Is ‘Thunderbolts*’ a Hit? It’s Complicated
Most studios would quaff Champagne if their new film made $76 million on opening weekend.
There are exceptions, of course.
Some sequels look to the $100 million mark as a starting point for any Champagne toasts. The next “Avatar” film, for example, will be expected to make more than that in its opening frame come December.
So where does that leave “Thunderbolts*?”
The MCU’s latest adventure came out on top over the weekend with a $76 million haul. Legacy Media outlets hailed the news as a win for the flailing franchise.
The LA Times and The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it “solid.”
The BBC called it a “hit.”
New Media outlets beg to differ on “Thunderbolts*’s” box office results.
John Nolte at Breitbart News calls it a “disappointment,” and he backs it up with some data points.
Out of 34 Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, Thunderbolts* ranks 28th for opening weekends, coming in behind Captain America Brave New World ($89 million), Guardians of the Galaxy ($94 million), and even the 17-year-old- Iron Man ($102 million). Even Black Widow, which was released in the heart of the pandemic and simultaneously on Disney + opened to $80 million.
The Right-leaning Bleeding Fool has a similar take:
“Thunderbolts*” finds itself grouped with weaker MCU launches like “Eternals” ($71 million) and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” ($75 million), both of which were seen as underperformers for the brand.
It helped Team MCU that no other major title opened against “Thunderbolts*.”
Both sides have a point.
The theatrical box office has been uneven since COVID-19, although plenty of films have defied conventional wisdom and over-performed since the global pandemic.
- “A Minecraft Movie”
- “Barbie”
- “Deadpool & Wolverine”
- “Inside Out 2”
- “Oppenheimer”
- “Sinners”
The “But COVID” excuse is no more.
Legacy Media outlets often spin news in Disney’s favor, be it the Mouse House’s failed fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis or its woke storytelling push.
Right-leaning outlets, aghast at Disney’s progressive makeover, crunch the numbers. Hard.
It’s undeniable that the MCU still has a pop culture hold on us. A $76 million opening for an ensemble title without a populist hero like the Hulk or Iron Man is impressive.
If you asked 100 strangers to tell you who John Walker was you might get 100 blank stares. He’s the quasi-patriotic character played by Wyatt Russell in the film.
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The MCU’s current problem is similar to other movie studios. The movies cost too much money.
“Thunderbolts*” could end its theatrical run with a $400 million global haul. Will that be enough to cover its budget and marketing efforts? Unlikely.
Word of mouth will have to save the day for the latest MCU film. Moving forward, the saga must find a way to cut costs or, even more practically speaking, make better movies.
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