Other versions of the Thunderbolts post-credits scene included Baron Zemo and Kang

The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene is a huge moment for the MCU, but it was almost very different.

Now, the following will contain spoilers for Thunderbolts*, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

At the very end of the film, it's none other than the Fantastic Four that make a surprise appearance in the Marvel Phase 5 movie – well, their ship does, anyway (and one cut scene would've involved a hilarious moment between John Walker and Bucky Barnes bickering over the number four).

But, previous versions of the post-credits scene involved other characters entirely. "So I was throwing together at the beginning a post-credit sequence that had to deal with Kang," Eric Pearson, who co-wrote the movie with Joanna Calo, told IGN.

But, the SAG-AFTRA strikes disrupted the movie's pre-production, which meant by the time work resumed, things in the MCU looked very different.

Marvel ultimately pivoted away from Kang after parting ways with Jonathan Majors in 2023.

There was another character who almost made it into the movie, too. "There was definitely a [post-credits] tag that I did a million years ago where Zemo is like Keyser Söze," Pearson said, referencing The Usual Suspects. "Like he's been pulling the strings from prison in some way. But I don't think that iteration lived longer than like, 'Hey, what about this?' 'Nope, not that.'"

As it is now, the post-credits scene tees up the Thunderbolts* as the New Avengers – though not everyone is happy about that. Sam Wilson, AKA Captain America, is threatening to sue over the new name, and it's a legal battle that's even spilling into the real world.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now. For more, check out our Thunderbolts* review for our verdict on the film.