Thunderbolts* Launches with Strong Box Office and Mixed Critical Reception

Marvel and Disney’s latest film, Thunderbolts*, has made a strong debut at the international box office, earning an estimated $162 million. The movie, intended to kickstart a new franchise, centers on lesser-known superheroes who face both external threats and internal struggles. The cast features Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan in leading roles, with support from Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Harbour. While the film has received a remarkable 95 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes-making it the third highest-rated Marvel film by viewers-critical reviews have been mixed. Some critics, like John Nugent from Empire, criticized the film’s lack of vibrancy and the superficial handling of sensitive topics such as suicide and depression. Radheyan Simonpillai of The Guardian gave it three stars, praising Pugh’s performance but noting that the film’s exploration of trauma and depression often feels shallow. On the other hand, Clarisse Loughrey from The Independent awarded the film four stars, calling it the best Marvel movie in years and highlighting its self-awareness as a fresh approach for the franchise. The film’s success comes at a time when Marvel is attempting to move away from its core Avengers characters to combat audience fatigue, a strategy that has also benefited recent hits like Deadpool & Wolverine.