Thunderbolts* Nears $280M Box Office Amid New Avengers Marketing

Thunderbolts* has shown remarkable staying power at the box office, securing a robust second weekend with a global total now reaching $272.2 million. The Florence Pugh-led action film added $33.1 million in the domestic market and $34 million internationally, maintaining its position at the top of the charts for another week. This performance reflects a -44% drop from its opening weekend, which is a stronger hold than several other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (-52%), Captain America: Brave New World (-54%), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (-54%). So far, Thunderbolts* has amassed $128.5 million in the U.S. and $143.7 million overseas.

Last week, Marvel intensified its marketing efforts for Thunderbolts*, even going so far as to officially rename the movie to New Avengers. The studio cleverly extended the on-screen rivalry between Sam Wilson’s Avengers and this new team into real-world marketing. This strategic move aims to keep the buzz around Thunderbolts* alive as Marvel gears up for the launch of Phase 6 with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

According to Variety, Disney invested $180 million in the production of Thunderbolts* and an additional $100 million in marketing. For the film to break even at the box office, it must maintain its global appeal and continue drawing audiences.

Disney CEO Bob Iger recently praised Thunderbolts*, labeling it as "the first and best example" of Marvel’s renewed focus on quality over quantity.

Thunderbolts* kicked off with a $76 million opening weekend domestically, which was considered a solid, if not spectacular, start. This figure positioned it above Eternals ($71 million) and Ant-Man and the Wasp ($75 million), both of which were deemed flops, but below the typical opening weekend earnings of other MCU movies.

The film is resonating well with both audiences and critics. IGN’s review of Thunderbolts* gave it a 7/10, commending its dual nature: "Thunderbolts* has, like its sort-of-not-really antagonist, both a dark half and a light half. But only one of them is actually pretty great (hint: it’s the one that involves plumbing the depths of the characters’ worst memories)." Disney hopes this positive reception will propel Thunderbolts* to outperform films like Captain America: Brave New World, which saw a significant drop-off. Despite recent struggles for Marvel movies, successes like the billion-dollar Deadpool & Wolverine offer a glimmer of hope.

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Looking ahead, Marvel fans have much to anticipate. In 2026, Avengers: Doomsday is slated for release on May 1, followed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31. The highly anticipated Avengers: Secret Wars will hit theaters on May 7, 2027.

Meanwhile, other films are also making waves at the box office. Sinners has now reached $283.3 million globally, and A Minecraft Movie has grossed $909.6 million after six weekends.