Thunderbolts premieres with $162.1 million and already surpasses recent films

With its official debut last week, Thunderbolts* grossed US$ 162.1 million in its first weekend in global cinemas, marking a solid start for the new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Of this total, US$ 76 million came from the United States, while international markets accounted for US$ 86.1 million.

The performance places Thunderbolts* in line with previous debuts like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (US$ 75 million) and Eternals (US$ 71 million), both productions of Marvel Studios released in the post-Avengers: Endgame phase. The numbers indicate an above-average reception for a superhero film with a cast made up of characters less popular among the general public.

"This is a very good debut for a new superhero story," said David A. Gross, analyst at Franchise Entertainment Research.
"It's not at the top of the genre's debuts, but it's above average. And, in this case, the average is already a high number."

The production cost of Thunderbolts* was approximately US$ 180 million, with an additional US$ 100 million allocated to the global marketing campaign. With these figures, the film will need to exceed the US$ 500 million mark to ensure a comfortable profit margin, something that seems feasible given the initial reception.

In addition to the box office, the film has also been highlighted by critics. Currently, Thunderbolts* holds the best rating among MCU films on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing recent releases considered lukewarm by critics and audiences.

Thunderbolts* is showing in cinemas in various countries, including Brazil, and arrives as an attempt by Marvel Studios to consolidate a new team of anti-heroes after the exhaustion of narratives centered on the original Avengers.