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• Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* movie puts the final nail in the coffin for the Joss Whedon-era superhero film
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Thunderbolts* is the darkest MCU movie yet - literally, because there's an entity called The Void in the film. Critics and audiences alike have praised Jake Schreier's film as a mature, elevated take on the superhero genre with a deep sense of emotion at its core. And while the film certainly is funny at several points, it's got a different feel than your typical Marvel movie. Gone are the Joss Whedon days when characters in MCU movies quip each other into oblivion. 

This shift in humor is something director Jake Schreier addressed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Maybe that humor comes from different places than you might ordinarily expect, and maybe the rhythms are different, but it’s always in there. If you are going to tell a story about something like [mental illness and depression], the last thing we want for anyone that struggles, including myself, with what the characters are going through is to feel like we’re being reductive about it or that we’re simplifying it or that we’re saying that it can be even solved. It’s more about the idea that you can bear it with others, but it’s not going to go away," Schreier said. 

"So there were a lot of moments where I would just keep that in mind and make sure not to undercut that emotional place. I would be honest about it and let that stand. But a lot of the people I know who struggle with what we’re talking about are some of the funniest people I know, so we always wanted comedy to be a part of this, not because it was a Marvel movie, but because that feels honest to the world. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other in that pursuit."

What Schreier is talking about certainly comes through in the film. Thunderbolts* doesn't make fun of its characters for having depression and other mental health problems. But the film also finds ways to make us laugh, even when characters are going through heavy stuff. And that, ultimately, is a lot like life. Humor helps us get through the darkness, The Void, whatever you want to call it. 

Consider this a meta post-credits scene for Marvel fans - the four key articles you need to read next to continue the thrills:

• How to watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe in release or chronological order
• The best Marvel Comics stories of all time
• All the MCU movies ranked from best to worst
• Our weekly Marvel insider's column, Marvel Matters