The first trailer for Thunderbolts* (what does the asterisk mean!?) has seemingly won over the fan base, and built a genuinely exciting level of hype surrounding the new movie. As well as the return of some fan favorite characters, and giving some of the MCU’s misfires a chance at redemption, fans have praised the first trailer for breaking one of the most frustrating MCU conventions… bland color palettes. Thanks in part to their large reliance on green screens, the Marvel movies of late have been a bit underwhelming in the cinematography department. Basic lighting set-ups and an over-reliance on neon has left the MCU failing to utilize one of the most powerful filmmaking tools. But, Thunderbolts* appears to be putting that trend to rest, as the trailer features some beautiful cinematography for a change.

The break in trend was pointed out by @Bozzman_ on X. Sharing a screenshot of Bucky (Sebastian Stan) pointing a gun at the rest of the team, Bozzman highlighted the off-brand use of lighting and color grading in the shot. They wrote, “WHU= COLOR GRADING?? IN MY MARVEL MOVIE???”

Directed by Jake Schreier, Andrew Droz Palermo is in charge of cinematography for Thunderbolts*. The cinematographer is no stranger to the MCU, having held the same role for the Disney+ series, Moon Knight but is perhaps best known for his work on the visually stunning A24 movie, The Green Knight. And it appears that Thunderbolts* is giving the DOP a chance to use his creative talent in the new movie, as another user points out. While the trailer has sparked backlash from the die-hard MCU haters, many prospective audiences are excited by Thunderbolts* actually looking like a unique movie. Check out some of the responses below:

The Color Grading in Thunderbolts* Highlights a Larger MCU Problem

As amazing as the Thunderbolts* trailer looks, it’s bittersweet that fans can finally be excited about how good an MCU movie looks again. Over the past few years, it has been hard to visually differentiate any of the Marvel films. WandaVision was perhaps the most visually interesting series, that was until the series ditched its unique premise and reverted to the standard Marvel look in its final episodes. Some of the comments see fans hoping to see a Marvel movie shot on analog film (The Eternals was, but Marvel fans have tried to forget that movie).

However, what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has truly been suffering from is a lack of individual vision from its directors. That’s not to throw blame on the directors themselves, but Marvel movies have begun to lose their individuality to the wider MCU style. Remember when Edgar Wright was tapped to direct Ant-Man? Imagine how memorable that movie could have been compared to the rest of the modern MCU.

Meanwhile, the DC Universe appears to be learning this lesson, as James Gunn seems to be letting directors and auteurs bring their unique styles to the DC Comics movies. But Marvel Studios are less willing to grant directors the same sort of stylistic freedom. Even in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which was overseen by legendary director Sam Raimi, the filmmaker’s unique style was forcibly combined with the Marvel formula, resulting in a very mixed movie. Here’s hoping that Thunderbolts* fares far better.

Thunderbolts*
is scheduled to for release on May 5, 2025.