Thunderbolts writer Eric Pearson opened up about a ‘terrible’ alternate ending for the movie. While the ending looked good on paper, it just didn’t fit for the big screen. For over a decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the staple of the superhero genre in cinemas. They have been clutch in delivering some of the best twists, character developments, and jaw-dropping battle sequences. Unfortunately, sometimes, the formula falls short, leaving us with endings that make us ick.
Thunderbolts Almost Had ‘Terrible’ Alternate Ending
Enter Thunderbolts: a movie so hyped for its ragtag team of anti-heroes that we can’t help but hope it’ll add something fresh to the MCU. Yet, rumors and leaks about its ending suggest one thing—we might not just be disappointed; we might leave the theater feeling straight-up “ick.” Let’s get one thing straight. We love Marvel. But for every jaw-dropping Infinity War and Endgame masterpiece, there’s a Marvels ready to make us wonder why we sacrificed date night for overpriced popcorn.
Pearson spoke about a disagreement he had with Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier over the climax of the film. Pearson said, “I think I wrote a line that was a comment on it: ‘Did we just save the world with a group hug?” In retrospect, referencing it makes it terrible, and he’s right about that.” He added why it was for the best that the Thunderbolts went in a different direction. “It probably soured him. And again, I’m not speaking for him in any way. On the page, it probably got a laugh, but then if you applied it to the actual movie, it would’ve been like, ‘Ew.’ It would give you the ick.”
Thunderbolts hit theatres back in May as the final film in Phase Five of the MCU. The movie’s asterisk was another source of buzz and intense discussion among fans. At the end, the team was re-branded as The New Avengers, and the marketing was re-branded during the film’s run in theatres.
The team-up premise of Thunderbolts was its biggest draw. With a lineup featuring Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Ghost, Taskmaster, Red Guardian, and John Walker. And, not to forget Sentry and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the jarring tonal clashes were sky-high in the film. A group of characters we’ve seen in wildly different contexts trying to mesh as a dysfunctional “superhero” team? Sounds cool, but only if the storytelling can thread that needle.
Final Thoughts
Despite receiving positive reviews from critics and fans alike, Thunderbolts unfortunately underperformed at the box office. It was one of the lowest-grossing MCU films, despite making over $382 million worldwide. Reportedly, the film needed $425 million to break at the box office. There’s a thin line between creating a stepping stone for the broader MCU and crafting a story that still stands on its own.It will be fascinating to see how audiences react when Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday hit screens next year. For now, we’ll be sitting with our popcorn and cautiously optimistic vibes. But Marvel better know—we’re paying attention. Don’t make us say “ick.”
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