The writers behind Thunderbolts* came up with a different and sillier reason for the name: It's named after Yelena's childhood soccer team: the West Chesapeake Bay Thunderbolts. Coached by Red Guardian when the Russian family were spies masquerading as suburban Americans, the team didn't win a single match.

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe announced its most recent movie, it was simply Thunderbolts. During filming, however, the title got a new accessory as the movie's stars and the studio added an asterisk. It became Thunderbolts* as the official title, but no one knew exactly what it all meant.