Marvel Studios' latest release Thunderbolts* opened to a solid $31.5 million on Friday, including earnings from Thursday previews across 4,330 theatres, setting the stage for a projected domestic debut of $70 million to $75 million.
The action-packed ensemble film follows a group of lesser-known Marvel characters teaming up, many of whom were previously introduced in other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) titles.
Boosted by screenings in Imax and premium large-format theatres, the film marks a fresh direction for Marvel, steering away from traditional sequels for the first time in over a decade, according to Variety.
Despite the promising figures, Thunderbolts* signals a shift in Marvel’s box office dominance. If projections hold, it will be among the lower opening weekends in the MCU’s history, likely trailing behind 2021’s Black Widow ($80 million), which starred Scarlett Johansson and introduced key Thunderbolts* cast members Florence Pugh and David Harbour.
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It also falls short of 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy ($94 million), another debut featuring an ensemble of quirky heroes.
Compared to Marvel’s most recent release, Captain America: Brave New World, which earned $40.9 million on its first day and finished its opening weekend with $88 million, Thunderbolts is off to a slower start.