Thunderbolts lags at summer box office

Marvel’s box-office problem is not that “Thunderbolts*” bombed on arrival. It didn’t. The movie opened at No. 1 in early May 2025 and got better reviews than several recent MCU entries. But the bigger hope was that strong word of mouth would turn a decent opening into a real comeback story. That never really happened — and now “Thunderbolts*” looks more like proof that Marvel’s middle tier no longer gets automatic blockbuster status. (boxofficemojo.com) ### Why are people talking about it again now? Because the summer 2026 box-office conversation has shifted from “Marvel will start things off” to “which giant titles can carry the whole season?” In that framing, “Thunderbolts*” keeps coming up as a warning sign. Deadline’s summer preview says studios are chasing a $4 billion-pl(boxofficemojo.com)nt films. That makes a merely okay Marvel result feel more important than it would have a few years ago. (deadline.com) ### So what did “Thunderbolts*” actually do? The movie opened on May 2, 2025 with $74.3 million domestically in 4,330 theaters. Its final domestic gross sits at about $190.3 million, with roughly $192.2 million overseas, for about $382.4 million worldwide. That is not catastrophic in isolation. But for a Marvel theatr(deadline.com)er end of the MCU table. (boxofficemojo.com) ### Why does that count as underwhelming? Because Marvel used to have a much higher floor. Before the pandemic, even less-loved MCU movies routinely cleared $500 million worldwide. “Thunderbolts*” finished below “Captain America: Brave New World” at about $415.1 million worldwide, and far below the old Marvel standard where non(boxofficemojo.com)nd still opens doors — but not as many as it used to. (the-numbers.com) ### But didn’t audiences like it? Yes — and that’s part of why the result matters. Reviews were strong, audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore, and early commentary treated it as a step up after rougher MCU outings. Normally, that mix would suggest staying power. Instead, the movie still ended up as one of the low(the-numbers.com)ol alone. (mvariety.com) ### What’s the real lesson for Disney? The lesson is that “good enough” Marvel is no longer enough. Disney could once count on almost any connected-universe chapter to feel essential. Now audiences seem to be sorting ha(mvariety.com) Think of it like brand power turning from a turbocharger into just a seat belt. It still helps, but it does not win the race by itself. (variety.com) ### How does this connect to the rest of summer? It changes what success has to look like. In 2026, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” opened strongly enough to become one of the early bright spots, and trade forecasts now hinge on a handful of outsized titles driving the season total. Box Of(variety.com)od is less “a rising tide lifts all boats” and more “the biggest ships have to do the lifting.” (boxofficemojo.com) ### Where does that leave Marvel next? At an inflection point. Disney has already been talking about a quality-over-quantity approach, and “Thunderbolts*” makes that strategy look less like branding and more like necessity. The next wave — especially bigger crossover titles like “Avengers: Doomsday” — now carries extra pressure to prove M(boxofficemojo.com)franchise maintenance. (variety.com) ### Bottom line “Thunderbolts*” was not a disaster. But turns out that is exactly the problem. For Marvel, a movie that is well reviewed, opens first, and still tops out around $382 million worldwide now reads as a warning — the MCU can still sell tickets, but only its biggest swings look capable of moving the whole market. (boxofficemojo.com)