Fans joke as Marvel Studios unveils new ‘Thunderbolts*’ teaser: "I refuse to be fooled by Marvel trailers anymore"

On March 7, 2025, Marvel Studios released the newest teaser for their next antihero team-up movie, Thunderbolts*, which will be released on May 2, 2025. And Marvel may be pulling the rug out from under you.

Rather than relying on the standard explosions and city-in-chaos formula, this teaser went on to throw a spotlight on the filmmakers' indie movie cred. If Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All at Once had a love child, and the MCU secretly adopted that child, Thunderbolts* could be it.

Marvel trying something different is new, but fans weren’t lining up to celebrate. Instead, the internet rolled its eyes, with users joking about how keeping their hopes up for Marvel only leads to disappointment. Some even declared they wouldn’t fall for yet another teaser trick, refusing to be fooled again.

Memes flooded in, with people comparing Marvel’s recent track record to a never-ending cycle of hype and letdown.

One X user (@lonelystonerpod) stated:

"I refuse be fooled by marvel trailers anymore."

A user (@poptruther) stated:

"Still Can’t believe this movie is inspired by Toy Story 3."

A user (@FrattPa48444099) declared:

"Going to stay cautiously optimistic."

A user (@GerardoV17Alt) warned:

"If this movie is bad that fraud needs to go, this has everything to be a great movie."

One user (@inshinx7) highlighted:

"The way they’ve just completely stopped advertising Taskmaster 😭"

A user (@HiTopFilms) commented:

"Kinda hilarious that they are going all in on the “no for real, this one is a real movie”."

A post (@FirstPicHouse) read:

"I find it hilarious that this advertising is basically “come watch Marvel’s anti-Marvel Marvel movie”. Really hope it works out for them."

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Who's in the Thunderbolts* group?

It's like the Avengers, but with a lot more trauma, questionable ethics, and a leader who likely has a burner phone. That's Thunderbolts* in a nutshell.

The cast is:

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova – The sassiest assassin in the world who rolls her eyes during mission debriefs.

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes – Still brooding. Still has a metal arm.

David Harbour as Red Guardian – Russia's version of Captain America.

Wyatt Russell as John Walker – The fellow who thought he was Captain America but turned out to be… something else.

Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster – The mercenary who can duplicate your every step.

Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost – Can pass through walls and has a troubled history.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine – The brains of this dysfunctional group. She's the one who texts we need to talk out of nowhere. In other words, she sets this group up for a mission.

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So, what's the plot for Thunderbolts*?

It turns out that these unfit antiheroes are not just taking it easy over brunch.

Valentina has brought them along on an adventure that's more about attempting not to die while fighting your inner demons than saving the world.

They're trapped in what the teaser promises is a trap that will kill them, with no choice but to confront their pasts in ways that will probably leave them needing lots of emotional counseling in the aftermath.

Marvel is tapping into mental health, loneliness, and redemption themes.

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Marvel goes indie—and A24 wasn't even cc'd on the email

Now, here is where things become interesting.

Rather than the traditional Marvel promo push that gives off big-budget spectacle, this teaser went into full indie mode, showcasing the credentials of its off-screen staff. Director Jake Schreier and other creatives who have some connection to A24-adjacent fare such as Hereditary and The Green Knight were on display.

And then A24 had no clue Marvel was pulling this.

The indie powerhouse of film replied in the most A24 manner imaginable: with a Euphoria reaction meme. No public outcry, no corporate release—just a perfectly timed internet joke.

If you've watched the show, you'd know the essence of the meme and probably read it in Maddy's voice.

With Florence Pugh herself calling the movie “a pretty badass indie, A24-style assassin film featuring Marvel superheroes,” fans are now curious if this marks the start of Marvel's arthouse era.