In a promising start to the summer box office season, Marvel Studios’ latest film “Thunderbolts” took the domestic ticket earnings by storm, amassing an impressive $76 million, according to estimates. Despite this successful opening, it pales in comparison to Marvel’s prior, more extraordinary premieres.
With anticipation building as to whether “Thunderbolts”—a collaboration of antihero misfits akin to the “Avengers”—could revive the box office prowess of Walt Disney Co.’s superhero productions, the debut figures mirrored those of “The Eternals” ($71 million) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” ($75 million). This signals that Marvel might not yet be free from its recent slump.
Many projected a higher opening for “Thunderbolts,” considering the film’s favorable buzz among audiences. Unlike recent Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, “Thunderbolts” received stellar reviews, boasting an 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, directed by Jake Schreier and featuring stars Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Sebastian Stan, also secured an “A-” from CinemaScore, suggesting it could sustain its momentum in the weeks ahead. While massive MCU releases like the upcoming “Deadpool vs. Wolverine,” which is expected to open at $211 million en route to a $1.34 billion global haul, tend to dominate screens immediately, “Thunderbolts” has the chance to grow its audience over time.
Marvel allocated approximately $180 million for the movie’s production, which has further accumulated $86.1 million in international earnings. Additionally, it hints at the forthcoming MCU installment, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” slated for a July 25 release.
“This is a great reset. They’re hitting the reset with ‘Thunderbolts.’ The great reviews and word-of-mouth should hold it in good stead,” commented a senior media analyst from Comscore, highlighting the importance of the film’s favorable reception.
In addition, Disney possibly didn’t anticipate such strong competition from Warner Bros.’ “Sinners,” a popular film led by Ryan Coogler that had dominated box offices for two weeks. Its third-week revenue reached $33 million, only a 28% decrease. “Sinners,” set against the backdrop of the 1930s, narrates the story of bootlegging siblings (portrayed by Michael B. Jordan) who launch a speakeasy in Mississippi. This film has so far collected $179.7 million domestically and $236.7 million globally.
Meanwhile, “A Minecraft Movie,” another Warner Bros. production, clinched third place, racking up an additional $13.7 million in its fifth weekend. Its North American collection stands at nearly $400 million, with a worldwide total of $873.4 million. The film’s success was buoyed by the introduction of “Block Party Edition” screenings, which offered lively sing-along and “meme-along” experiences, particularly appealing to TikTok-driven audiences.
The release of “Rust” also drew attention as it marked the end of a dark chapter in Hollywood. The film arrived in theaters approximately three years after the tragic on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While the distributor, Falling Forward Films, did not disclose box-office returns, estimates suggest “Rust” earned roughly $25,000 across 115 cinemas. The fallout from Hutchins’ death included the sentencing of the film’s armorer to prison and the assistant director receiving probation. Though Alec Baldwin faced involuntary manslaughter charges twice, these were eventually dismissed.
Elsewhere in cinemas, “The Surfer,” featuring Nicolas Cage as a man vying to surf on a secluded Australian beach, made a modest debut, garnering $674,560 from 884 theaters.
Here’s a current snapshot of the top 10 films at the domestic box office, based on estimated ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters:
1. “Thunderbolts,” $76 million.
2. “Sinners,” $33 million.
3. “A Minecraft Movie,” $13.7 million.
4. “The Accountant 2,” $9.5 million.
5. “Until Dawn,” $3.8 million.
6. “The Amateur,” $1.8 million.
7. “The King of Kings,” $1.7 million.
8. “Warfare,” $1.3 million.
9. “Hit: The Third Case,” $869,667.
10. “The Surfer,” $674,560.