Box Office Prediction: Thunderbolts eyes USD 500 million at the high end; Can it overcome MCU fatigue?

Marvel’s Thunderbolts is projected to earn between USD 400–500 million globally, but with MCU fatigue setting in, its success will depend on marketing, reviews, and audience appeal.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 13, 2025 | 06:01 PM IST | 21.8K

Picture Courtesy: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts is set to hit theaters on May 2, 2025, marking the final project of Phase Five in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film follows a group of antiheroes who find themselves caught in a deadly trap and must work together on a dangerous mission that could lead to their redemption, according to its official synopsis.

Directed by Jake Schreier and written by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, and Wendell Pierce.

Thunderbolts had been in development since 2022, with Marvel teasing the formation of a fresh team in earlier MCU projects. After delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes, filming took place from February to June 2024 at Trilith Studios in Georgia, as well as locations in Utah and Kuala Lumpur. The movie promises a mix of action, espionage, and high-stakes storytelling—in short, everything the superhero genre is known to deliver.

With a reported budget of USD 150 million, Thunderbolts is expected to turn a profit, with early estimates projecting its global earnings to be between USD 400 and USD 500 million. The film’s run will be closely watched, as recent MCU entries have had mixed results at the box office.

Its success will depend on factors such as marketing, critical reception, and how well it connects with longtime Marvel fans and casual moviegoers.

The absence of massively loved superheroes like Spider-Man and Iron Man means the film will need to shoulder its own weight with a narrative intriguing enough to invite audiences to cinemas and generate positive word of mouth. The film is being compared to Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy, both of which also featured unconventional defender groups. Whether Thunderbolts can match their success remains to be seen, but it will undoubtedly play a key role in shaping the MCU’s future as Marvel Studios continues to expand with multiple Phase Six projects already lined up.

Meanwhile, Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World is currently playing in theaters and is in dire need of fan support. Have you caught it on the big screen yet?