Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios hit another bump on what has proven to be an increasingly uneven endgame era. Despite the cast stacked with positive reviews, solid viewer scores and fan-like voiced characters, Thunderbolts didn’t quite fall below box office expectations.
The film’s unfortunate financial execution adds to the bigger conversation surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This has shifted from a near-guaranteed control to a more unpredictable, per-franchise balance method.
And while the numbers tell us one story, the situation surrounding Thunderbolt may reflect some of the major challenges currently facing both Marvel and its parent company, Disney: Franchise fatigue, audience burnout, changing viewing habits, and the great pressure to maintain one of Hollywood’s most complex connected universes.
Numbers: Budget vs Box Office Revenue
Various reports say Thunderbolts will cost around US$180 million to produce, with marketing reportedly adding nearly US$100 million. All of the film holds an estimated total cost of around US$280 million.
However, to reach profitability, there is more to more than simply matching production costs with marketing costs. Because studios usually only maintain about 50% of global box office revenue (low in certain international markets), movie intrusion points are generally much higher than total spending. For Thunderbolts, industry analysts estimated they would need to make around $425 million worldwide to recover costs.
At the time of writing, the film has earned around US$378.1 million (by box office revenue) worldwide, leaving a huge gap between revenue and costs. Based on current global rankings from numbers, Thunderbolts is positioned as the 33rd highest growing film since the MCU’s 36 theatrical releases. Captain America Only: The First Avenger, the incredible Hulk, and the wonders fell low at the global box office.
Its rankings could shift slightly before its full theatrical run is enveloped internationally, with Thunderbolts likely to overtake Black Widow (US$379 million) and Eternal (US$401 million). Still, even with some additional games, it remains firmly planted in the lower layers of the franchise.
Marvel Studios
Positive reviews did not lead to ticket sales
Despite its economic misperforming, Thunderbolts received some of the stronger responses to the recent MCU release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a critical score of 88% and an audience score of 93%, suggesting that many viewers and reviewers responded well to a more grounded approach.
Some of the people who praise the film… me! In my review, Thunderbolts is “one of the more compelling recent excursions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a team-up film with bruises, emotional depth and ample biting.”
Marvel’s consistency has faded, audience burns out, Disney’s broader struggle
Marvel remains the best-selling franchise in history, but its post-endgame track record is much less predictable. Prior to the pandemic, most MCU titles easily handed over US$500 million worldwide. Now, these numbers are becoming increasingly elusive, especially for titles built around secondary characters.
“Marvel’s calculus has changed,” Fandango’s Sean Robbins told Variety. “We’re in a new era where not all Marvel movies reach US$1 billion.”
There may be many factors that change and dynamically contribute. After dominating both film and streaming platforms for many years, Marvel’s interconnected storytelling is becoming increasingly dense. Alongside the film, Disney+ series like Echo, Agatha All and Daredevil: Born Again have added more characters and stories.
Thunderbolts may also be struggling to completely separate them from their familiar spheres. The film had a dark tone, but some viewed it as Marvel’s answer to the Suicide Squad. Even in DC, this particular formula has proven difficult to land fully at the box office. David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad received mixed reception despite a strong first voter turnout. It is clear that, at least in both of these examples, the anti-hero stories of the ensemble do not automatically guarantee broad commercial success.
In addition to the photos, there is Disney’s own recent PR and financial turbulence. Projects like Snow White have been garnering intense criticism both online and in the media, creating negative headlines that potentially ripple over the company’s overall brand perception, including the offering of Tent Paul Marvel.
Budget adjustments didn’t save that
Marvel tried to reduce financial risk with Thunderbolt. Its US$180 million production budget was lower than the typical MCU tent poles and kept marketing modest. However, rising costs across the industry meant that even these adjustments were not sufficient to ensure profitability.
“The studio is working hard to beat the high-end budget,” Franchise Entertainment Research’s David A. Gross told Variety. “We’re spending less than we’ve seen in the next few years since the pandemic.”
Marvel Studios
Still placed in a long game of Marvel
Even with unfortunate returns, Thunderbolts will supply directly to Marvel’s bigger plans. The post-credit scene will lead to future major installments like Avengers: Doomsday and the Fantastic Four: First Steps. The characters are expected to return to a bigger crossover.
Recent hits like Spider-Man: No Way Home (US$1.9 billion) and Deadpool & Wolverine (US$1.3 billion) highlight that viewers are still showing up when stakes feel important enough.
The road ahead: project reduction, bigger swings
Thunderbolts reflects Marvel’s wider readjustment. With fewer projects moving forward, tighter budgets and focusing on marquee properties, Marvel is clearly selective. Long-standing titles like Blade remain stalled as the studio works to stabilize both creative direction and financial performance.
However, Thunderbolts did not launch a new branch of the franchise, but Marvel’s next stage doesn’t lack the high-profile shaking. The Fantastic Four arrived at cinemas this July, and then, in December 2026, the first time Robert Downey Jr. brings back the MCU in the role of Ville Inno. The franchise’s next true box office test is already in line.
