Marvel’s Thunderbolts Faces Box Office Struggles After Initial Hopes

BURBANK, Calif. — Days after the release of “Thunderbolts,” Disney CEO Bob Iger celebrated the film as a turning point for Marvel‘s new movie strategy. He called the comic book film the “first and best” example of this new direction, following a difficult period for the franchise marked by disappointing reviews and box office performances.

However, just six weeks later, the film has only earned $371 million globally, making it one of the lowest-grossing entries in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This raise concerns about the future of the superhero genre, as current trends suggest that Marvel might need a substantial reboot.

According to Shawn Robbins, movie analytics director at Fandango, “Marvel’s calculus has changed. We’re in a new era where not every Marvel movie is going to hit $1 billion.” Since the MCU’s launch with 2008’s “Iron Man,” Marvel has been a cinematic powerhouse, grossing $31 billion across 36 films. Traditionally, films in the franchise were expected to earn a minimum of $500 million, but recent releases have struggled.

Pre-pandemic, 19 out of 22 Marvel films reached the $500 million mark, but since 2020, only six out of 13 films have achieved that benchmark. Films like “Captain America: Brave New World” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” faced poor reviews, but “Thunderbolts” garnered positive word-of-mouth yet still failed to gain box office traction.

The current landscape shows a diminished market and an oversaturation of superhero narratives, both in theaters and on streaming platforms. Jeff Bock, an analyst at Exhibitor Relations, noted that “lower-tier comic book movies aren’t sure hits anymore. ‘Thunderbolts’ wrapping up after just a month in theaters is also a concern. These films aren’t sticking around for long like previous entries did.”

Marvel is at a crucial juncture, shifting focus to quality over quantity. Future projects include major titles like “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Spider-Man 4,” while smaller films are postponed or in limbo. Despite the recent misfires, the studio plans to invest in big-budget titles that appeal to audiences.

Interestingly, Marvel films like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” continue to excel, suggesting that team-ups or familiar characters are still a draw.

While the MCU might face fewer distractions from standalone films, the costs for producing and marketing blockbusters have become significant. “Thunderbolts” had a production budget of $180 million, which is less than the traditional Marvel film cost, but still needed to reach $425 million globally to break even.

As Marvel adjusts strategies and deals with new marketplace realities, the success of “Thunderbolts” raises questions about the future of the franchise. Will viewers support smaller, individual character movies, or will Marvel return to formulaic team films? Only time will tell.