The MCU has had a specific problem for four years now, but the first reactions toThunderboltsimply it is finally being fixed. Thesocial media reactions toThunderboltswere released in April 2025, over a week before the film had its theatrical release. This indicates that Marvel Studios has great faith inThunderbolts*to be one of the betterMarvel movies of 2025, as the studio is trusting audience word-of-mouth to drive people to theaters for opening weekend.
These reactions are seemingly having the intended effect, with heaps of praise being directed towardsThunderboltscast of characters, their team dynamic, the exploration of their mental health, and the film’s focus on practical effects. As many have pointed out,Thunderboltsapparently feels like an old-school Marvel movie, harkening back to the days of thebest-ranked MCU moviesof the Infinity Saga. Beyond all of this, though, another specific aspect ofThunderbolts*is being praised, hinting that a four-year-old problem the MCU has had is finally being rectified once more.
The First Reactions To Thunderbolts* Praise The Film’s Post-Credit Scenes
Thunderbolts* Has Two Scenes Throughout The Credits
The aspect of the MCU in question is its now-synonymous post-credit scenes. According to the first reactions toThunderbolts*,the 2025 film has two credit scenes, one mid-way through and one right at the end. More than just having two, however, critics and other early viewers are hyping up the credit scenes ofThunderbolts*as some of the best in a very long time.Matt Ramosstates that the second credit scene ofThunderbolts*is the most important and exciting in years, whileIan Sandwellclaims the"lengthy post-credit scene"sets up the MCU’s future well.
Cris Parkerclaims thatThunderboltsperfects the balance between being its own film and teasing the future, stating that 95% of the runtime is dedicated to the story at hand, but that the 5% that sets up the future is overly exciting.Big Gold Belt Mediaechoes all of these sentiments by simply placing the mind-blown emoji next to the words"1 Mid & 1 Post credit scene.“Clearly, the post-credit scenes ofThunderboltsare resonating with those who got to see the film early, promising a switch from the recent status quo for Marvel.
Marvel’s Interconnectivity Has Suffered For One Reason Or Another
The reason why the reaction toThunderbolts*post-credit scenes is so important is the trouble Marvel has had with making compelling ones of late. SinceAvengers: Endgameended the Infinity Saga, Marvel has had a lot of post-credit teases that either mean nothing now or have not been addressed since they were first seen.Since 2021 and the Multiverse Saga’s debut, this has been the case, with only three Marvel movies having post-credit scenes that have been important or will prove to bein upcoming MCU movies. These three areBlack Widow,The Marvels, andCaptain America: Brave New World.
Black Widow’s post-credit scene teased Yelena’s MCU future, which has been in focus inHawkeye,Thunderbolts*, and soon-to-beAvengers: Doomsday.The Marvelsconfirmed the return of the X-Men set to appear inAvengers: Doomsday’s story, andCaptain America: Brave New Worldset up the multiversal events of the future. Beyond that, there have been eight movies with post-credit scenes that have come to nothing.
For example, teases for what was once to be the story ofAvengers: The Kang Dynastywere featured inShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsandAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s post-credit scenes.Jonathan Majors' assault chargesmeant that Marvel changed direction, substituting Kang for RDJ’s Doctor Doom and rendering these scenes inconsequential. Other scenes, likeEternalssetting up a future for the team orDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessteasing a third film, are yet to be capitalized on. This is not to mention some other examples, typifying Marvel Studios’ post-credit scene woes of late.
Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scenes: What Could They Be?
The Interconnectivity Of The MCU Could Be Back On Track
Thankfully, it seems Marvel’s post-credit issues are finally coming to an end if the reactions toThunderboltsare to be believed. This begs the question, then, of what exactlyThunderbolts post-credit scenes tease. The most logical answer is the story ofAvengers: Doomsday. The cast members ofThunderbolts*were confirmed to be part ofAvengers: Doomsday’s cast listover a month before the former film was even released, meaning their next major MCU appearance will likely be set up in the post-credit scene.
This leaves the mid-credit scene to potentially set up other important aspects of the MCU’s future, like The Fantastic Four’s debut…
This could involve the Thunderbolts team being told about the incoming multiversal threats or maybe even feature the first appearance of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. If either of these elements or, indeed, both of them, are part ofThunderbolts*,they will likely come in the post-credits scene for the film. This leaves the mid-credit scene to potentially set up other important aspects of the MCU’s future, like The Fantastic Four’s debut. Whatever theseThunderbolts*scenes hold, they are sure to be exciting, finally fixing a years-long issue the MCU has had.
