Charles Esther
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes.
The film includes many callbacks and references to previous and future MCU films.
John Walker recites a famous Marvel phrase, and a familiar tune plays in a key scene at the end.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Thunderbolts.
The Opening Title Card Teases Sentry and the Void
Every Marvel movie starts with a studio title card showing comic panels flipping across the screen.
For Thunderbolts, all of these panels are related to the comic book character Robert “Bob” Reynolds, also known as Sentry.
It serves as a teaser that Pullman’s Bob will become Sentry later in the film.
As the animation continues, darkness trickles over the comic pages until it completely covers the Marvel logo. This foreshadows the Void, the dark side of Sentry, who takes over Bob’s mind in the film’s final act.
Yelena’s First Fight Sequence is Purposefully Shadowy
The film opens with Yelena completing an assignment for her employer, Val, in Malaysia.
To infiltrate the lab, Yelena expertly fights several armed guards, and the sequence feels reminiscent of the iconic corridor fight scene in Oldboy.
The dark and shadowy visuals of the fight sequence align with the film’s premise of the Void’s power to spread darkness.
Valentina’s OXE Group is Run by a Clone in the Comics
Thunderbolts introduces a new secret organization within the MCU called the OXE group.
Valentina, who is portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, founded the group with the goal of creating a superhero to protect the world.
In the comics, a robot clone of Valentina heads the OXE group, helping to form a new Thunderbolts team.
John Walker Uses Steve Rogers’ Signature Catchphrase
Early in the film, when the team is trying to escape Val’s trap, John Walker says, “On your left” as he helps Yelena.
The phrase dates back to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) used it while running with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Washington, D.C.
The Final Act Mirrors the First Avengers Movie
The Thunderbolts’ final showdown takes place in the Watchtower, mirroring the climactic scene from The Avengers (2012), where Tony Stark confronted Loki.
Both films involve a group of misfits coming together to save New York from a major threat.
The New Avengers Theme Melody Plays at the Press Conference
At the end of Thunderbolts, after Val introduces the team as the New Avengers, Alan Silvestri’s iconic “Avengers” theme begins playing.
This is a subtle but meaningful reference to the Avengers’ legacy.
Pop Culture Homages in the Credits
The first part of the credits shows magazine covers featuring the New Avengers, with covers inspired by iconic pop culture moments, such as the “We Can Do It!” poster with Yelena in place of Rosie the Riveter.
The New Avengers Logo
After the main credits, the logo for Thunderbolts switches to “The New Avengers,” with a design inspired by the Marvel comics.
End-Credits Scenes Tease Future Films
Thunderbolts includes two end-credits scenes.
The first one teases the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, where the New Avengers are interrupted by an alert about an extradimensional ship entering the atmosphere.
The second scene was filmed on the Avengers: Doomsday set, hinting at future developments in the MCU.
Final Thoughts
Thunderbolts delivers several callbacks, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing for upcoming MCU projects.
