Thunderbolts* received an 88% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and has been awarded 95% by moviegoers. Now, we have a CinemaScore, and that's perhaps the best indication of how beneficial word of mouth will be to a movie.
For those of you unaware, CinemaScore is a market research firm that surveys audience reactions to newly released movies.
After attending opening night screenings, moviegoers rate films on an A+ to F scale, providing insights into audience satisfaction. Widely used in the film industry, CinemaScore helps gauge the initial reception of movies and influences box office predictions based on audience feedback.
Thunderbolts* has electrified audiences with an "A-," joining Black Widow, Captain America: The First Avenger, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and Thor: The Dark World as the only MCU titles with the same score. On the DC side, The Batman also received an "A-" grade.
Post-COVID, the only superhero movies to score higher than this are Deadpool & Wolverine, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, all of which were given an "A." Spider-Man: No Way Home was given an "A+" in 2021.
Make no mistake about it, this is good news for Thunderbolts* at the box office. The latest numbers from Deadline reveal that the MCU movie earned an estimated $32 million on Friday, including $11.5 million from Thursday previews.
Thunderbolts* remains on track to open with $70 million - $75 million from 4,330 theaters. Sinners is still its biggest competition as that's eyeing a third weekend haul of $30 million - $35 million. A Minecraft Movie will take third place with $13 million, The Accountant 2 looks set for $11.2 million, and Until Dawn will round out the top five with $3 million.
"Thunderbolts* redefines superhero storytelling to deliver a moving and powerful story that does for the 'Multiverse Saga' what The Avengers did for the 'Infinity Saga' in 2012," we said in our review. "These heroes have earned their place on a Wheaties box."
Have you watched Thunderbolts* on the big screen yet?
In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes - Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
The cast of Thunderbolts* will be led by Florence Pugh as Yelena Boleva, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as "Bob."
Written by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo, and directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.