Thunderbolts* is looking to kick off the summer movie season with an impressive opening weekend, though it speaks to how successful the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become that it would be on the lower end of the franchise. Marvel Studios has given the coveted first weekend of May to Thunderbolts*, the same window in which they have released box-office smash hits like The Avengers, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the very first Iron Man. With a rag-tag team of anti-heroes and lesser-known characters, Thunderbolts* is looking to capture the same outside-the-superhero-genre tone that made the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise such a hit.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Thunderbolts* is currently tracking for a $70 million opening weekend, with lower estimations suggesting $63 million, while on the high end, it could reach $77 million. This does align with previous box office tracking that said Thunderbolts* was looking at a $60 to $80 million opening weekend. Those numbers would put the film below Captain America: Brave New World’s $88 million opening from earlier this year. If the $70 million estimate proves to be accurate, that will put it below COVID-19 releases like Black Widow ($80 million), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($75 million), and Eternals ($71 million). However, on the higher end of estimations, it could outgross both Shang-Chi and Eternals.

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Thunderbolts* will likely make more than Marvel Studios’ five lowest-grossing opening weekend films: The Marvels ($46 million), The Incredible Hulk ($55 million), Ant-Man ($57 million), Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor (both $65 million). Estimations are bound to change, particularly as the final marketing pushes forward in the coming weeks. Recently, A Minecraft Movie showed how box office tracking and estimations are not always accurate, as the film was projected to gross $80 million and nearly doubled that number with $162 million during its opening weekend.
‘Thunderbolts*’ Already Has Strong Buzz Around It

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On the surface, Thunderbolts* opening on the lower end might seem like bad news. Yet, a $70 million opening weekend is nothing to sneeze at, and it still shows the high demand for MCU movies compared to other franchises. Thunderbolts* would be the third-biggest opening weekend of 2025, behind Captain America: Brave New World and A Minecraft Movie. It is also pretty good, considering that most of the characters that make up the Thunderbolts* team are from an assortment of lesser-known MCU titles, including Disney+ shows, a COVID-19 era film, and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Thunderbolts* might benefit from strong word-of-mouth following its opening weekend. The film has reportedly tested very high among audiences. This could indicate a strong hold through the summer, particularly in its second weekend, when it faces no significant competition. The trailers for Thunderbolts*, which have sold the A24-associated talent working on the film, might reach an audience that typically might not turn out for a superhero movie and have felt overwhelmed by the MCU as of late. Marvel Studios is also certainly hoping the film will get a bit of an Avengers: Doomsday boost from audiences, given that six of the characters are confirmed to appear in the upcoming sequel.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Thunderbolts*

Release Date

May 2, 2025

Runtime

126 Minutes

Writers

Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe