The Fantastic Four Are Coming: What Thunderbolts’ End-Credits Reveal About Their MCU Debut

Spoiler Alert: Major plot details from Thunderbolts ahead.

By the end of Thunderbolts, the unlikely crew of misfit heroes and antiheroes has somehow saved New York—but not without serious collateral damage. The team’s most volatile member, Bob (played by Lewis Pullman), was a test subject for a new supersoldier serum. Hoping to become the superhero known as Sentry, Bob instead lost control of his immense powers and transformed into his dark alter ego, the Void.

The Void traps innocent civilians inside mental prisons filled with their worst memories, leaving the team scrambling for a way to stop him. Florence Pugh’s Yelena steps up, leading the effort to help Bob regain control and free the captives. With her guidance, Bob manages to fight off the Void and save the day—at least for now.

Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who had authorized the risky experiment on Bob in the first place, tries to spin the disaster into a PR win. She rebrands the Thunderbolts—now including Yelena, Bob, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen)—as the “New Avengers.”

Mid-Credits Scene: Red Guardian Gets His Wheaties Moment

In a lighter moment, the mid-credits scene shows Red Guardian finally living his dream: he’s on the front of a Wheaties box. Inside a grocery store, he’s thrilled to show it off to a fellow shopper, boasting about being part of the New Avengers. He smiles and poses next to the box, clearly hoping for recognition. The shopper gives a polite smile and quietly slips away—his excitement isn’t exactly contagious.

End-Credits Scene: Lawsuits, Legal Drama, and a Fantastic Arrival

Fourteen months later, the New Avengers are holed up in the old Avengers Tower. They’re not just dealing with supervillains—they’re dealing with lawsuits. Turns out Sam Wilson, the current Captain America, is suing them for using the Avengers name without permission. Bucky tried to smooth things over with his old friend, but no luck.

Trying to rebrand (again), Red Guardian suggests changing the team name to “New Avengerz” with a “z,” and even debuts a new jacket complete with sponsor patches.

As the team laments their lack of media respect—and the fact that the government still isn’t including them in briefings about a looming “space crisis”—they get a sudden alert. A mysterious, extra-dimensional ship has entered Earth’s orbit.

Yelena pulls up satellite images and zooms in. The ship bears a very familiar symbol: the Fantastic Four logo.

How the Thunderbolts* End-Credits Scenes Set Up The Fantastic Four: First Steps

1. A Cosmic Warning

In the Thunderbolts end-credits scene, the team picks up an alert about an “extra-dimensional ship” entering Earth’s orbit. When they zoom in on satellite imagery, the ship clearly bears the Fantastic Four’s iconic logo — marking the first direct, visual tease of Marvel’s First Family in the MCU proper.

This isn’t just a cameo—it signals something much bigger:

• The mention of “extra-dimensional” hints that this version of the Fantastic Four may come from another universe or timeline, aligning with the multiverse themes dominating recent MCU phases.
• Their arrival during a so-called “space crisis” suggests they may be responding to or even causing this interstellar event.

2. The “New Avengers” Are Out of Their League

The Thunderbolts—now clumsily rebranded as the “New Avengers”—are clearly struggling for credibility. They’re being sued by Sam Wilson (Captain America) for infringing on the Avengers name, mocked by the media, and openly admit they have no space-faring capability.

This contrast sets up a natural narrative tension:

• When the Fantastic Four arrive, they’ll likely be positioned as the real deal—a true superhero team with powers, leadership, and purpose.
• The “New Avengers” may be sidelined, overshadowed, or forced to grow up fast if they want to keep their spot at the superhero table.

3. The Void and Cosmic Consequences

Sentry (Bob) is still afraid to use his powers after nearly destroying New York by transforming into the Void. That unresolved internal conflict could tie into the larger cosmic narrative:

• If the Fantastic Four are arriving because of cosmic instability or a multiversal breach, Sentry’s powers—or the lingering presence of the Void—may be part of what’s drawing them to Earth.
• Alternatively, the Void himself could evolve into a major antagonist not just for Earth, but for the Fantastic Four’s debut story.

4. A Soft Launch for the Fantastic Four

Rather than suddenly dropping the team into their own solo film, Marvel is using Thunderbolts to gently lay the groundwork:

• This tease allows the audience to get excited and curious without having to know their full backstory.
• It opens the door for the Fantastic Four to make a proper entrance in their own movie—possibly arriving on Earth during its moment of greatest need.

Bottom Line

The Thunderbolts end-credits scenes are less about wrapping up their story and more about passing the baton. With the Fantastic Four on the horizon, the MCU seems ready to shift gears from street-level and legacy heroes to cosmic explorers and multiversal stakes.