about fan reactions, changes made after the writers’ strike, and the now-notorious “A24 trailer” that took audiences by surprise.
The film, released digitally on July 1 and coming to Blu-ray and DVD on July 29, ends with a twist: the title’s asterisk is revealed to stand for “The New Avengers.” The team — Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Sentry (Lewis Pullman) — are reluctantly assembled under Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
Taskmaster’s Fate Sparks Fan Discontent
A major point of fan frustration stems from the limited screen time and ultimate fate of Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko). Schreier acknowledged the criticism and said the decision was not made lightly.
“There were versions where she played a bigger role,” Schreier said, noting the script was reworked after the Hollywood strikes. “It felt too sanitized. These are characters shaped by violence, and to tell a story without showing that would have lacked emotional impact.” He added that while he respects fans’ opinions, the changes were meant to reflect the grim reality the characters live with.
The A24-Inspired Trailer: A Joke That Took Off
Much of the film’s pre-release buzz came from a trailer that mimicked the tone of indie studio A24, known for its arthouse flair. Surprisingly, the trailer began as a joke created by Schreier and his assistant.
“I made it for fun because a bunch of friends on set had worked on A24 projects,” Schreier explained. “Kevin [Feige] loved it and sent it to marketing — the next thing I knew, it became a real trailer.”
Despite its tongue-in-cheek origins, the trailer ended up highlighting the contributions of several lesser-known crew members, a move Schreier welcomed: “It gave recognition to the incredible team behind the camera, which doesn’t happen often in blockbuster marketing.”
Box Office Reflections and Theatrical Gratitude
While Thunderbolts* had a modest box office run compared to Marvel’s earlier hits, Schreier remains proud of its theatrical release and the conversations it sparked.
“You can’t even take for granted that you’re going to get a theatrical release,” he said. “The fact that people saw it in theaters, debated it, and continue to talk about it online — that’s the best outcome I could ask for.”
As the film finds a new life on digital platforms, the director hopes audiences will continue to engage with its themes — and perhaps view it both as a Marvel team-up and an unexpected evolution of the MCU.
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