Marvel Studios and Disney have scored another commercial success with their latest superhero outing Thunderbolts**, which has opened to a robust $162 million (£122 million) internationally at the box office.
The film, centred on a band of lesser-known antiheroes from the Marvel universe, has struck a chord with audiences despite lukewarm critical reception, earning an impressive 95 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This places Thunderbolts** among the top-performing Marvel films in terms of fan approval, tying with Spider-Man: Far From Home and trailing only behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Starring Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan reprising his role as Bucky Barnes, the film sees the duo lead a reluctant team of misfits tackling both superhuman threats and deeply personal demons. The supporting cast features Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Harbour, whose performances have been praised for adding humour and emotional depth.
Despite its box office triumph, critical reviews have been more divided. Empire’s John Nugent observed that the film “is missing a bit of colour — literally, in the washed-out palette and CG shadow-threat that dominates the latter half — and figuratively, in its subject matter.” Nugent also noted that sensitive themes such as depression, suicide, and domestic violence are not always handled with the nuance they demand.
In contrast, Radheyan Simonpillai of The Guardian gave the film a middling three stars, calling it “the best thing to come from the brand since WandaVision,” but criticising its surface-level treatment of emotional trauma. He did, however, reserve high praise for Florence Pugh, who he said “can wrestle sincerity out of a screenplay (and a franchise) that has so little.”
More enthusiastic was Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent, who awarded Thunderbolts** four stars. Loughrey declared it “the best Marvel movie in years” and lauded its fresh tone and self-awareness. “Thunderbolts** does feel different to what’s come before. It’s the first of its kind to seem genuinely self-aware – Thunderbolts might actually then be the ultimate Marvel film for now,” she wrote.
Marvel’s recent efforts to reinvent its cinematic universe in the wake of Avengers: Endgame have met with mixed results. While long-standing characters such as Iron Man and Captain America have been phased out, the studio has been exploring new ground with lesser-known heroes and more grounded storylines.
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That strategy appeared to pay off last year with Deadpool & Wolverine, another high-performing title that capitalised on underused characters and irreverent humour. Thunderbolts** may now be following suit, with its darker themes and unconventional protagonists offering a much-needed shake-up to a formula that many fans had begun to find repetitive.
The success of the film could mark the start of a new franchise for Marvel, with early discussions reportedly underway for a sequel and spin-off series on Disney+. Insiders suggest the studio is keen to build on the momentum, particularly as superhero fatigue remains a concern both within the industry and among audiences.
While Thunderbolts** may not be perfect, it seems to have struck a delicate balance between Marvel’s blockbuster instincts and an appetite for something different – a sign, perhaps, that the future of the franchise lies in riskier, more character-driven storytelling.
Thunderbolts** is now playing in cinemas across the UK and worldwide.
