Thunderbolts Crushes Eternals at Box Office

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Summary

  • Thunderbolts* outperformed Eternals in under 3 weeks, grossing over $164 million domestically.
  • Despite positive word-of-mouth, Thunderbolts* may not reach $200 million domestically due to new competition.
  • Globally, Thunderbolts* faces a challenge breaking even with a $331 million gross against a $180 million budget.

Thunderbolts isn’t holding back; it has already surpassed Eternals in domestic box office earnings just three weeks into its theater run, with the latter’s total earnings falling below the former’s.

The film formerly known as “Thunderbolts*” or “The New Avengers” by Marvel Studios started its run with a three-day gross of $76 million in North America, which falls within the estimated range of $70-$75 million. This opening is similar to that of “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings” ($75 million) and “Eternals” ($71 million), both featuring secondary Marvel characters. Nevertheless, “Thunderbolts*” holds the record for the lowest summer debut among MCU films, surpassed only by “Iron Man” which made $98 million during the same period 17 years ago when adjusted for inflation.

Thunderbolts* Grossed $1.2 Million on Its Third Thursday

This Figure Ranks High In The MCU, But Thunderbolts* Might Not Reach the Promised Land

As reported by box office analyst Luiz Fernando, supported by Box Office Mojo, the movie Thunderbolts earned $1.2 million on its third Thursday in North America. This represents a decent decrease of 44.7% compared to the previous Thursday’s earnings. Consequently, the film’s domestic total now surpasses $164 million, exceeding the amount that Eternals made during their entire twelve-week run in cinemas. On the day prior, Wednesday, Thunderbolts recorded an impressive $1.5 million, tying it for the fourth highest earnings in the MCU with Captain America: The First Avenger.

MCU Films On Their Third Thursdays

Film Year Third Thursday Gross/ Percentage Drop
Iron Man 2008 $1.8 million/ -42%
Eternals 2021 $1.6 million / +19.%
Ant-Man 2015 $1.5 million / -44%
Captain America: The First Avenger 2011 $1.4 million / -48%
Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings 2021 $1.3 million / -48%
Black Widow 2021 $1.3 million / -44%
Thunderbolts* 2025 $1.2 million / -44%
The Incredible Hulk 2008 $997,000 / -53%
Thor 2011 $946,000 / -56%
Captain America: Brave New World 2025 $933,000 / -38%

Despite facing tough rivalry from “Sinners,” “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” and “Lilo & Stitch,” it’s not unexpected that “Thunderbolts” emerged victorious, given its robust positive word-of-mouth and impressive ratings. Boasting a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score (one of the highest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and an A- rating on CinemaScore, “The New Avengers” has proven to have stronger staying power than the average MCU film.

Regrettably, the debut of Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning might make it challenging to reach a $200 million box office in the U.S. Even falling slightly short of this target would place it beneath Captain America: Brave New World, which some consider a commercial failure within the MCU. It’s worth noting that the franchise has experienced more prosperous periods commercially; furthermore, Kevin Feige and his team likely never anticipated their latest project featuring secondary characters to earn over $700 million.

Worldwide, the financial situation seems less favorable for Marvel’s counterpart to DC’s Suicide Squad. With earnings totaling $331 million against a production cost of $180 million, it’s questionable whether this movie will even manage to break even—that is, meet the Hollywood standard of earning at least 2.5 times its budget—given current circumstances.

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2025-05-24 02:56