Marvel’s Thunderbolts just shook up the summer box office in a big way, proving once again that audiences are down for something a little different from the usual caped crusader formula.
Despite featuring lesser-known characters, Thunderbolts opened to a solid $76 million domestically from 4,330 theaters, landing right in the zone of expectations and easily grabbing the top spot. The global start? A strong $162.1 million, including $86.1 million from overseas and a massive $20 million from IMAX alone. This isn’t Avengers-level money, but for a movie led by the MCU’s misfits, it’s definitely a win.
The film, directed by Jake Schreier, brings together Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a team-up full of chaotic energy and offbeat chemistry. Critics and fans are loving it – the movie holds a glowing 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, tying with Spider-Man: Far From Home and trailing just behind Shang-Chi (98%) and No Way Home (97%). PostTrak has audiences giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars, and it earned a strong A – CinemaScore. Not bad at all for a crew of so-called rejects.
Thunderbolts also scored with a more diverse crowd than usual for Marvel, and the gender split leaned slightly less male at 63%. That could be thanks to Pugh’s Yelena Belova taking the lead or the unique emotional threads the film weaves through its weirdo squad – including newcomer Bob, whose mental illness becomes central to a disturbing subplot involving experimentation.
Meanwhile, things were not so sunny for Alec Baldwin’s Rust, which finally limped into select theaters after years of controversy. The Western, which is also available on premium VOD, made just $25,000 across 115 theaters. That’s an ugly number, made worse by the tragic context: Baldwin accidentally discharged a live round on set in 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Though a settlement was reached with Hutchins’ family – with her husband, Matthew, named an executive producer – the whole release feels heavy. Souza even admitted recently that he regrets ever finishing the film.
Back at the top of the charts, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners continued its surprise streak, grabbing $33 million in its third weekend and dropping just 28%, bringing its domestic total to $179.7 million and $236.7 million worldwide. And A Minecraft Movie bounced back to third with $13.7 million, inching closer to the $1 billion global mark.
The box office is booming compared to last year – up 95% over the same weekend and nearly 16% higher year-to-date. With Deadpool & Wolverine still on the way, this summer’s just heating up.
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