The first reactions for Thunderbolts* have been released online, convincing me that many recent criticisms of the Multiverse Saga have been addressed. Thunderbolts* is the second Marvel movie releasing in 2025 after Captain America: Brave New World, with many looking forward to it for several reasons. Not only is the story of Thunderbolts* providing the first team-up movie since Avengers: Endgame, but it also features a very strong cast and equally compelling characters from the MCU’s long past.
Moreover, Thunderbolts* is expected to heavily tease upcoming Marvel movies. In March 2025, Marvel Studios unveiled a secret announcement tied to the two upcoming Avengers movies, which confirmed that the members of the Thunderbolts are part of Avengers: Doomsday‘s cast list. All of this means that Thunderbolts* is one of the most anticipated MCU movies in years. Finally, audiences are getting a glimpse at what to expect from the film after Thunderbolts* social media reactions were released online. If these reactions are anything to go by, it seems the project is addressing recent MCU criticisms.
The First Reactions To Thunderbolts* Are The Most Positive In Years
Critics Seem Impressed By The 2025 Marvel Movie
When browsing the first reactions to Thunderbolts*, one thing became clear: they are the most positive Marvel has had in years. Recent MCU movies, like Captain America: Brave New World and even ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, received more mixed reactions, as evidenced by their Rotten Tomatoes scores of 48% and 78% respectively. Thunderbolts*, on the other hand, seems to be garnering much more positive, near-universal acclaim from most critics who have managed to see the movie early.
So many being allowed to see the movie early also bodes well for Thunderbolts*. Oftentimes, if a studio is less confident a film will be received well, social media embargoes will be dropped closer to its release date. Where Thunderbolts* is concerned, however, the social media embargo was dropped 10 days before the film’s worldwide release date. This, combined with how positive the reactions to the movie have been online, only solidifies the fact that Thunderbolts* is receiving higher praise than many Marvel movies of the last few years.
Several Thunderbolts* Reactions Address Some Big Multiverse Saga Issues
Marvel Could Be Course-Correcting
When looking deeper into Thunderbolts* reactions, it becomes clear that several big issues attributed to the Multiverse Saga have been addressed by the film. In recent years, the MCU’s main criticisms have been that its films lack an overall seriousness or maturity that was once present, they rely too much on CGI and visual effects, the spark of “old-school Marvel” is gone, and that each project fumbles the balance of being its own thing but also setting up what is to come. Based on many of the reactions to Thunderbolts*, it seems that each of these criticisms has been rectified, at least for now.
Thunderbolts* is one of the best MCU movies in a while, and feels like the Marvel of old during the Infinity Saga…
Viewers like Big Gold Belt Media, Matt Neglia, and OT_Tristan praised Thunderbolts* serious tone, insisting that the film tackles darker subject matter than most MCU projects have. These reactions state how the film explores grief, trauma, depression, loneliness, and isolation. According to these reactions, the serious story of Thunderbolts* brings the characters experiencing these aspects of life together to heal, fixing Marvel’s jarring tonal shifts of the Multiverse Saga.
Mia Pflüger caught Thunderbolts* early and praised the big emphasis the film places on practical stunts, as well as remarking on how strong the CGI looked, fixing another Multiverse Saga issue.
Reactions from Sean Chandler, Emily Murray, and Brandon Norwood mention how Thunderbolts* is one of the best MCU movies in a while, and feels like the Marvel of old during the Infinity Saga, with Griffin Schiller describing it as a “Phase One-style character piece.” Given the overall lack of this feeling since 2019, it is a relief that Thunderbolts* is addressing such a criticism. Linking to these sentiments, reactors like Cris Parker insist Thunderbolts* nails the balance of setting up what is to come while focusing on telling its own story.
Thunderbolts* Positive Reactions Make Marvel’s Future Look Brighter
Could Old-School Marvel Finally Be Back?
What all of these reactions to Thunderbolts* seem to prove is that Marvel’s future looks brighter than ever. If, indeed, Thunderbolts* does bring the classic feeling of Infinity Saga Marvel back to the big-screen, the film could be seen as the first step in a future wave of projects to do the same. Outside of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the MCU’s confirmed Phase 6 projects promise to continue what Thunderbolts* has seemingly started by emulating what Marvel was so good at between 2008 and 2019.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will have strong links to the Infinity Saga via its тιтular hero, all while being helmed by one of the Multiverse Saga’s most promising new directors in Destin Daniel Cretton. Then there is Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, both directed by Infinity Saga veterans, Joe and Anthony Russo. The reactions to Thunderbolts* prove that it could be the first movie to feel like the classic MCU in a while, with the future of Marvel promising to follow suit in an exciting way.
