Amidst all this, it seems like ‘Thunderbolts*’ arrives like a ray of sunshine and hope. The film has just been unveiled to select members of the press, and early reactions paint a very different picture from what fans might expect from a traditional MCU team-up.

In the lead up to the premiere, Marvel promised a different kind of superhero movie with “Thunderbolts.” Back in March, a trailer ran in theaters boasting the film’s lineup of cast and crew who have worked on A24 films. Even before the trailer debuted, director Schreier touted the film as distinct from Marvel’s usual fare.

Matt Neglia, the editor-in-chief of Next Best Picture, took to social media to marvel at Thunderbolts, calling it “different from other MCU films” and coming at an “opportune time when the franchise is in need of new blood and direction.”