The asterisk hullabaloo had everything to do with setting up The New Avengers ahead of Avengers: Doomsday ’s release next summer. While I wasn’t exactly surprised about the reveal when the movie reached its end (especially considering we already know the Thunderbolts* cast are part of the Avengers;

This article contains major spoilers for “Thunderbolts*,” now playing in theaters. After months of speculation, we finally know what that pesky asterisk in “Thunderbolts*” means: There’s a New Avengers team in the MCU!

"You were watching a small hint of that film," director Jake Schreier tells EW. This story contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*. Thunderbolts* didn't just change names — it also changed movies entirely in a post-credits scene.