With Thunderbolts*, Marvel seems well on its way to exploiting the fall of its heroes just right. More than just a narrative device to fuel society's despair within the MCU and fuel the motivations of the new band of antiheroes, the absence of the Avengers is also felt outside of the film, directly among the audience. Since the glory days of Infinity War and Endgame, Marvel productions have never managed to achieve unanimity. Instead of completely ignoring these failures, the studio decided to turn them into a strength, a dynamic already seen in a rather comical way in Deadpool & Wolverine.
But this time, the House of Ideas intends to approach the fall of its heroes from a darker and more serious angle. The previous trailers had already given us the tone of this new adventure, but the latest trailer plays its cards on the table by emphasizing where It hurt: nothing is the same now that the Avengers are no longer there to save the world... and the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large. But that doesn't matter. Even if the asterisk that accompanies the title Thunderbolts* also serves as a reminder that the famous superheroes are not available, the antiheroes arrive to protect us.
No need for superheroes
While Yelena is still grieving the disappearance of her sister Natasha aka Black Widow, the former ally Captain America's Bucky arrives to try to assemble an extraordinary team (in every sense of the word). What if the past mistakes and negative emotions of the abandoned antiheroes could serve as a driving force for a new group of defenders? After a few scenes with Black Widow and Steve Rogers that are supposed to remind us that these Avengers will not return and that no one can replace them, the protagonists of Thunderbolts* cling to their last hopes and intend to redeem themselves.
The (not so) happy band of antiheroes have a good heart, and ultimately do not hesitate to put themselves in danger to try to stop The Void, a supervillain capable of making anyone disappear into a shadow form. For the first time in a long time, a Marvel production is selling us a dream worthy of the studio's heyday, but we'll have to wait for the film's release, scheduled for April 30th, before we can be sure. As a reminder, Fantastic Four: The Beginning will follow Thunderbolts* very closely, with a theatrical release starting July 23rd. Should we still believe in Marvel's revival? Hope springs eternal.
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