Thunderbolts Opens with $76 Million at U.S. Box Office, Analysts Say “Average Is a Big Number”
May 4, 2025: Marvel Studios’ latest cinematic outing, Thunderbolts, may not have smashed opening weekend records, but it still thundered into the No. 1 spot with a solid $76 million domestic debut. The Florence Pugh-led antihero film outpaced competitors Sinners ($33 million) and A Minecraft Movie ($13.7 million), proving that audience appetite for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) remains strong—even as expectations evolve.
While Thunderbolts ranks 28th in MCU opening weekend history, trailing juggernauts like Avengers: Endgame ($357 million) and last year’s Deadpool & Wolverine ($211 million), analysts say Marvel still has reason to celebrate.
“This is a very good opening for a new superhero story,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “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.”
In context, Thunderbolts opened just behind 2021’s Black Widow ($80 million) but ahead of Ant-Man and the Wasp and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which both debuted at $75 million.
The film has been bolstered by strong reviews and audience word-of-mouth, with The Independent hailing it as “the best Marvel movie in years” in a four-star review. The ensemble cast includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and others in a gritty, ensemble-driven story that expands the MCU’s darker corners.
Robert Downey Jr. also shared his support on social media after watching the film with fellow Marvel stars including Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, and Simu Liu. He called it, “So cool, fresh, and deep. Big congrats to the New Avengers (and Bob).”
With positive reception and two post-credit scenes teasing future MCU storylines, Thunderbolts is expected to maintain steady momentum in the coming weeks. As newer characters and legacy stars continue to cross over, Marvel’s multiverse era shows no signs of slowing down.
Thunderbolts box office, Marvel 2025 releases, Florence Pugh MCU, Sebastian Stan Thunderbolts, Marvel antiheroes, MCU Phase 6, Marvel opening weekend, Robert Downey Jr Avengers
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