“ Thunderbolts * ‘has lost Marvel money – but there is a reason why it should not panic Disney

When Thunderbolts * struck the theaters in early May, it was like a Fresh air breath for the MCU. Garner Elogious criticisms, the ragtag group of improbable heroes – directed by Florence Pugh,, Sebastian StanAnd David Harbor—Chride in the hearts of criticism and fans. The current note of 88% rotten tomatoes is the highest than any MCU film has won since 2021 Spider-Man: No time at home obtained a 93%score.

All this seems to be a massive victory for the MCU and the house of the mouse, until you arrived at the box office of the film’s yields, which tell a very different story. Despite the critical praise, Thunderbolts * is on the right track to become One of the least efficient films in the history of the franchise. To date, it has only exceeded seven MCU titles at the national box office. Although the profitability threshold is unknown, some reports have hypothesized that the film could lead to a loss of $ 100 million for Disney. Despite these disturbing figures, Marvel leaders should not yet ring.

Marvel should not put too much stock in the underperformance of ‘Thunderbolts *’

Although some may be forced to start to shout immediately on the fatigue of superheroes after seeing Thunderbolts * Not winning $ 400 million worldwide, the disappointing numbers of the film’s box office do not really seem to be an indicator of a large-scale problem for the MCU when it is put in context. Of course, Marvel certainly hoped more than $ 182 million at the national level and $ 372 million at the world box office of Jake Schreiermovie, but It would be a bit myopic to suggest that these totals emit major problems for the franchise. It is important to remember that Thunderbolts * is the conclusion of phase five, a frantic period for the company that started with Ant-man and the wasp: Quantumania in 2023.

As we are now able to look back as a finished product, it is sure to say that the five phase was undoubtedly the least successful stretch in the history of the MCU by practically all metrics. This is why the critical success of Thunderbolts * should not be ignored simply because the film did not work for financially expectations. This is also why, perhaps, it was an wrong idea to think that this film would never cause an exceptional bean. Considering the fact that Thunderbolts * came to the heels of the abyssal Captain America: Brave New World And the profitable but the division Deadpool and Wolverine– which was the only film MCU released from last year, which the company had not done since 2012 – it would have been a small miracle if the film reached the box office heights that Marvel was doing during its peak.

Thunderbolts * made the MCU at a time when fans could come to the theater and expect a well -constructed and entertaining film. While the franchise is preparing to enter a crucial six phase, it was an incredibly important thing to do. The financial performance of the film should not be residual because The real moment to do or break for the MCU approaches quickly.

“ The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ is the real test for the future of the MCU

Should be released on July 25, The Fantastic Four: First steps is one of the most important films in the long and legendary history of the MCU. The performance at the box office of the third attempt to fight the first Marvel family will be a much better gauge of the level of interest of the audience in the future of the franchise than the brut for life of Thunderbolts *. Not only Reed Richards, Sue & Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm are much more emblematic and important characters than all those who appeared in Thunderbolts *but First step is a clear step for the MCU. While Thunderbolts * Created the new Avengers, it was a film deeply linked to projects spent in the franchise.

As a starting point for phase six, the number of tickets Matt ShakmanThe upcoming film will reveal how much fans care about what awaits us. The concerns of superhero fatigue will disappear if Marvel offers a captivating and financially successful film that leaves the public anticipating the next chapter in history. But if they fall flat and cannot capture the magic of the comics in a satisfactory way, So it’s time to take the panic button out.

The good news for Marvel is that First step is already followed to be a big success at the box office. According to Fandango, the film sold more tickets during its first day on sale than any other 2025 film so far, including Lilo & Stitch,, How to train your dragonAnd Jurassic World Rebirth. Although nothing is certain, it is a good sign not only for the next episode of the MCU, but for the entirety of phase six. It should be noted that even if First step is just a modest success that is not going to break the box office records, It would always be unfair to suggest that the MCU is completely dead. A pure and simple bomb would be devastating, but no one realistically forecasts that it will take place. If the film marginally underscores some of its higher expectations, all of this means that this franchise which has governed Hollywood for 20 years has naturally lost part of its cultural cachet. The films will not disappear entirely; They will return to an audience a little more niche and will lose their status of the most important and most spoken films in the world at any time.

Thunderbolts *

Release date

May 2, 2025

Execution time

127 minutes

Director

Jake Schreier

Writers

Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo