Thunderbolts* Approaches $280M Box Office Amid New Avengers Marketing

Thunderbolts* has shown a robust performance in its second weekend at the box office, a testament to its appeal among MCU fans. The film, led by Florence Pugh, added $33.1 million domestically and $34 million internationally, retaining its top spot for the second consecutive week. This represents a -44% drop from its opening weekend, which is a stronger hold compared to other MCU films like 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 amassed an estimated $128.5 million in the domestic market and $143.7 million internationally, bringing its global total to $272.2 million.

Marvel's marketing efforts for Thunderbolts* intensified last week, culminating in a bold move to rename the film to New Avengers. The studio cleverly intertwined the on-screen rivalry between Sam Wilson's Avengers and the new team into real-world marketing, aiming to sustain audience interest leading up to the pivotal Phase 6 launch with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

According to Variety, Disney invested $180 million in the production of Thunderbolts* and an additional $100 million in marketing. For the film to achieve profitability at the box office, it will need to maintain its global momentum.

Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, praised Thunderbolts* last week, highlighting it as "the first and best example" of Marvel's renewed focus on quality rather than quantity in their film offerings.

Thunderbolts* debuted with a solid $76 million at the domestic box office, outperforming Eternals ($71 million) and Ant-Man and the Wasp ($75 million), both of which were deemed disappointments, yet falling short of most other MCU film openings.

The film has been well-received by both audiences and critics. IGN's review of Thunderbolts* awarded it a 7/10, commending the movie for its dual nature, "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 hopes this positive reception will propel Thunderbolts* to a more successful theatrical run compared to Captain America: Brave New World, which experienced a significant drop-off. Despite recent challenges, Marvel has seen success with films like the billion-dollar Deadpool & Wolverine.

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Looking ahead, 2026 will be a significant year for the MCU with the release of Avengers: Doomsday on May 1, followed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31. The saga will continue with Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for May 7, 2027.

Meanwhile, Sinners has reached $283.3 million at the global box office, and A Minecraft Movie has earned $909.6 million after six weekends.