Thunderbolts premiered to strong enthusiasm¡ªa whopping 88?per?cent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 93?per?cent audience rating. Disney CEO Bob Iger even heralded it as ¡°the first and best¡± result of Marvel's new film strategy. But six weeks in, its $371?million global box office haul places it among the MCU¡¯s lowest earners. With a production and marketing outlay reaching $275?million, analysts say it would need about $425?million just to break even.
Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango, suggests Marvel has entered a ¡°new era¡± where blockbuster success cannot be assumed. Indeed, while pre?pandemic MCU films largely topped $500?million, only 6 of 13 movies have crossed that mark since 2020. Still, Marvel¡¯s vast ecosystem¡ªincluding Disney+, theme parks, and merch¡ªhelps cushion losses.
Michael Bock from Exhibitor Relations notes that ¡°lower?tier comic book movies aren¡¯t cinematic slam dunks anymore,¡± pointing to Thunderbolts¡¯ rapid decline at the box office. In response, Marvel is scaling back stand?alone origin films and doubling down on tentpole events and crossover extravaganzas, think Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (Dec?2026), Spider?Man?4, and Avengers: Secret Wars (Dec?2027). These are seen as safer bets with built?in fanbases.
After Marvel fatigue set in¡ªsparked by an overload of interconnected films and TV series¡ªKevin Feige admitted the studio had overstuffed its release schedule . The misfires of The Marvels and Quantumania forced introspection. Now, Marvel is pulling back, emphasising fewer, bigger, and more polished projects. Thunderbolts was viewed more like a narrative bridge than a standalone hit,
Marvel has signalled that it will prioritise proven franchises like Avengers and Spider?Man. Lesser-known characters may only get spotlight time in team?ups rather than their own blockbusters . With rising production costs and tighter budgets, the MCU¡¯s strategy appears to be about smart storytelling over sheer volume.