Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’ scores $76 million U.S. debut, ranks third-best box office opening of 2025

Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts has delivered a strong start at the 2025 box office, raking in an estimated $76 million domestically during its opening weekend.

The ensemble antihero film, produced by Disney and Marvel, also achieved a global total of $162.1 million, marking it as the third-highest domestic debut of the year.

This performance is especially notable considering Thunderbolts features a group of lesser-known MCU characters like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and Red Guardian (David Harbour). Analysts say this debut reinforces Marvel’s ability to turn lesser-known heroes into big-screen draws.

The film currently boasts an 88% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 257 critic reviews, alongside a 94% audience score, making it one of the most positively received Marvel releases in years. This is a welcome shift following the underperformance of recent titles like The Marvels and Captain America: Brave New World.

Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore noted that Thunderbolts sets a strong tone for May and the summer movie season overall, especially after a slow start in 2024. Industry analysts believe Thunderbolts could see sustained ticket sales similar to other recent crowd-pleasers like A Minecraft Movie and Sinners.

The film’s success signals a creative rebound for Marvel, suggesting the studio is once again finding its groove with audiences and critics alike.