Box Office Report: Marvel’s Thunderbolts Opens to $162 Million Worldwide, Wins Audiences Despite Lesser-Known Cast

Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan lead a breakout ensemble in Marvel’s boldest gamble yet, while the film ‘Thunderbolts’ earns a stellar 95% audience score and powers a box office resurgence.

Los Angeles, May 5:
Marvel and Disney’s latest superhero offering, Thunderbolts, defied expectations and topped the domestic box office with a $76 million debut, delivering a global launch of $162.1 million, including a strong $86.1 million from international markets and a $20 million IMAX haul.

Despite featuring a group of lesser-known Marvel characters, the film — headlined by Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan — received rave audience feedback, boasting a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes (tied for third-highest in MCU history) and a 4.5/5 on PostTrak, along with an A- CinemaScore.

Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts brings together a ragtag team of Marvel outsiders — including Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, John Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster, and newcomer Bob — who unite after discovering they’ve been manipulated into fighting one another by CIA chief Valentina de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). What begins as a setup turns into an unlikely alliance, packed with action, emotion, and a dark psychological edge.

Audiences praised the film’s diverse casting, with 63% male turnout — a lower gender skew than most Marvel releases. The ensemble also features David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Olga Kurylenko, and Hannah John-Kamen.

The film’s success has helped reignite box office momentum, with overall weekend ticket sales up 95% compared to the same period last year. Industry revenue is now up nearly 16% year-over-year.

Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler’s supernatural thriller Sinners continues its surprise domination, pulling in $33 million in its third weekend, pushing its domestic total to $179.7 million and a global haul of $236.7 million.

Warner Bros. also saw continued success with A Minecraft Movie, which jumped back to third place with $13.7 million, closing in on the $400 million domestic mark and heading toward $1 billion globally.

In stark contrast, Alec Baldwin’s long-delayed Western film Rust opened to a dismal $25,000 from 115 theaters, despite simultaneous premium VOD release. The film, clouded by controversy after the tragic on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, was completed following a settlement with her family. Director Joel Souza, who was also injured during the incident, recently admitted he regrets ever making the film.

As Thunderbolts proves its mettle, Marvel’s strategy of leaning into ensemble character drama and riskier storylines may be the formula for breathing new life into its next cinematic phase.