Marvel’s latest offering is reigning the box office. Thunderbolts had a massive $162 million opening weekend, with a reported budget of $180 million.
This number is behind the previous Marvel adventure, February’s “Captain America: Brave New World” ($192 million), though reviews and audience scores for “Thunderbolts*” should help in terms of staying power.
Thunderbolts, a lesser known property from Marvel is a risky venture that is paying off for the company. The movie follows a group of villains and anti-heroes who band together to defeat a big bad. And it looks like these lesser known characters are winning hearts all over the world.
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Marvel has been going back to its roots after a series of misses at the box office, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announcing the return of Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic villain Dr Doom. An announcement that was met with a divisive fan response. The big Marvel tentpole to watch out for is Avengers Doomsday, which is slated for release next year. Marvel recently announced that the movie has begun filming and is expected to feature the Thunderbolts as well as many other Marvel heroes.
The film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell. Its domestic opening ranks as the 28th-largest in MCU history, outperforming films like Eternals and The Marvels, signalling a potential resurgence for the Marvel franchise amidst previous concerns about oversaturation.
Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, responsible for producing the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the most successful film franchise in history. Founded in 1993 as Marvel Films, it was rebranded in 1996 as Marvel Studios under the leadership of Kevin Feige. The MCU began with Iron Man in 2008, which was the first film in the shared universe, setting the stage for interconnected storytelling across movies and TV series.
The MCU has since expanded to include 22 films across multiple phases, introducing iconic characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, and Black Panther, among others. The studio’s focus on both individual character films and large-scale crossovers (like Avengers films) has redefined the superhero genre. With the success of its films, Marvel Studios has also launched Disney+ TV shows like WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Known for its attention to continuity, character arcs, and cultural impact, Marvel Studios continues to innovate in storytelling and special effects. The MCU’s success has helped Marvel Studios become a powerhouse in global entertainment.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States, escalating his ongoing trade disputes and targeting what he described as a crisis in the American film industry.
Speaking at a campaign event, Trump said he had instructed the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to begin the process of implementing the tariffs, arguing that U.S. moviemaking was “dying a very fast death.” He blamed the decline on foreign governments offering financial incentives to lure productions away from Hollywood, calling it a “concerted effort” and labeling the situation a “national security threat.”
Trump’s latest move marks a sharp turn in cultural trade policy and adds a new front to his broader campaign against foreign economic practices he views as undermining American industry.