Thunderbolts*, the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, has demonstrated a robust performance at the box office, securing a strong second weekend with a global total now reaching $272.2 million. The action-packed movie, led by Florence Pugh, added $33.1 million domestically and $34 million internationally, maintaining its top position at the box office for another week. This represents a mere -44% drop from its opening weekend, outperforming other MCU films such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (-52%), Captain America: Brave New World (-54%), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (-54%). To date, Thunderbolts* has earned an estimated $128.5 million in the U.S. and $143.7 million from international markets.
Marvel's marketing for Thunderbolts* escalated significantly last week, with the studio even renaming the movie to New Avengers. They cleverly integrated the on-screen tension between Sam Wilson’s Avengers and the new superhero team into real-world marketing campaigns. This strategic move by Marvel aims to sustain audience interest in Thunderbolts* as the studio gears up for the launch of Phase 6 with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.
According to Variety, Disney invested $180 million in producing Thunderbolts* and an additional $100 million in marketing efforts. For the film to be profitable in theaters, it needs to maintain its global appeal and box office performance.
Last week, Disney CEO Bob Iger praised Thunderbolts*, heralding it as "the first and best example" of Marvel's new focus on quality rather than quantity in their film productions.
AnswerSee ResultsThunderbolts* kicked off with a $76 million opening weekend, a solid performance when compared to other MCU films like Eternals ($71 million) and Ant-Man and the Wasp ($75 million), which were deemed flops, yet still below the typical opening figures for most MCU entries.
The film has been well-received by both audiences and critics. IGN's review of Thunderbolts* awarded it a 7/10, stating: "Thunderbolts* has, like its sort-of-not-really antagonist, both a dark half and a light half. But only one of them is actually pretty great (hint: it’s the one that involves plumbing the depths of the characters’ worst memories)."
Disney is banking on this positive reception to propel Thunderbolts* to a more successful theatrical run compared to films like Captain America: Brave New World, which experienced a significant drop-off. In recent years, Marvel movies have faced challenges at the box office, with the exception of standout successes like the billion-dollar hit Deadpool & Wolverine.
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Looking ahead, the MCU has an exciting lineup with Avengers: Doomsday slated for release on May 1, 2026, followed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars set for May 7, 2027.
Meanwhile, Sinners has reached a global box office of $283.3 million, and A Minecraft Movie has accumulated $909.6 million after six weekends.
