Such is the uncertainty surrounding superhero movies these days, even a modest performance at the box office, like the one delivered by Thunderbolts* so far, is worth celebrating. The movie was a risky bet, especially considering the era that it is being released in. Films featuring far more popular characters have struggled commercially in recent times; only a few months ago, Marvel’s own Captain America: Brave New World, was barely able to pass the $400 million mark worldwide. Thunderbolts* should be able to pass the $100 million milestone in its second weekend, having already become one of the 100 highest-grossing superhero movies in global box office history.
To achieve this feat, the movie overtook 2015’s disastrous Fantastic Four reboot. Having survived a turbulent production, Fantastic Four was released in compromised form, earning terrible reviews and tanking at the box office. Directed by Josh Trank, the movie concluded its run with $167 million worldwide. It starred Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, and Tobey Kebbell. Incidentally, “Marvel’s First Family” will receive another reboot shortly. Titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the movie marks the characters’ debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and features Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in the lead roles.
Trank’s Fantastic Four was panned upon release, and was momentarily disowned by him. It holds a 9% Rotten Tomatoes score, and remains one of the biggest superhero bombs ever made, especially considering the popularity of the source material. Directed by Jake Schreier and produced on a reported budget of $180 million, Thunderbolts* has now made $173 million worldwide. Unlike Fantastic Four, it opened to positive reviews, and was embraced by the audience as well. The movie holds an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, and features Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Olga Kurylenko, Sebastian Stan, Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
‘Thunderbolts*’ Has Also Overtaken a Couple of DCEU Films
In addition to having overtaken Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts* has also surpassed the lifetime hauls of The Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman 1984 — both movies were a part of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, and were released day-and-date on the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, which significantly impacted their box office performance. Thunderbolts* is currently the 98th-highest-grossing superhero movie in global box office history. You can watch the film in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
- Runtime
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126 Minutes
- Director
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Jake Schreier
- Writers
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Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel Cinematic Universe
