That ‘Thunderbolts*’ Post-Credits Scene and What It Means for the MCU

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Thunderbolts*

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to post-credit surprises, but Thunderbolts just broke new ground and not just in length, but in how it was made. After a story built around trauma, redemption, and a ragtag team of anti-heroes finding their footing, the credits roll only to deliver a twist that left audiences buzzing. But here’s the real twist: the nearly three-minute scene wasn’t even filmed by Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier.

“That got filmed a month ago. I was there. I did not direct it,” Schreier revealed in a post-screening interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub. “That comes from the set of a movie that is going into production right now.” He didn’t name it outright, but it’s not hard to connect the dots: Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel’s next major crossover event, has just started shooting and the pieces are already in play.

This move handing off a post-credits sequence to another director is an unprecedented flex in Marvel’s playbook. It shows just how interwoven the studio’s projects have become. Schreier was present on set for the filming of the scene, but played no creative role in its direction. He likened it to being a parent dropping a kid off at school. “Florence said it was like being dropped off at school by her parent, and then you have to go hang out with the new kids,” he said, referencing Thunderbolts star Florence Pugh, who reprises her role as Yelena Belova in the upcoming Avengers installment.

The Thunderbolts post credit scene isn’t just a fun wink, it’s a full-on handoff to the next phase of the MCU, setting the stage for Avengers: Doomsday and heavily teasing The Fantastic Four. The scene opens inside as the team are regrouping or rather, arguing over their freshly minted team name “The New Avengers”. Red Guardian (David Harbour), clearly riding high from his recent press moment, is proudly wearing a new suit that looks more Formula One racer than superhero: it’s covered in sponsor logos and sports a bold “Z” instead of an “A.” His pitch? “The Avengerz.” Yes, with a Z.

Yelena Belova (Pugh) rolls her eyes. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) says nothing but looks like he’s reconsidering his life choices. The moment is light, but there’s definite tension underneath, especially when it’s revealed that Sam Wilson is fuming about their use of the Avengers name.

The room then starts to shake, as alarms blare, Everyone instinctively looks skyward as the ceiling retracts to reveal a descending ship, that’s adorned with the unmistakable logo of the Fantastic Four. The Thunderbolts scramble to prepare for contact. Bob Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), still struggling with the duality of his Sentry/Void persona, stares up silently, milkshake in hand.

It’s long been expected that the Fantastic Four would eventually land in the current MCU timeline. Earth-616 has always been their inevitable destination. Fans have speculated for months that their debut film may conclude with some sort of a catastrophic event, and this pretty much confirms it.

The post-credits scene runs two minutes and 54 seconds making it the longest such sequence in MCU history aside from the musical epilogue in Hawkeye. But the content here is more than just connective tissue, it’s a statement. Marvel isn’t just teasing the future; it’s borrowing from it in real-time.

That said, this decision hasn’t landed perfectly for everyone. While Thunderbolts explores serious emotional themes from identity and depression to personal accountability, the sudden pivot to an Avengers-centric setup left some feeling short-changed. Schreier acknowledges the tonal shift but insists that’s part of the fun. “It is a different tone than our movie, and it should be,” he said. “Once you do that announcement, I think it’s just fun to watch them in that context and imagine where that could go.”

Whether you loved the surprise or found it jarring, one thing’s for sure: Marvel’s method of world-building is evolving. They’re no longer just teasing what’s next, they’re embedding it into the DNA of the film you’re already watching. If this is the future of post-credit scenes, it’s both exciting and disorienting and very, very Marvel.

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