In the days following the release of "Thunderbolts," Disney CEO Bob Iger was in a celebratory mood. He publicly praised the comic book adventure as the quintessential example of Marvel's new cinematic strategy, highlighting its positive reception from both audiences and critics—a much-needed relief after several turbulent years marked by poorly reviewed films within the franchise.
Yet six weeks later, "Thunderbolts" has stumbled at the box office. With global earnings totaling $371 million, it ranks among the lowest-grossing installments in Disney’s sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). If this represents the next chapter for Marvel, perhaps the superhero empire is ripe for yet another reinvention.
“Marvel’s approach has evolved,” observes Shawn Robbins, Fandango’s movie analytics director. “We’re entering an era where not every Marvel film will cross the billion-dollar threshold.”
Since the MCU's inception with 2008’s "Iron Man," Marvel has consistently been Hollywood's most reliable hit machine. It also holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing film franchise in history, boasting $31 billion across 36 films. While a billion-dollar gross should not serve as the sole measure of success, before the pandemic, even less-beloved entries were assured a respectable level of box office performance. Pre-COVID, 19 out of its first 22 films exceeded $500 million globally. However, since then, commercial consistency has eluded the once-unstoppable brand; only six out of thirteen films released since 2020 have reached that benchmark.
At least February’s "Captain America: Brave New World" and 2023’s "The Marvels" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" could attribute their underwhelming performances to scathing reviews. "Thunderbolts," however, enjoyed enthusiastic word-of-mouth but remains unable to turn a profit, suggesting a new upper limit for superhero films centered on lesser-known characters.
The decline can be attributed to a shrinking global marketplace and the oversaturation of superhero narratives across both big and small screens. Audience preferences and habits have shifted as well; this year's top blockbusters include family-friendly films like "A Minecraft Movie" and "Lilo
