Is Thunderbolts * a flop? Why * The New Avengers is exactly the film Marvel Studios is needing right now
Thunderbolts * Was published in glowing criticism earlier this month, but the film did not exactly beat records at the box office. An exciting and thoughtful vision of mental health and loneliness, * New Avengers is one of the best of Marvel Studios.
However, many have placed him in the “flop” category, maybe not a huge surprise when he seems ready to finish his race with just over $ 400 million worldwide.
Is it really fair to label it this way? We don’t think so. In fact, there are many reasons why Marvel Studios should (and probably) be satisfied with the way Thunderbolts * has played since the opening. These are the ones we are taking a closer look at this functionality.
Here is why * New Avengers is exactly the film that the MCU needed in what turned out to be a difficult period for the genre …
5. Marvel Studios desperately needed a critical blow
Some people talk about the multiverse saga as if it was a colossal disaster, forgetting that there were only three “rotten” films: Ethernals,, Ant-man and the wasp: QuantumaniaAnd Captain America: Brave New World.
Despite this, the last years have not seen Marvel Studios deliver many critical blows, with Spider-Man: No time at home And Shang-chi and the legend of the ten rings the main exceptions.
So, in the wake of the films mentioned above, not to mention tastes Wonders And, to a certain extent, Deadpool and Wolverine (78%), Marvel Studios needed a critical blow. 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, Thunderbolts * is exactly that and the proof that the studio can Always deliver.
4. It’s not that far behind Captain America: Brave New World
Since last Monday (5/19), Thunderbolts * was only $ 8 million behind Captain America: Brave New World At the same point during its race at the box office. If it is true that the last CAP film has underperform, it is not a bad place for this film.
THE Captain America The franchise was launched in 2011 and both Captain America: Civil War He was released five years later, he had become a series of films of $ 1 billion.
However, if $ 415 million worldwide in this post-comfortable world of “superhero fatigue” are the best Captain America The film can do, Thunderbolts * should surely be applauded for so far reported just under $ 330 million.
3. It was not marketed as an Avengers film
Inevitably, there are those on social networks that have taken great pleasure in labeling Thunderbolts * as the least low Avengers movie. Although they can technically be right – the film ends by revealing its true title as * New Avengers– It’s not just a comparison.
Thunderbolts * has never been marketed as a Avengers Film, and beyond what Social Media Scoopers said (who, let’s face it, do not make a breach of the conscience of regular moviegoers), there was never any indication that it was.
With hindsight, Marvel Studios could have been wise to promote * New Avengers Like “The New Avengers”. However, Disney was likely to tarnish the Avengers mark Judgment DayRelease, especially if Thunderbolts * did not land.
2. These are not bad figures for a team of C-Blisters
It is easy to forget that Thunderbolts * Do not boast exactly of characters on list A. With the exception of Bucky Barnes, we have a bad guy (ghost) who appeared in largely disappointing Ant-man and the waspand a bunch of streaming anti-heroes.
Black widow came out on Disney + during the pandemic, so moviegoers did not see the Guardian Red, Ghost and Yelena Belova (who returned later Hawkeye) in theaters. John Walker, on the other hand, made his debut four years ago The Falcon and the Winter SoldierAnother streaming title.
Taking into account all this, how can Marvel Studios be unhappy with a film likely to finish his race with more than $ 400 million worldwide? Yes, these are phase 1 box office numbers, but given the current landscape, these are not to be sniff.
1. He managed to prepare the ground for Avengers: Doomsday
During the Multifhentized saga, Marvel Studios introduced many new characters in post-key scenes that did not lead anywhere. This time of narration is given something of a sensation without direction, and it is not beneficial for Avengers: Doomsday And Avengers: secret wars.
Not helping things is also the fact that this saga was forced to pivot from Kang to Doctor Doom in a relatively short time. It looks like Doom will appear from nowhere, but Thunderbolts * At least manages to prepare the field for this film with a superb post-key scene.
In addition to establishing this team as new Avengers, he teased the arrival of Fantastic Four on Terre-616. It did more to enthusiastic Judgment Day that everything we have seen since the start of the multiverse saga.
