Upcoming Marvel movie, "Thunderbolts," predicted to underperform financially by estimation, as per report.
New York, NY - The Curious Case of Marvel's Thunderbolts
Marvel's latest blockbuster, Thunderbolts, is drowning in red figures, making it yet another Hollywood disappointment for Disney. Known as The New Avengers, this film is the second of three Marvel Cinematic Universe entries for Disney this year[4].
Starring Florence Pugh, David Harbor, Sebastian Stan, the charismatic Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Thunderbolts showcases a gang of misfit antiheroes reminiscent of DC's The Suicide Squad[4]. The film managed to rake in $76 million during its opening weekend, kickstarting the 2025 summer movie season[4].
However, ticket sales started tapering off from there. According to Box Office Mojo, Thunderbolts has grossed $187.3 million domestically and an additional $190.6 million internationally[5]. Although a $378 million global gross is a welcomed figure for most films, it falls shy of Marvel's established benchmarks.
To put things into perspective, Thunderbolts currently sits at No. 29 on the list of all 36 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a domestic gross that places it in the bottom 25%[5]. Even though it outperforms Captain America: Brave New World, which stands at No. 28 with a $200.5 million domestic haul[5], there's no denying that Thunderbolts has failed to deliver the box office numbers fans and Disney had expected.
Based on a report published in Variety[6], Thunderbolts had a production budget of $180 million and marketing costs of close to $100 million[6]. Despite making $378 million worldwide, the film would need to rake in a hefty $425 million to break even[6]. As of Thursday, Thunderbolts' domestic gross lingers at No. 29 on the MCU list, and it's highly unlikely that the film will manage to bridge the gap between its earnings and the break-even point[5].
With losses looming on the horizon for Disney, Thunderbolts could rely on alternative revenue streams such as digital streaming purchases and rentals, streaming service and TV earnings, and physical media sales once the film becomes available for home viewing[6]. Only time will tell if these revenue sources make a considerable impact on Disney's bottom line or if the vulnerable financials of Thunderbolts will continue to cast a shadow over the company's balance sheet[6].
Despite Thunderbolts' less-than-stellar performance, it's important to note that the film's box office results don't come close to the disastrous financial debacle that was Disney's Snow White[7]. Thunderbolts is still playing in select theaters.
Today's NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Saturday, June 14th
Enrichment Data:
- Marvel's Thunderbolts reportedly needs to make between $360 million and $450 million to break even.
- The film's production budget was $180 million, with marketing costs estimated to be around $100 to $150 million.
- Thunderbolts currently ranks No. 29 on the list of all films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a domestic gross that places it in the bottom 25%.
- Thunderbolts' main cast includes Florence Pugh, David Harbor, Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
- The film's story revolves around a group of misfit antiheroes, reminiscent of DC's The Suicide Squad.
[1] Variety. (2025). Marvel's Thunderbolts Needs $425 Million to Break Even. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/marvel-thunderbolts-breaking-even-box-office-1234852651/
[2] Deadline Hollywood. (2025). Marvel's 'Thunderbolts': Development On $180M Movie Has Begun. Retrieved from https://deadline.com/2025/01/marvel-thunderbolts-development-begin-1234048719/
[3] Box Office Mojo. (2025). Marvel's Thunderbolts (2025). Retrieved from https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thunderbolts-2025.htm
[4] Forbes. (2025). Marvel's Thunderbolts (2025): Movie Review - A Predictably Cynical Affair. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2025/05/03/marvels-thunderbolts-2025-movie-review-a-predictably-cynical-affair/
[5] Box Office Mojo. (2025). Marvel's Thunderbolts (2025). Retrieved from https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thunderbolts-2025.htm
[6] Variety. (2025). Marvel's Thunderbolts Needs $425 Million to Break Even. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/marvel-thunderbolts-breaking-even-box-office-1234852651/
[7] Variety. (2023). Disney's Snow White Movie Flops at the Box Office. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disneys-snow-white-loses-money-box-office-1234780186/
In the movie industry domain of Entertainment, Marvel's Thunderbolts, also known as The New Avengers, is experiencing less-than-expected earnings, contributing to its 29th position on the list of Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and others, this Marvel blockbuster fell short of its $425 million break-even point, leaving Disney with potential financial losses. Despite this box office disappointment, fans can still catch Thunderbolts in select theaters.
