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Everything and anything can change in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is after all the world in which a giant purple alien can snap his fingers and make half the universe disappear! And that's what makes the Marvel Studios franchise so edge-of-seat; you simply never know what's going to happen next.

That's been on true on the business side of things too in recent years. As the studio continues to navigate this new, ever-changing era of various forms of content, it must produce multiple movies and Disney Plus shows a year. And this increased exposure has resulted in some highs and lows for the franchise, which have forced it to pivot some of its earlier plans for the Multiverse Saga.

This reportedly resulted in the cancellation of a number of sequels and spinoffs for multiple MCU characters. The good news is that this doesn't necessarily mean we've seen the last of these characters.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps sees the Marvel Cinematic Universe walk into new territory as it enters Phase Six and sets up the impending saga with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. However, if new reports are to be believed, those steps into the next phase may not be so smooth as The Fantastic Four reboot gets some interesting early feedback.

According to Hollywood scooper Jeff Sneider (of The InSneider), First Steps got mixed reviews following a public test screening in Los Angeles earlier this week. According to Sneider, the biggest causes of concern among some audience members were the lack of character development and questionable CGI usage. "My source called it both 'mid' and 'meh,' and 'not that bad, but not that good, either,'" he said. "More concerningly, they said it featured weak character development and bad CGI, though the latter issue will certainly be addressed over the next month.

A public test screening for The Fantastic Four: First Steps took place in Los Angeles earlier this week, and more details about what to expect have started finding their way online.

It's always best to take feedback like this with a pinch of salt because dozens of people attend these screenings, and only a small handful of them feel the need to share their thoughts with certain outlets/reporters...and they're typically the ones who didn't like what they saw.

The InSneider's Jeff Sneider, for example, previously reported that Sinners had received a "mixed" response at test screenings, suggesting Warner Bros. "should be worried." The movie sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and has made over $340 million worldwide on a $90 million budget.

However, Sneider is only sharing what he's been told and has now offered up feedback from The Fantastic Four: First Steps' test screening.

"My source called it both 'mid' and 'meh,...

A public test screening for The Fantastic Four: First Steps took place in Los Angeles earlier this week, and more details about what to expect have started finding their way online.

It's always best to take feedback like this with a pinch of salt because dozens of people attend these screenings, and only a small handful of them feel the need to share their thoughts with certain outlets/reporters...and they're typically the ones who didn't like what they saw.

The InSneider's Jeff Sneider, for example, previously reported that Sinners had received a "mixed" response at test screenings, suggesting Warner Bros. "should be worried." The movie sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and has made over $340 million worldwide on a $90 million budget.

However, Sneider is only sharing what he's been told and has now offered up feedback from The Fantastic Four: First Steps' test screening.

"My source called it both 'mid' and 'meh,...

It isn't long until the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe reunite for the inevitably game-changing Avengers: Doomsday. It's the movie that fans have been waiting for, the one that will kick off the culmination of the Multiverse Saga (and now randomly clash with Dune: Messiah) and officially bring in Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. Yep, it's a star-studded, must-see affair for Marvel fans.

Star-studded is indeed the term for it, as Marvel Studios unveiled the cast for the film some weeks ago on a five-hour livestream, confirming that the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan and more will be back for the big event movie. However, there were also some noticeable absences from that cast list too.

There was one baffling absence, in particular, and now rumor has it that this person will actually appear in the movie after all. And this is good...

It's been 3 years since fans first met Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel. Fans have seen her yet again in The Marvels, starring opposite Brie Larson as Captain Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe progresses, fans may wonder if we'll ever get more Ms. Marvel. One star doesn't think so. When ScreenRant spoke to Aramis Knight, who played Red Dagger, Knight had a disappointing update amid rumors that Kamala may be popping up in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

He told ScreenRant "I wish not, but I think so" when asked if we'd seen the last of his character. When asked about a Ms. Marvel Season 2, he's not optimistic, saying, "I mean it's been a long time now, so I am not really sure. I mean I would love to. I was supposed to make appearances and other things but...

Following the show's premiere during Phase 4, a new update about the possibility of Ms. Marvel season 2 is shared by one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series stars. One of the most well-received new heroes to the MCU in recent years is Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, after she headlined her own solo series, before making her way to the big screen in The Marvels. But while Kamala hasn't been seen in the MCU since 2023, there are still questions surrounding whether Ms. Marvel season 2 is still on the table.

However, it appears that Ms. Marvel season 2 is not likely to happen, at least according to Red Dagger actor Aramis Knight. While speaking with ScreenRant's Liam Crowley at the Karate Kid: Legends NYC premiere, Knight was asked if he thinks that the MCU has seen the last of Red Dagger. The MCU star shared, "I wish not,...

Avengers: Doomsday has recently been shooting in Bahrain, and will soon move to Windsor Great Park in England. A 1960s-era bungalow is expected to be built there, as is a spaceship that's generated a lot of speculation online.

While the house has been given various codenames (including "Iron Fist House" and "Luke Cage House"), it may have something to do with The Sentry's darker half, The Void. Or The Void—as in the wasteland at the End of Time—itself. Honestly, it's hard to say.

Back to the spaceship, and insider Daniel Richtman claims to have learned who it belongs to: Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel.

Brie Larson hasn't been officially announced as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, but is expected to be a member of Captain America's Avengers team. We got well-acquainted with her ship, The Hoopty, in The Marvels, and Carol is likely still searching for Monica Rambeau.

