Deadpool & Wolverine broke box office records last summer. However, after Captain America: Brave New World underperformed in February (which wasn't helped by pricey reshoots), the hope was that Thunderbolts* might right the ship.
Disney CEO Bob Iger hailed it as the "first and best" example of Marvel Studios' return to quality over quantity following overwhelmingly positive reactions—it remains one of the MCU's best-reviewed movies—and, six weeks later, it's made only $371 million worldwide.
According to Variety, the studio intentionally reined in spending on Thunderbolts*. Executives were conscious that its leads were part of the pandemic-era Black Widow (which bypassed theaters for Disney+'s short-lived Premier Access service) and streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Marvel Studios typically spends $200 million - $250 million to produce a blockbuster, and $120 million - $140 million to market it. In the case of Thunderbolts*, it was filmed for $180 million with a $100 million marketing spend.
However, "Thunderbolts* needed to make $425 million worldwide to break even, a figure that seems unachievable." It's not all bad news, though, as "Marvel is unique because it isn’t as encumbered as rivals by the profits or losses of single films. The company can recoup some costs through Disney+ and other home entertainment markets." Merchandise is also a factor.
The trade points out that 19 of Marvel Studios' 22 Infinity Saga movies grossed over $500 million worldwide. For the Multiverse Saga, it's been 6 out of 13, and this story indicates that there's now "a new ceiling for superhero movies that aren’t based on marquee characters...a diminished global marketplace and oversaturation of superhero stories on the big and small screen are partly responsible for the decline."
Exhibitor Relations analyst Jeff Bock adds, "These lower-tier comic book movies aren’t cinematic slam dunks anymore. 'Thunderbolts*' wrapping up after just a month in theaters is also a concern. These films aren’t legging out like previous iterations."
While not confirmed, the report suggests that, moving forward, Marvel Studios could focus on safer bets and bigger franchises:
After July’s 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' another cinematic introduction of sorts, Marvel seems to be embracing a go-big-or-go-home mentality. The upcoming calendar is populated only by heavy hitters with hefty budgets: 'Avengers: Doomsday' and 'Spider-Man 4' in 2026 and 'Avengers: Secret Wars' in 2027. An untitled film is set for July 2027, and 'X-Men' and 'Black Panther' movies are in the works. But other projects that focus on one character, like 'Blade,' have been stuck in protracted limbo.
Did you watch Thunderbolts* in theaters? Let us know in the comments section below.