Unfortunately, the ticket sales for “Thunderbolts” have fallen short, not just for Marvel Studios but also for movie enthusiasts who were looking forward to it. Despite doubling its production cost over the past weekends, it appears that the latest MCU film may not surpass these numbers significantly in box office returns. This is a tough pill to swallow, especially since “Thunderbolts” has been highly praised as one of Marvel’s top films as of late.
Although essential for the narrative of “Avengers: Doomsday”, the film “Thunderbolts” failed to reach the substantial box office thresholds that Marvel Studios likely anticipated. The future of the MCU’s box office following “Thunderbolts” remains optimistic, yet the underperformance of this movie is not only disheartening due to its quality, but also because it signifies the conclusion of a protracted era for the franchise. In terms of a persistent box office trend that has persisted for over 13 years, “Thunderbolts” appears to mark the end of the line.
Marvel Studios Had Dominated The Early Summer Box Office For Years
The Start Of Summer Was Always A Marvel Hot Spot
Ever since “The Avengers” hit theaters in 2012, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has consistently ruled the box office during the early summer season. The remarkable success of “The Avengers” back in 2012 paved the way for Marvel Studios to establish a pattern of releasing a highly anticipated movie around late April or early May, starting with “Iron Man 3” on May 3, 2013. Although not every year since then has seen a release, Marvel has maintained a strong hold over the summer box office.
*Note: There is no confirmed release of Thunderbolts as of now.
| MCU Movie | Release Date | Domestic Box Office | International Box Office | Worldwide Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Avengers | May 4, 2012 | $623,357,910 | $891,742,301 | $1,515,100,211 |
| Iron Man 3 | May 3, 2013 | $408,992,272 | $805,638,684 | $1,214,630,956 |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | May 1, 2015 | $459,005,868 | $936,311,111 | $1,395,316,979 |
| Captain America: Civil War | May 6, 2016 | $408,084,349 | $743,815,237 | $1,151,899,586 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | May 5, 2017 | $389,813,101 | $479,274,862 | $869,087,963 |
| Avengers: Infinity War | April 27, 2018 | $678,815,482 | $1,369,544,272 | $2,048,359,754 |
| Avengers: Endgame | April 26, 2019 | $858,373,000 | $1,859,130,922 | $2,717,503,922 |
| Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | May 6, 2022 | $411,331,607 | $540,893,379 | $952,224,986 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | May 5, 2023 | $358,995,815 | $486,559,962 | $845,555,777 |
| Thunderbolts* | May 2, 2025 | $181,849,601 | $188,095,613 | $369,945,214 |
Since 2012, Marvel Studios has found immense financial success during early summer seasons, as evidenced by their ten films in this timeframe. Notably, six out of these ten movies have surpassed the $1 billion mark globally, with two even reaching over $2 billion. Remarkably, three more of the remaining four films made over $800 million, nearly hitting the $1 billion threshold. The lowest-grossing Marvel movie from April/May, excluding Thunderbolts*, is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which boasts a commendable worldwide total of $845 million.
*Note: As of my current knowledge base, there’s no confirmed film titled “Thunderbolts” in Marvel Studios’ early summer lineup since 2012.
Why Thunderbolts* Is The End Of An Era For Marvel Studios
Thunderbolts* Ends The Streak Of Early Summer Success
Regrettably, despite the widespread acclaim for Thunderbolts*, this film signals the conclusion of an era for Marvel Studios. Released on May 2, 2025, Thunderbolts* was anticipated to build upon the consistent success of past MCU films in its slot. However, with a global box office take of $369 million as it approaches the end of its run, this is one of the lowest grossing movies in the franchise, even though it was released during a traditionally popular time for Marvel’s big superhero films.
This signifies the conclusion of Marvel’s impressive early summer season, leading us to ponder why the movie “Thunderbolts” deviated from this pattern. Previously, I hinted at its excellence, and I believe many would concur with me when I say it ranks among the strongest MCU films in recent times. This is supported by its 88% approval rating from critics and a staggering 93% approval rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, despite its quality, “Thunderbolts” did not achieve commercial success due to several factors.
A significant reason for the commercial flop of Thunderbolts might be the growing exhaustion towards the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a trend that has been affecting the franchise lately. While some films like Deadpool, Wolverine, and the two summer releases from 2022 and 2023 have shown success, they are exceptions rather than the rule. Since 2019, the MCU has produced more disappointments than blockbusters, with movies such as The Marvels, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Eternals, Captain America: Brave New World, and now Thunderbolts failing to capture the interest of general audiences. These viewers appear less invested in Marvel’s recent projects.
Furthermore, it’s not widely recognized that “Thunderbolts” is a comic book franchise. While the characters from “Thunderbolts” are well-liked among fans, the name of the team itself doesn’t have the same drawing power as a title like “The Avengers.” If “Thunderbolts” had been introduced as “The New Avengers,” it might have attracted more casual viewers to the movies, leveraging the appeal of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Avengers: Doomsday Moving To December Makes Sense After Thunderbolts*
The Franchise Is Switching Tactics
As the thunderous conclusion to Marvel Studios’ triumphant early summer phase, the franchise is opting for a new strategy moving forward. Instead of their initial release dates in May 2026 and May 2027, the films “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” have been postponed to December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027. The former, “Avengers: Doomsday,” will make history as the first Avengers film not premiering in April or May, with Marvel Studios aiming to capitalize on the box-office success typically seen during the holiday season in December.
In the realm of movies, only seven films have amassed more than $2 billion at the box office. Among these, two were Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) releases from April – “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” – while “Ne Zha 2” stands out due to its significant earnings primarily in China. The remaining four $2 billion movies were all December premieres: “Titanic”, “Avatar”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, and the upcoming “Avatar: The Way of Water”. By 2026, the MCU aims to capitalize on the holiday season.
Shifting “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” was already a reasonable move, but it makes even more sense now after examining the box office performance of “Thunderbolts”. Given that “Thunderbolts” underperformed, it’s likely that this influenced Marvel Studios’ decision to postpone these two films. Additionally, they needed additional time to develop such massive storylines. By 2025, it’s clear that the Marvel Cinematic Universe no longer enjoys the box office dominance it once had in April/May. Marvel Studios hopes “Avengers: Doomsday” can regain this advantage during the Christmas season in the future years.
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2025-06-03 19:41