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

Thunderbolts* has maintained a robust performance at the box office during its second weekend, a notable feat for an MCU film. The movie, led by Florence Pugh, has now accumulated $272.2 million worldwide. It earned an additional $33.1 million domestically and $34 million internationally, securing its position at the top of the box office charts for another week. This represents a -44% drop from its opening weekend, which is a better retention rate compared to other MCU films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (-52%), Captain America: Brave New World (-54%), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (-54%). To date, Thunderbolts* has grossed an estimated $128.5 million in the U.S. and $143.7 million overseas.

Marvel's marketing efforts for Thunderbolts* intensified last week, with the film's title being officially changed to New Avengers. The studio cleverly incorporated the on-screen rivalry between Sam Wilson’s Avengers and the new superhero team into real-world marketing strategies. This move is part of Marvel's broader plan to sustain interest in Thunderbolts* as it gears up for the critical launch of Phase 6 with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

According to Variety, Disney invested $180 million in producing Thunderbolts* and an additional $100 million in its marketing campaign. For the film to be profitable at the box office, it must continue to perform well globally.

Last week, Disney CEO Bob Iger praised Thunderbolts*, calling it “the first and best example” of Marvel's new focus on quality over quantity.

Thunderbolts* debuted with a solid $76 million at the domestic box office, which, while not spectacular, outperformed Eternals ($71 million) and Ant-Man and the Wasp ($75 million), both of which were considered disappointing. However, it fell short of the typical opening weekend earnings for most MCU films.

The film has been well-received by both audiences and critics. IGN's review of Thunderbolts* awarded it a 7/10, commenting, “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 is counting on this positive feedback to help Thunderbolts* maintain a stronger theater presence than Captain America: Brave New World, which experienced a significant drop-off. Recent years have been challenging for Marvel movies, with a few exceptions like the billion-dollar success of Deadpool & Wolverine.

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Looking ahead, 2026 will see the release of both Avengers: Doomsday on May 1 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.

Meanwhile, Sinners has reached $283.3 million globally, and A Minecraft Movie has earned $909.6 million after six weekends.