MarvelBlog News for May 4th, 2025
This week is all about Thunderbolts*, and what it represents for the MCU.
Marvel’s future starts now in MarvelBlog News.
Thunderbolts* Are Go
After roughly a decade of rumors and teases, the antiheroes finally joined forces in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In the comics, the Thunderbolts are Marvel’s answer to DC’s Suicide Squad.
Photo: The Cinema Spot
That knowledge makes it all the more stunning that we’re just now getting Thunderbolts*.
At last count, DC has produced a Suicide Squad movie, created an animated Suicide Squad movie, and rebooted Suicide Squad with James Gunn directing.
Photo: Writeups.org
At one point, there was genuine intrigue about who would do an antihero team-up first between DC and Marvel. We’ve waited that long.
Well, Thunderbolts* has finally arrived, and it was definitely worth the wait.
Photo: Marvel Comics
On MickeyBlog, I enthused that I left the movie theater feeling the same way that I did after watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Here’s my Retro Review, where I describe that film as one of the best of the 21st century.
Photo: Marvel Comics
For once, I’m in the majority opinion here, as 88 percent of Rotten Tomatoes critics enjoyed Thunderbolts*. We’re talking about 250+ of them.
Even better, after more than 2,500 verified comments, the Popcornmeter score is 95 percent. In other words, audiences love Thunderbolts.
Thunderbolts Annual. Photo: Marvel Comics
I’m actually a bit bummed that the Cinemascore for it is “just” an A-. That’s a solid score for any film, but I thought Thunderbolts* may do even better.
I say this because I’m in awe of the film to the point where my only nitpick involves a questionable use of invisibility in a ten-second scene.
Photo: Marvel Comics
Thunderbolts* is grrrreat, which may cause you to wonder why it’s box office isn’t better.
Thunderbolts* Faced an Uphill Battle
Photo: Hobby Consolas
On Thursday, the film managed a respectable $11.5 million, which is solid. Unfortunately, it’s less than the $12 million that Captain America: Brave New World earned.
And that’s the underlying problem here. To many movie-goers, the MCU has proven too mercurial lately.
Photo: Marvel
For every Deadpool & Wolverine, there’s an Eternals. So, many fans have grown reticent in showing opening weekend support.
These folks wait for the reviews instead, particularly ones from their friends.
Source: Marvel
That’s part of the reason why that A- Cinemascore matters. It indicates that some fans weren’t as enthusiastic about the film as me.
Right now, some Marvel fans are harboring a grudge over the lackluster quality of Captain America: Brave New World.
Source: Marvel
That movie’s metrics are decidedly worse. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 48 percent, a Popcornmeter score of 78 percent, and a B- Cinemascore.
Simply stated, Marvel fans were tepid about that one, and they’re holding it against Thunderbolts*.
Source: Marvel
Now, Marvel expected this behavior. Remember that the studio could have easily switched the order of the movies.
At one point, I reported in MarvelBlog News that Thunderbolts* and Captain America 4 were tethered together, which was the original plan.
Source: Marvel Studios
After a time, Marvel accepted that the Captain America movie wasn’t going to be a winner. So, it was like a medical procedure.
Marvel cut off a limb to save the rest of the body. To the studio’s credit, it performed massive reshoots to improve Brave New World.
Image: Marvel Studios
Now, the title is mediocre when it had a chance to be disastrous. And I’m talking “worse than Thor: The Dark World” terrible.
The build is what matters, though. With Brave New World entering theaters first, Marvel could start fresh with Thunderbolts*.
What Happens Next with Thunderbolts*?
Photo: Marvel
Not coincidentally, the box office of Thunderbolts* isn’t quite as strong as that of Brave New World, a film that followed Deadpool & Wolverine.
Marvel built trust with fans after Deadpool, but the Red Hulk CGI may have diminished some of the goodwill.
Photo: Marvel
The quality of Thunderbolts* will rebuild that trust, at least somewhat. So, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will have a stronger lead-in.
Among the three movies, Fantastic Four matters most since it sets the table for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret War.
Photo: Marvel
To a larger point, we already knew almost every character in Brave New World and Thunderbolts.
The Fantastic Four, at least the MCU version, is entirely new and thereby needs that clean slate to have a chance to succeed, which it will.
Photo: Marvel
For a while now, the mood around Brave New World has been glum, while everyone was giddy about Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four.
Marvel fans have weathered the storm and will enjoy what happens next.
Photo: Marvel
Still, Marvel executives are probably frustrated that Thunderbolts* opened to a modest $76 million.
That’s decidedly less than Brave New World’s domestic debut of $88.5 million.
Photo: Marvel
In terms of global box office, Captain America started at $192 million. Thunderbolts* managed $162.1 million.
That fact may concern you since Brave New World probably won’t top $450 million, making it a box office loser during its theatrical run.
Image: Marvel
The hope is that Thunderbolts* will behave differently, as Captain America just plain died after its opening weekend.
The lackluster word of mouth crushed the film, and Disney did nothing to save it with marketing.
Photo: Marvel
I strongly suspect that Thunderbolts* will work differently. Disney has given full-throated support to the film, and its word of mouth should be exemplary.
What Happens Next with the MCU?
Well, if you’ve seen Thunderbolts* and stayed through the credits, you already know the answer to this one.
As expected, the movie explained the reason for the asterisk in Thunderbolts*.
Source: Marvel Studios
Without doing spoilers, the internet quickly identified three potential explanations. One of those guesses proved accurate.
More importantly, the post-credits scene provided insights into a connection between future Marvel stories, including the next one, Fantastic Four.
Photo: Disney
I strongly suspect the tantalizing proposition of what comes next will quickly wash away the disappointment of Brave New World.
You never know, though. Some fans really want to pretend like they hate the MCU. Those are the ones who will be hardest to lure back.
But I fully expect that everyone will be all-in by the time Avengers: Doomsday debuts in theaters.
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Main image: Marvel
