What to Make of the ‘Thunderbolts*’ Box Office Performance
After a disappointing reception to Captain America: Brave New World, Marvel Studios returned to theaters earlier this month with Thunderbolts*.
The latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Thunderbolts*, sees the formation of a new kind of superteam.
Photo: Marvel
Under the watchful eye of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis Dreyfus), the MCU’s Thunderbolts brings together Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell).
Thunderbolts* Delivered Strong Reviews and a Good Debut
Unlike previous MCU installments, including the aforementioned Captain America 4, Thunderbolts* has received glowing reviews from fans and critics alike.
Photo: Marvel
As of this writing, the film holds an 88% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- CinemaScore.
After opening to a $74 million debut weekend, the prospects for Thunderbolts* looked promising. Buoyed by strong reviews, the film held firm in theaters over both its second and third weekends.
Photo: Marvel
Currently, the film has grossed $155.4 million at domestic theaters and $170 million overseas for a global cume of $325.7 million.
The Big Question
The question for Thunderbolts* now is what constitutes success. With a $180 million budget, the film likely needs to gross between $360 and $400 million to turn a profit.
Photo: USA Today
With Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning set to hit theaters next weekend, Thunderbolts* will soon have plenty of competition.
As a stand-alone Marvel film, the box office prospects for Thunderbolts* were never going to be as high as the likes of Thor, Deadpool, or even Captain America.
The Marvel movie “Thunderbolts” was primarily filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional scenes shot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Utah, USA.
Photo: Marvel
If the film can turn a profit while delivering strong reviews, Marvel should consider it a win.
Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.
