Thunderbolts* Aims for $70M Box Office Bang: Can It Beat MCU Expectations?

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The upcoming movie “Thunderbolts*” is aiming to launch the summer film season with a strong opening weekend, but it’s worth noting that this is on the lower end for the Marvel Cinematic Universe given its success. Marvel Studios has chosen to debut “Thunderbolts*” during the first week of May, a slot they’ve also used for blockbusters like The Avengers, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the original Iron Man. With a group of anti-heroes and lesser-known characters, “Thunderbolts*” is aiming to recreate the unique, non-traditional superhero feel that made the Guardians of the Galaxy series so popular.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, it’s projected that the upcoming movie Thunderbolts* will likely earn between $63 million and $77 million during its opening weekend. If the higher estimate of $70 million holds true, this would place it below several films released during the pandemic, including Black Widow ($80 million), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($75 million), and Eternals ($71 million). However, if Thunderbolts* performs closer to the upper end of these projections, it could surpass both Shang-Chi and Eternals in earnings. The initial forecasts also suggest that its opening weekend would be lower than Captain America: Brave New World’s $88 million from earlier this year.

It’s expected that the earnings from Thunderbolts will surpass the opening weekend collections of Marvel Studio’s five lowest-grossing films: The Marvels ($46 million), The Incredible Hulk ($55 million), Ant-Man ($57 million), Captain America: The First Avenger ($65 million) and Thor ($65 million). However, these figures may adjust as we approach the final marketing phases in the coming weeks. A recent example of how box office predictions can be off is with the Minecraft movie; initially expected to make $80 million, it actually grossed $162 million during its opening weekend.

‘Thunderbolts*’ Already Has Strong Buzz Around It

Initially, it may appear that the debut of Thunderbolts falls short. However, raking in $70 million during its opening weekend is nothing to dismiss, demonstrating the robust popularity of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films relative to other franchises. In 2025, Thunderbolts would rank as the third-largest opening weekend, trailing only Captain America: Brave New World and A Minecraft Movie. Furthermore, given that the main characters in the Thunderbolts team originate from a mix of lesser-known MCU titles such as Disney+ series, a film released during the COVID-19 era, and Ant-Man and the Wasp, its performance is quite impressive.

The movie titled “Thunderbolts*” could potentially gain popularity through word-of-mouth after its initial release weekend. It is said that the film has received high approval ratings from viewers during testing. This suggests a robust performance throughout the summer, especially during its second weekend when it encounters minimal competition. The trailers for “Thunderbolts*” have been successful in promoting the talent behind the film under A24, which might attract an audience that typically shies away from superhero movies and may have grown tired of the MCU recently. Marvel Studios is also anticipating some positive impact from audiences, as six characters from this movie are set to appear in the upcoming sequel, reminiscent of “Avengers: Doomsday“.

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2025-04-10 21:31