Thunderbolts* delivered some of the most emotional scenes from a recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, but I am disappointed one Hawkeye and Black Widow scene didn't make the cut. Thunderbolts* remains one of the more underrated releases to come out of the Multiverse Saga, and despite the lower-than-expected box office, it pushed the MCU forward in a lot of important ways. Along with establishing the New Avengers, and teasing the first encounter between the heroes of Earth-616 and The Fantastic Four, it shone a spotlight on some underappreciated characters. 2o1i43

Thunderbolts* managed to pull off a genuinely surprising plot twist, and this behind-the-scenes fact makes the feat feel even more impressive. Although the film’s box office numbers ultimately fell below average for an MCU film, the overwhelmingly positive reception from fans and critics is enough to make up for it. The franchise needed an original, fun film to revive audience interest, and Thunderbolts* did exactly that for the MCU. It is one of the most grounded yet touching stories that the MCU has featured in a long time, even with an unconventional hero team at the center of it all.

One unanswered question from Thunderbolts* may set up Robert Reynolds' return as Sentry and the Void's revenge plan against the MCU's New Avengers. The Thunderbots a.k.a. the New Avengers defeat the Void by providing Bob Reynolds with the emotional he needs to overcome his darker self in Thunderbolts*' final battle. Despite Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's efforts, Bob abandons his Sentry persona and finds a new family in his teammates.

One month after it was released, the Thunderbolts* box office results are a hot topic concerning the MCU and its future, but I'm surprised by how different they look when compared to previous Marvel movies. Thunderbolts* was always going to face an uphill struggle, considering how its main cast almost exclusively comprises some of the MCU's lesser-known characters. Even the likes of Bucky Barnes, one of the most beloved characters in the MCU, arguably pale in comparison to the star power of dyed-in-the-wool Avengers like Doctor Strange and Thor.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom might not arrive in the MCU's main timeline as a full-fledged villain, if a theory that connects Avengers: Doomsday to The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts* is true. Downey's Doctor Doom is set to make his MCU debut in Avengers: Doomsday, where he'll face the combined efforts of the Avengers, the New Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. There are many burning questions around Doctor Doom's MCU introduction, however, as Doom's origins, motivations, and potential resemblance to Iron Man remain unexplained.

Thunderbolts* could still have a sequel in the future even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest movie's box office performance is disappointing due to some recent updates. I did not expect to like Thunderbolts* as much as I did. The movie put together players from all over the franchise, and Thunderbolts*'s star-studded cast had great chemistry, which helped the movie become the MCU team film that I had long wanted to see during the Multiverse Saga. Thunderbolts* does a phenomenal job of introducing a new team to the franchise, making the audience care for more obscure characters.

WARNING: This article includes spoilers from Thunderbolts*.The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene may not be what it appears, as Kevin Feige opens up about the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe movie tag. While the Thunderbolts* movie ending established the characters as the New Avengers in the MCU, the Phase 5 movie also came with a pretty huge post-credits scene that has sparked a lot of theories for Phase 6. However, while many are speculating that the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene may be setting up the next installment for the MCU, it may not be that simple.

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Thunderbolts*

The box office numbers for Thunderbolts* have sadly been disappointing not only for Marvel but for fans of the movie, marking the end of a prosperous era for Marvel Studios. Thunderbolts* may have doubled its production budget in recent weekends, but it seems unlikely that the MCU's latest movie will achieve much more in the realm of box office beyond this. This is certainly a sour reality, given that many, myself included, regard Thunderbolts* as one of the best-ranked Marvel movies in recent memory.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day story details are currently scarce, but a new Marvel Cinematic Universe theory shows how Thunderbolts*'s villain could have set up Tom Holland's next Marvel film. Thunderbolts* might not be doing so great at the box office, standing at $369.5 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, the film is important for the future of the MCU in a few ways, as it sets up the franchise's New Avengers, who will next appear in Avengers: Doomsday.