After a lackluster debut, Thunderbolts is showing some staying power in its second weekend drop at the box office — at least by recent Marvel standards.
Marvel Studios’ latest team-up flick pulled in $33.1 million domestically this weekend, bringing its 10-day North American total to $128.5 million and a global tally of $272.2 million. That’s not blockbuster-tier success for the once-dominant Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the drop from its opening weekend offers a glimmer of hope for a studio in desperate need of it.
Bucky in Marvels Thunderbolts* – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Thunderbolts dipped just 55%, a respectable decline compared to the MCU’s current downward trend. According to historical data, the average second-weekend drop for Marvel films is around 57%. So, Thunderbolts is performing better than average — and much better than some recent disasters.
To put things in perspective:
- The Marvels cratered with a brutal 78.1% second-weekend plunge
- Captain America: Brave New World fell over 65%
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania dropped nearly 70%
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dropped 63%
- Eternals dropped 61%
That makes Thunderbolts one of the most stable second-weekend performer of the post-Endgame MCU slate, on par with Deadpool & Wolverine at 54%. While its opening was far softer than Deadpool’s $205 million domestic haul, the movie is benefiting from something the recent Marvel output sorely lacked — positive word-of-mouth.
(L-R): Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Critics have generally praised the film’s ensemble cast and grounded tone. Fans, meanwhile, are responding to the character-driven approach, with standout performances from Florence Pugh and David Harbour getting special attention. Sebastian Stan’s return as Bucky Barnes has also brought back longtime MCU viewers who had tuned out in recent years.
Disney’s marketing team dropped a last-minute twist this week: the film’s title, Thunderbolts, is now unofficially subtitled The New Avengers. That reveal seems to be part of a bigger plan to transition the MCU toward Avengers: Doomsday in 2026. It’s a not-so-subtle attempt to rebrand this ragtag team of antiheroes as the franchise’s next marquee names. Whether this tactic had any direct bearing on the drop off remains to be seen.
Yelena in Marvels Thunderbolts* – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts assembles a group of morally gray characters — including Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, and Ghost — to form a dysfunctional but effective new team. Julia Louis-Dreyfus also reprises her role as CIA puppetmaster Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, further tying the story into the MCU’s future.
With no new major releases in theaters this weekend, Thunderbolts easily retained its top spot, fending off strong holdovers like Ryan Coogler’s surprise hit Sinners, which earned $21.1 million in its fourth weekend for a domestic total of $214.9 million. Meanwhile, A Minecraft Movie continued its run toward the billion-dollar mark, taking third place with a global total just shy of $910 million.
Despite the slow weekend overall, analysts are expecting fireworks in the weeks ahead. Upcoming films like Final Destination: Bloodlines, Lilo & Stitch, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, and Karate Kid: Legends are poised to kick off a much-needed summer surge.
The Thunderbolts uniting in Marvel’s Thunderbolts – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
For Marvel, Thunderbolts isn’t a home run — but it’s not a strikeout either. And after a string of stumbles, “not a disaster” is starting to look like a win.
How do you feel about the Thunderbolts second weekend box office drop? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
