The Thunderbolts* Release Date Breaks A 13-Year MCU Trend, And Now I’m Even More Convinced The Marvel Movie Will Be Great

The MCU’s next slated release has some big expectations to meet, but the fact that Thunderbolts* is breaking a 13-year franchise trend bodes well for the film. Now less than a month away from its release, fans will be able to watch Thunderbolts* in theaters starting on May 2. Coming after Captain America: Brave New World and before the highly-anticipated The Fantastic Four: First Steps, some fans may have assumed that Thunderbolts* would fly under the radar in terms of the MCU’s 2025 slate. However, excitement for the film has been ramping up.

Thunderbolts* was an unconventional concept from the start, as no other MCU project has put such a focus on anti-heroes thus far. Headed by longtime Marvel character Bucky Barnes, the group will be composed of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, Ghost, and Taskmaster. Unlike other iconic Marvel teams, none of the characters in this group are necessarily known for their heroics. Thunderbolts* is going to give them the chance to step up, and that concept has seemed to appeal to fans as anticipation starts to grow.

Thunderbolts* Is The First Non-Sequel Marvel Movie Released In May Since The Avengers In 2012

The impending release of Thunderbolts* is actually going to break an MCU trend. With its May slot, it will be the first non-sequel Marvel movie to release in that month since 2012’s Avengers. Although that doesn’t seem like a particularly significant statistic, it’s a telling one considering how the MCU slate has played out since Phase 1. The MCU started in May 2008 with Iron Man, and the sequel was released two years later in May 2010. Thor was then released a year later in May 2011, then The Avengers in May 2012.

As the MCU has progressed, other May releases have included sequels to the studio’s biggest franchises. The Avengers and Captain America sequels were released in May, and eventually so were both of the Guardians of the Galaxy sequels after the success of the original film. Both upcoming Avengers films will also have May releases in 2026 and 2027 respectively. In fact, Avengers: Doomsday will premiere one day off an exact year from Thunderbolts*. It’s not a coincidence that all of these heavy hitters were released in May, which is why it bodes well for Thunderbolts* despite it not being a sequel.

Thunderbolts*’s Release Could Be Perfectly Timed For The MCU

The May movie slot has been a historically crucial part of the MCU’s prior release history – as can be seen by how many major films have released in this month for Marvel over the past decade or so. Thunderbolts* offers the MCU a chance for this to be true once more, but in a somewhat different manner, as while Thunderbolts* still builds on past installments and the history of its characters, the fact it isn’t a sequel allows it to unfold in a way that’s less beholden to living up to expectations than sequels can arguably often be.

Similarly, as the first superhero team comprised more of antiheroes than conventional Marvel superheroes, Thunderbolts* is a real chance for the MCU to delve into a story it couldn’t have carried off with the likes of The Avengers, and show audiences how even a concept as well-covered as a superhero team can be explored in new and fresh ways. With some more mixed results from movies in recent years, leaning into the fascinating stories of some beloved MCU characters like Bucky and Yelena while also establishing a very different Marvel group makes a lot of sense for the franchise.

All this is without even taking into account that the majority of the movie’s main characters are confirmed to appear in the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which makes Thunderbolts* all the more crucial as a release that can help set up for the next Avengers movie to hit screens after Avengers: Endgame. As such, the movie’s timing looks as though it may well and truly be perfect for the MCU and its overarching plans in more than one way.

Why Thunderbolts*’s May Release Date Is So Significant

May seems to be the month that Marvel has saved for films that they expect to perform, considering that most of the films that premiere in the month are sequels. Major franchises like Avengers, Captain America, and Guardians of the Galaxy are three of the studio’s most popular, and Marvel can rely on them to bring in their established fanbases. The fact that Thunderbolts* has received a May release date may not seem important, but based on the MCU’s past release schedule, it says a lot about the studio’s confidence in the film’s success.

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Thunderbolts* Opening Weekend Box Office Projections Are In And A New Report Claims Disney Says Response To The Marvel Movie Has Been Strong

Disney reportedly has faith in Thunderbolts*’ critic and audience response despite low box office projections three weeks ahead of release.

Marvel and Disney likely wouldn’t have given the film their prime release month if they didn’t have faith that it would perform well. It’s a big feat for a film like Thunderbolts* because although it will feature returning MCU characters, it is a brand-new story. Marvel cannot bank on the previous fanbase coming in, so they’re relying mostly on the film’s quality. Perhaps the studio sees potential in Thunderbolts* becoming a franchise of its own in the future and is priming them for the coveted May release slot as soon as possible.

Thunderbolts*

Release Date

May 2, 2025

Runtime

126 Minutes

Director

Jake Schreier

Writers

Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo

Upcoming MCU Movies