Many MCU actors have been loose-lipped about major spoilers over the years. The likes of Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo have previously done the press rounds and revealed things they shouldn't have, including that Avengers: Infinity War snap.
But Thunderbolts star Julia Louis-Dreyfus is showing everyone else how it's done – after revealing she knew about the Marvel movie's big Avengers twist years in advance.
"I met with [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige and [executive producer] Louis D'Esposito many years ago, when they first pitched me this whole idea of playing Val, and they pitched me [The New Avengers]," Louis-Dreyfus told Entertainment Weekly.
During the Thunderbolts ending, Val – her plot to use Sentry as her own golden goose having been foiled – hastily shuffles into a backup plan: re-christening the Thunderbolts group as her 'New Avengers'.
As we discover in the Thunderbolts post-credits scene, that's led to some tension between group member Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, with the latter suing over naming rights.
Louis-Dreyfus added, "So I've really known for a long time. I haven't said a thing to anyone!"
Marvel even went to specific lengths to cover up the reveal. As lead Florence Pugh revealed, a fake scene was even shot to obscure the A-word, Avengers, from Val's big announcement.
The Thunderbolts are next set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, though Feige has confused matters with the revelation that the Doomsday tease of the Fantastic Four ship in the Thunderbolts post-credits scene might not be what you think it is.
"Their ship is the Excelsior, and there is a Fantastic Four ship entering the MCU...But I'm not sure they’re the same ship," Feige told Empire Magazine.
Next up in the MCU is Fantastic Four, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn as Marvel's First Family. That hits cinemas on July 25.
For more, be sure to discover the other upcoming Marvel movies on the way very soon. Then catch up on all 50-plus MCU projects with our complete guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
