Earth's Mightiest Heroes are preparing to reunite once again to battle a world-ending threat. This time it's Doctor Doom, who will bring the heroes together in the highly-anticipated first chapter of the Multiverse Saga's conclusion: Avengers: Doomsday. Yes, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans all over the world are ready for the larger-than-life phenomenon that will once again prove why the MCU is so undefeated when it comes to these movies.
However, Avengers: Doomsday won't be the first Avengers movie of the Multiverse Saga. It's the first official Avengers movie since 2019's Avengers: Endgame, sure, but that doesn't mean we haven't had any other Avengers adventures in the middle. And, to be quite honest, we have just recently witnessed one of them best of them all. And, yes, I am talking about the real fifth Avengers movie.
Thunderbolts* is technically the fifth Avengers movie (and it's perfect)
Remember when Thunderbolts* came out and everyone was invested in what the asterisk actually meant? We all knew that it suggested that Thunderbolts was a stand-in for a more definitive name, but we weren't sure what that would be. And then the closing moments of the 2025 film saw Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine announce to the world that the MCU's newest team of heroes were none other than the New Avengers.
The film's ending single-handedly changed the course of the franchise as it became clear that these characters would serve a major purpose in the MCU going forward, especially with Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, and it forced those of us who hadn't considered the alternate title prior to its release to re-view it through a different lense - something that Marvel Studios heavily leaned into in the film's second week of release, rebranding it The New Avengers (or, as the home video and streaming releases are know: Thunderbolts*: The New Avengers). That makes it official: Thunderbolts* is an Avengers movie - and should be considered among them going forward. It is, after all, the origins and adventures of the New Avengers.
While we always knew that Thunderbolts* would be an entertaining buddy comedy kind of film, it completely snuck up on even the most knowledgeable of Marvel fans. It was a surprise through and through; from the New Avengers twist to the thoughtful exploration of mental health struggles, it was completely different to what we were all expecting (while also managing to be an entertaining buddy comedy kind of film). And, in a way, that makes it entirely reminiscent of 2012's game-changer The Avengers.
The first MCU team-up film officially established the franchise's central Avengers, using the stars of previous standalone movies to pull off a story that would end Phase One while also starting something really special. Seeing Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk all come together on our screens was a moment in time - and the ultimate payoff from the previous films. That's essentially what Thunderbolts* has done as well, bringing together Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova (who starred in Black Widow), Wyatt Russell's John Walker (who appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost (who appeared in Ant-Man and the Wasp), Olga Kuryelienko's Taskmaster (who also appeared in Black Widow), and pairing them with MCU veteran Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes and newcomer Lewis Pullman's Bob (a.k.a. Sentry).
It was a who's who collection of Multiverse Saga heroes and villains along with a few familiar faces from the MCU's past, allowing multiple stories told via movies and TV shows to culminate in an epic ensemble piece that also starts an epic new story for the franchise - just like The Avengers did in 2012. And, just like The Avengers, the movie received critical acclaim upon its release, with many branding it the "perfect" Avengers movie for the Multiverse Saga.
It's true; initial audience reactions were overwhelmingly positive with the film earning an incredible 88% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes' TomatoMeter (and an even more impressive 93% score on the audience-inspired PopcornMeter). After a relatively dull stretch of movies and the massive failure of Disney Plus show Secret Invasion, Thunderbolts* was the creative win that Marvel Studios needed - kickstarting the journey towards Avengers: Doomsday on an incredibly high note.
So, when we look back at all of the Avengers movies, we can - and should - now include Thunderbolts* in those conversations. The original Avengers doesn't exist within the franchise as it stands and while Avengers: Doomsday will certainly bring most of them back for another ensemble spectacle, it doesn't change the fact that the team once known as the Thunderbolts are now the MCU's official New Avengers. And as their origin story matters every bit as the original team's, we can genuinely take the time to appreciate Thunderbolts* for what it truly is: Avengers 5.
That, more than anything else, makes it the most important movie to watch / rewatch before Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Thunderbolts* is streaming on Disney Plus. Avengers: Doomsday arrives in movie theaters on December 18, 2026.
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