Thunderbolts* opening box office defended by analysts: ‘Average is a big number’

The new Marvel film Thunderbolts* made $76 million on its opening weekend, placing it firmly in the number one spot at the box office ahead of Sinners ($33 million) and A Minecraft Movie ($13.7 million).

However, that total is some way below the standard set by previous entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the 28th highest opening in franchise history, trailing the $357 million record set by Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

Last year, the R-rated Deadpool & Wolverine opened to $211 million. The takings so far for Thunderbolts* place it behind 2021’s Black Widow ($80 million) but ahead of 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (both $75 million).

However, industry analysts have said that Marvel will likely be happy with the film’s performance. “This is a very good opening for a new superhero story,” David A Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety.

“It’s not in the upper echelon of all superhero launches, but it’s above average for the genre. And in this case, average is a big number.”

The film is also expected to get a lift in weeks to come from positive word-of-mouth and critical reviews. In a four-star review of Thunderbolts*, The Independent film critic Clarisse Loughrey called it “the best Marvel movie in years.”

Yesterday, Robert Downey Jr offered his thoughts on Thunderbolts* after seeing the film with some of the cast of next year’s Avengers: Doomsday.

Downey shared a picture on Instagram of himself and a host of returning Marvel stars including Thor’s Chris Hemsworth, Ant-Man’s Paul Rudd, Captain America’s Anthony Mackie, Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu and Winston Duke, who plays M’Baku in Black Panther.

Also present were Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomers Vanessa Kirby and Ebon-Moss Bachrach, who star in the upcoming Fantastic Four, and Channing Tatum, who played the X-Men character Gambit in last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

Downey captioned the image: “Just wow!!! Dinner and a show with the Old Avengers. So cool, fresh, and deep. Big congrats to the New Avengers (and Bob). #Thunderbolts.”

Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the film follows an unconventional group of antiheroes who embark on a dangerous mission.

Marvel fans have been urged to stay seated after the end of the movie as the film has two post-credit scenes.