Fans have been curious about the asterisk after Thunderbolts* after Marvel announced a new title for the film, wondering why the constellation was added. The reason behind the asterisk wasn’t revealed during the SDCC panel, so there have been many theories surrounding the meaning of the Thunderbolts Asterisk title. Here’s a look at some of the popular ideas so far.

The meaning behind the asterisk in the title of Thunderbolts* has sparked countless conversations on social media. However, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige did not provide any explanation as to the reason behind the asterisk in the title. During the Thunderbolts* slate in Hall H at SDCC, the host asked the film’s director Jake Schreier about the asterisk, which can be seen in the clip posted by Films That Rock. With a pause, Schreier looks to Feige for permission to reveal it to the audience. However, the Marvel boss denies it and says that fans will be able to learn the meaning behind the asterisk in the film, suggesting that it is related to a spoiler in the film.

Ever since the Thunderbolts* movie was announced at Comic-Con 2022, fans have been hoping to see Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in it, in his Red Hulk form, since the team’s name matches his name. However, at SDCC 2024, Kevin Fiege dashed all those hopes by confirming to the host that Thunderbolt Ross will not be part of the film. He confirmed that Thunderbolts* Asterisk is not named after the character Thunderbolt Ross.

On the other hand, this could be a hint that the team might not remain Thunderbolts for long. An asterisk usually indicates a footnote. So it could mean that while the team is called Thunderbolts in the movie, they might change their name to Dark Avengers, following the comic book storyline at the end.