‘Thunderbolts*’ Opens with $76M, Kicks Off Summer Box Office
The summer movie season has officially begun—and Marvel’s Thunderbolts* lit the match with a $76 million domestic debut, setting the tone for what could be one of Hollywood’s strongest box office runs in years.
While that number is slightly softer than Marvel’s elite openers (think Deadpool or Thor), it’s still a healthy launch for a film featuring lesser-known antiheroes. The global total? A solid $162.1 million, with $86.1 million coming from international markets.
With an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience-approved A- CinemaScore, the Jake Schreier-directed flick seems poised for solid legs in the weeks ahead. Critics agree it’s a much-needed rebound for Marvel after recent stumbles like The Marvels, Quantumania, and Brave New World.
“This is a very good opening for a new superhero story,” says box office analyst David A. Gross. “It’s not elite, but it’s above average for the genre—and in this case, average is a big number.”
Thunderbolts* stars a fierce lineup of antiheroes: Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, and David Harbour’s Red Guardian. Together, they’re forced into a deadly mission, forming Marvel’s grittiest team-up yet.
The film reportedly cost $180 million to produce with an additional $100 million in marketing. With positive word-of-mouth and a clean runway until July’s Fantastic Four: First Steps and DC’s Superman, Disney hopes Thunderbolts will prove superhero fatigue isn’t real—just overstated.
Other Box Office Movers
Sinners – $33 million in its third weekend
Michael B. Jordan’s vampire thriller is holding remarkably well, dropping just 28%. It now stands at $236M worldwide.
A Minecraft Movie – $13.5 million
Still crushing it five weeks in, Warner Bros.’ video game flick has reached $873M globally.
The Accountant 2 – $9.45 million
Ben Affleck’s sequel took a sharp 61% dip. At $41M domestic, it’s likely to fall short of profitability in theaters.
Until Dawn – $3.8 million
Sony’s gory survival horror has grossed $34.7M worldwide, recouping its $15M budget with modest success.
What’s Next?
The summer heat only gets hotter. Memorial Day weekend brings Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and Paramount’s highly anticipated Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. According to Comscore, May is already shaping up to be “one of the best on record.”
Domestic box office is up 15.8% from 2024 and poised for major recovery, though still trailing 2019 totals by about 31%. With Thunderbolts now leading the charge, industry eyes are locked on what may be Hollywood’s big comeback summer.
