WARNING: Contains a spoiler for Marvel’s Thunderbolts*
Spoiling a movie is one of the great taboos of the moviegoing experience. The cultural shame accompanying the act puts it right up there with texting or talking in a theater. To spoil a movie is to rob someone of the mystery and magic that comes with a story’s emotional payoff. It’s a disservice to the individual and the people who worked hard on the film. However, Marvel Studios’ most recent installment, Thunderbolts*, is an interesting case study. Its marketing provides a cultural insight into how deeply spoilers are ingrained in both pop culture and our psychologies.
Thunderbolts* and Its Surprise Twist
Thunderbolts* brings back older and newer stars within the MCU: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, and more. It follows a ragtag group of superpowered misfits, assassins, and outlaws as they evade government persecution and navigate their dark pasts. It’s a fun family film about redemption, the families we choose, and living with trauma. However, it ends on a secret twist that reframes the movie.
The team calls themselves “the Thunderbolts” throughout the story. However, in its final moment, they’re given a new name: “The New Avengers.” This is the title that the film ends on. The film is not called Thunderbolts* at all; its true name is *The New Avengers, hence the asterisk. Once tortured outcasts, they now take up the mantle of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
So what’s the issue? The controversy began when, only days after its opening weekend, Marvel Studios began replacing Thunderbolts promotional materials with “New Avengers” branding. Critics and fans alike expressed mixed feelings.
Many on social media felt frustrated, arguing that the studio barely gave people enough time to watch it before revealing its surprise title. With the film having a $76 million domestic opening weekend (according to Box Office Pro) and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 88, the film didn’t need a big marketing stunt like that to succeed. On the other hand, others praised the strategy as unique. Given Marvel’s shaky track record with their recent movies, the studio needed something bold and fresh. They’ve seemingly found confidence in Thunderbolts* and the new title’s ability to regain public interest.
Spoilers as Marketing
While spoiling the true title of the film is questionable, it’s not uncommon for spoilers to be part of marketing tactics. Take movie trailers, for example. Nowadays, certain trailers reveal an absurd amount of details from the movie. Plot points, action scenes, and story revelations, all common aspects of the modern trailer. They almost act as a shortened version of the film, leaving viewers wondering why they would spend money to go to the theater at all. The mystery is gone.
From a marketing perspective, the goal of a trailer is to win the audience’s excitement. For Marvel Studios, they accomplish this through the brand recognition of their most popular IP: The Avengers. Longer, more in-depth trailers get audiences more accustomed to the type of stories they’ve grown to love. According to Mental Floss, David Singh, former marketing executive at Solstice Studios, told Marketplace how trailers with more recognizable action and story beats did better with focus groups. He notes, “You’re competing for people’s time with, you know, every platform imaginable. You’ve got to tell them enough to get them excited about it.”
It’s vital that Marvel wins back the public’s goodwill. The waning financial status and mixed reception of their recent installments have put the future of the MCU in a questionable state. To win back the people’s hearts, they need to pivot into that familiarity. Hence, “The New Avengers,” a name people have been familiarized with for over a decade, demands more urgency and attention than “Thunderbolts.” It’s a calculated marketing tactic meant to reaffirm brand loyalty during a period of disdain, all at the expense of the surprise.
Social Media and Spoiler Culture
Social media has also blurred the lines when it comes to spoiler culture. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are channels for fan conversations. Communities enthusiastically share their interests and converse on those topics. This connectivity is a double-edged sword, as with fan conversations come spoilers. Social media algorithms cater to individual interests. They show you content you’d enjoy engaging with. Marvel fans will inevitably find Marvel spoilers, even when muting keywords.
Avoiding social media entirely is always an option, but there is a psychological effect to doing so. There’s a certain mental reward associated with being “part of the club.” Seeing a film or TV show episode as it premieres offers audiences a sense of belonging and control. There’s pride in the exclusivity and less anxiety when you have access to such insider knowledge. Even worse, there’s a temptation when you’re outside of that club. When a film could be spoiled and ruined at any moment, catching up is a priority. This works in the studios’ favor; the more buzz generated, the more the urgency there is.
Interestingly, research may suggest that people would actually prefer when spoilers are more public and widespread. According to a report by the BBC, “researchers Nicholas Christenfeld and Jonathen Leavitt from the University of California, San Diego conducted an experiment with 12 short stories, two of which had paragraphs that explained the story’s ending.” When asked which stories were better, participants chose versions where the ending was known in advance. In other words, they chose to spoil themselves. Knowing the outcome of a story not only reduced their anxiety but also elevated the experience. Avoiding the anxiety that comes with spoilers by getting ahead of them is key to smooth social dynamics. It’s addicting to be in the know.
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