Thunderbolts* aka The New Avengers graced theaters one month ago, but despite the great critical reviews and considerable fan appreciation, the film’s box office journey has been difficult. The superhero film, which has currently made $377 million globally, was supposed to make $425 million to even break even. However, that ship has long since sailed, and the film has more or less flopped.
So why has Thunderbolts* flopped? Here are the reasons explored.
Here’s why Marvel’s Thunderbolts* flopped at the global box office
Here are some big factors that caused Thunderbolts*’ flop:
Superhero fatigue and too many MCU projects
Superhero fatigue and the release of 5–6 MCU projects (including films and TV shows) in a short span of time is one of the root causes of Thunderbolts* flop. Prior to Avengers: Endgame, Marvel almost consistently performed well at the box office. They also followed a reasonable two-to-three-movies-a-year release pattern, which made it easy for audiences to be invested in the MCU’s story. Unfortunately, since Endgame, many superhero movies like The Marvels, Morbius, and Madame Web ended up flopping or performing below expectations. Moreover, fans had trouble catching up with the multiple MCU projects churned out on a yearly basis.
Marvel has lost its goodwill
In recent years, Marvel Studios has lost the goodwill and immense trust that fans once had in it by producing underwhelming projects like Secret Invasion.
Low interest in Thunderbolts* roster
The Thunderbolts* roster was a major factor in the film’s box office troubles. The team primarily consisted of B-list characters who played supporting roles in past movies and were from projects that many people may not have seen. Thus, the low interest and lack of familiarity with the characters hampered the film’s box office chances.
Not enough power hitters on the team
The Thunderbolts* also lacked a major character leading the team. They also did not have many power hitters. Sentry was the only power hitter, but he ended up being the villain for the better part of the film. The group mostly consisted of super-soldiers, not-too-powerful characters like Ghost, or incredibly similar characters like U.S. Agent and Red Guardian. Had the film used someone popular and powerful like Red Hulk or someone from the comics like Songbird, it would have performed better.
Not enough Sentry
Another problem that plagued Thunderbolts* was Sentry’s minimal presence. Despite being one of the film’s main selling points, he only had one major fight sequence. Moreover, the final battle was a grounded mental battle instead of the expected high-stakes, action-filled physical battle.
