Marvel Studios’ latest team of heroes is set to make their streaming debut on Disney+ later this month. To celebrate the upcoming addition of Thunderbolts* to the platform, Disney+ unveiled a brand-new poster featuring the group of outcasts. Unfortunately, though, the poster was quickly met with fury online. Not only does the poster leave out a character, albeit one with limited screen time, but it also strips the characters of their weapons. It’s an odd choice, especially as both were present on the original marketing items for the movie. Fans were quick to call out the seemingly unnecessary changes, curious as to why Disney edited the promotional image to tease its upcoming release on Disney+.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The edited poster, which can be seen below, features a plethora of changes. The biggest, of course, is the removal of Taskmaster/Antonia Dreykov. Now, ahead of the film, Taskmaster was heavily included in the movie’s marketing, only to have a minor (and controversial) role in the film. The decision to keep Taskmaster in the marketing was to avoid spoiling the movie for fans, so it’s strange that Disney+ opted to move her completely from marketing with many having yet to see the film. Then, of course, there’s the removal of weapons from Yelena and Bucky. In the original poster, both can be seen sporting guns, but in the new poster, their hands are now empty, but still in the same positions, as if they are holding onto an imaginary item.
One could argue that the change was made to be more family friendly. However, Disney+ got rid of its family friendly goal long ago, having since added the Deadpool titles to its platform, as well as the original Defenders series from Netflix that include Daredevil and Punisher. Weapons, blood, and profanity are no longer off the table for the streaming service. So, why the need to tidy up the marketing for Thunderbolts*? It’s even more strange considering the film was well-received by critics, and rather than changing the marketing to be “family friendly,” one would think the marketing would instead focus on critics’ quotes, as Thunderbolts* has generally been called one of Marvel Studios’ best films.
There’s one change, however, that, while noticeable, isn’t exactly a huge deal. In the original poster, the Thunderbolts can be seen on top of what appears to be a background from a battle scene. That is no longer the case, though, as the new poster simply puts the group against a plain yellow background. This is the only change that isn’t an issue, as yellow has been the primary marketing color for the film and can even be seen in its upcoming home release marketing. Is it odd? Perhaps. But it is also eye-catching, while the original background could have been viewed as distracting. Unfortunately, though, the yellow also allows for folks to notice the absurdity of Bucky’s hand pose all the more without his weapon.
Whether you like the new marketing for Thunderbolts* or not, the film is finally set to hit Disney+ on Wednesday, August 27th. If you haven’t already had a chance to watch one of Marvel Studios’ best features in recent years, make sure to check out Thunderbolts* from the comfort of your home later this month.
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
