Thunderbolts* was released to glowing reviews earlier this month, but the movie hasn't exactly broken box office records. A thrilling, thoughtful take on mental health and loneliness, *The New Avengers is one of Marvel Studios' best.
However, many have slotted it into the "flop" category, perhaps no huge surprise when it looks set to end its run with just over $400 million worldwide.
Is it really fair to label it that way, though? We don't think so. In fact, there are many reasons why Marvel Studios should be (and likely is) pleased with how Thunderbolts* has performed since opening. It's those we're taking a closer look at in this feature.
Here's why *The New Avengers is exactly the movie the MCU needed at what's proven to be a challenging time for the genre...
5. Marvel Studios Desperately Needed A Critical Hit
Some people talk about the Multiverse Saga like it's been a colossal disaster, forgetting that there have been only three "Rotten" films: Eternals, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, and Captain America: Brave New World.
Despite that, the past few years haven't seen Marvel Studios deliver many critical hits, with Spider-Man: No Way Home and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings the main exceptions.
So, in the wake of the movies mentioned above, not to mention the likes of The Marvels and, to some extent, Deadpool & Wolverine (78%), Marvel Studios needed a critical hit. At 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, Thunderbolts* is exactly that and proof that the studio can still deliver.
4. It's Not That Far Behind Captain America: Brave New World
As of this past Monday (5/19), Thunderbolts* was only $8 million behind Captain America: Brave New World at the same point during its box office run. While it's true that Cap's latest movie underperformed, this isn't a bad place for this movie to be.
The Captain America franchise launched in 2011, and by the time Captain America: Civil War was released five years later, it had become a $1 billion film series.
However, if $415 million worldwide in this post-COVID world of "superhero fatigue" is the best a Captain America movie can do, Thunderbolts* should surely be applauded for having so far grossed just shy of $330 million.
3. It Wasn't Marketed As An Avengers Movie
Inevitably, there are those on social media who have taken great delight in labelling Thunderbolts* as the lowest-grossing Avengers movie. While they might technically be right—the movie ends by revealing its real title as *The New Avengers—that's not a fair comparison.
Thunderbolts* was never marketed as an Avengers movie, and beyond what social media scoopers said (who, let's face it, don't make a dent on the consciousness of regular filmgoers), there was never an indication that it was one.
In hindsight, Marvel Studios might have been wise to promote *The New Avengers as "The New Avengers." However, Disney was likely wary about tarnishing the Avengers brand ahead of Doomsday's release, particularly if Thunderbolts* didn't land.
2. Those Aren't Bad Numbers For A Team Of C-Listers
It's easy to forget that Thunderbolts* doesn't exactly boast any A-List characters. With the exception of Bucky Barnes, we have a villain (Ghost) who appeared in the largely underwhelming Ant-Man and The Wasp, and a bunch of anti-heroes from streaming.
Black Widow was released on Disney+ during the pandemic, so moviegoers haven't seen Red Guardian, Ghost, and Yelena Belova (who later returned in Hawkeye) in theaters. John Walker, meanwhile, debuted four years ago in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, another streaming title.
Taking all that into account, how can Marvel Studios be unhappy with a movie likely to finish its run with over $400 million worldwide? Yes, these are Phase 1 box office numbers, but given the current landscape, those aren't to be sniffed at.
1. It Successfully Set The Stage For Avengers: Doomsday
During the Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios has introduced a lot of new characters in post-credits scenes that have led nowhere. It's given this era of storytelling something of a directionless feel, and that's not beneficial to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Also not helping matters is the fact that this Saga has been forced to pivot from Kang to Doctor Doom at relatively short notice. It feels like Doom will just appear out of nowhere, but Thunderbolts* at least manages to set the stage for that movie with a superb post-credits scene.
As well as better establishing this team as the New Avengers, it teased the arrival of the Fantastic Four on Earth-616. That did more to get us excited about Doomsday than anything else we've seen since the Multiverse Saga began.