After making a controversial decision for Captain America: Brave New World, Marvel Studios seems set to go back to its roots in Thunderbolts*. Notably, Captain America 4 took a different direction with its omission of the opening Marvel Studios logo, not using the classic opening sequence ending in the usual red-and-white studio branding.
As seen in an early press screening of the movie, Thunderbolts* will start with the iconic Marvel Studios opening fanfare. The classic fanfare was omitted from Captain America 4, which instead opted for a grainy black-and-white variation of "Marvel Studios" that leaned into the film's political thriller vibe.
Internet personality Matt Ramos shared this change for the MCU's newest movie on X. Marvel Studios' current opening fanfare has previously played in front of every MCU movie since 2013's Thor: The Dark World.
Over the years, it has also been updated visually with clips from new MCU releases as they came out, and, on occasion, different music has been used while the Marvel Studios logo comes into frame.
The fanfare was also used in most of the MCU's Disney+ shows before an updated Marvel Television-branded logo sequence came in front of 2024's Agatha All Along. The same thing happened on the animated side, with the exception of 2022's I Am Groot, which used a hilarious sped-up version with a 15-second runtime instead of over 30 seconds.
Thunderbolts* is set to be the next movie released in the MCU, marking the final theatrical release in Marvel Studios' Phase 5 slate. Led by Black Widow star Florence Pugh, the movie will tie together stories laid out in about half a dozen past Marvel entries behind a new team of antiheroes/villains.
Alongside Pugh will be Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Hannan John-Kamen (Ghost), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurlyenko). The team will assemble under Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine as they face the threat of Lewis Pullman's Robert Reynolds, better known as Sentry.
Thunderbolts* will make its worldwide theatrical debut on Friday, May 2.
Will Marvel Studios Logo's Return Help Thunderbolts Succeed?
While a decision as simple as using or not using the Marvel Studios fanfare may not be much, it will at least bring back the feeling of watching a classic MCU movie after Captain America 4. Particularly with Brave New World's reviews being less than stellar, Marvel seems to want to do everything possible to get back on track.
Thankfully, whether the change in logo had an impact or not, the MCU seems to be back on track with Thunderbolts*.
Marvel's newest movie is already earning rave reviews, with some comparing it to "the old Marvel" and others saying it is "one of Marvel’s most enjoyable films in a while." Critics have praised the performances of the film's leading stars, specifically Pugh and Pullman, while loving the story and stakes being delivered.
Moving forward, the inclusion or omission of the Marvel Studios fanfare is sure to depend on the movie or show being presented, as it was for Captain America 4. However, there is no shame in going back to something proven to work, especially with a film as important to the MCU landscape as this one.