For years now, Marvel has been teasing that Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel has a hidden superpower - a result of her combined mutant/Inhuman DNA. While her stretching abilities come from her Inhuman genetics, that same DNA blocks her mutant ability from manifesting... or at least it did until now.

This isn't the superpower fans expected (and feared) Ms. Marvel would get...

In today's Giant-Size X-Men #1 - from Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Adam Kubert, Laura Martin and Clayton Cowles - Kamala Khan is hurled through time, encountering the X-Men during the events of 1975's pivotal Giant-Size X-Men from Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum. Signing up with Cyclops' team, Kamala gets her own official X-Men costume. Then, in a battle against a corrupted version of Xavier's son Legion, she manifests an unexpected power.

Fighting Legion, Kamala's fists take on a glowing, diamond-patterned appearance, emitting a shimmering trail...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a large tapestry of films (and TV series). Focusing on the big-screen side, since its inception, the ambitious superhero universe has experienced something many other franchises in Hollywood have not: quality consistency. With over 30 films and counting, the MCU has typically enjoyed a healthy amount of critical acclaim, which has allowed it to turn increasingly obscure characters into household names.

However, not everything has been a bed of roses for Marvel Studios — particularly in recent years. A considerable amount of its theatrical releases have been either divisive or downright critical duds. Yet, it's safe to say we've all experienced this — we watch a movie that's largely disliked, and we find ourselves liking it to an extent... maybe even enjoying it.

So, I thought it appropriate to ask the question: What's one MCU movie that's disliked/hated, but you actually appreciate? Now, the universe is comprised of 36 films,...

Kevin Feige may have pulled off miracles before, but this time, it seems like a great doom is looming over Robert Downey Jr’s MCU return. Yes, while Doctor Doom was supposed to be the menacing villain wreaking havoc on the Avengers, it seems the baddie himself might be facing some struggles of his own.

While Robert Downey Jr’s return was supposed to be the event of the decade, the timing couldn’t be messier. Kevin Feige seems to be dropping Avengers: Doomsday in the middle of a blockbuster warzone, with two other mega franchises launching their own cinematic missiles around the same time. Well, things are looking a little shaky for the MCU, based on their records.

Kevin Feige messed up the schedule for Robert Downey Jr’s MCU return

We can’t even ask you to mark your calendars for December 18, 2026, because the date might have just turned into absolute mayhem.

After a rather promising start to its theatrical run a few weeks ago, Marvel’s Thunderbolts* seems to have slowed down. This weekend, it was hit by the one-two punch of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which grossed a combined total of over $250 million at the domestic box office. Meanwhile, Thunderbolts* slipped to the number four spot, as it finds itself in the same position as fellow Marvel release Captain America: Brave New World a few weeks ago.

That film struggled to pass the $200 million mark domestically and the $400 million mark worldwide, against a reported production budget of $180 million. Thunderbolts* is said to have a cost a similar figure, and is now sitting at around $170 million domestically and $180 million from overseas markets. It has now overtaken fellow Marvel team-up movie Eternals domestically. The film’s cumulative global haul now stands at $353 million,...

Marvel Studios, once the gold standard of box office dominance, is facing a major identity crisis. While the studio still boasts one of the most expansive cinematic universes ever created, its recent streak of releases tells a different story. After over a decade of success, culminating in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the last two years have shown a stark downturn in audience engagement and financial performance.

The shine is starting to wear off. And, with only one out of its last four movies considered a runaway success, fans and industry insiders alike are beginning to ask if the Marvel magic is finally wearing thin.

Marvel Studios faces a downturn as three of its last four movies underperformed

After a decade of dominance in the 2010s, capped by Avengers: Endgame, which grossed over $2.7 billion and became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, the MCU‘s recent outings have struggled to replicate that magic.

Marvel Studios' recent Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal included a few surprising names, but the actors who weren't mentioned raised just as many questions.

If you've been keeping up with rumors relating to the 2026 MCU event film, you may have been anticipating the casts of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps as well as a couple of X-Men characters (we had heard that both Kelsey Grammer and Sir Patrick Stewart were set to return after their respective appearances in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels), but we were not expecting quite so many mutants.

Joining Stewart and Grammer will be Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, James Marsden as Cyclops, and Channing Tatum as Gambit.

Tatum made his MCU debut in Deadpool and Wolverine, but Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were not announced as part of the Doomsday cast.

Avengers: Doomsday will mark the beginning of the end for the Multiverse Saga as the Russo Brothers make their MCU return to try and end this hit-or-miss era of storytelling in style.

Earth's (the Multiverse's?) Mightiest Heroes will assemble to battle Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Doom, and along with the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and New Avengers, we know Captain America will lead his own team of Avengers.

According to The Cosmic Circus, Sam Wilson's team will be comprised of Joaquin Torres/The Falcon, Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Wong, and Shang-Chi. They're officially on his team, with She-Hulk likely to join them.

That's a formidable lineup, and Cap has brought together some legit powerhouses to help him protect the world from threats like Victor Von Doom.

The site notes that Latveria will also be featured in Avengers: Doomsday (which isn't overly surprising), and regarding Doom's team,...

Recently, Marvel shows and films have been hit or miss at the box office. While “Deadpool and Wolverine” did amazing, “Captain America: Brave New World” and “The Marvels” did not.

Now, a new report indicates that Disney is telling Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, to walk back the political messaging.

According to Main Middle Man on X, Feige wanted to focus on social issues with the X-Men, and Disney wants a mass appeal film.

Here is what Main Middle Man posted,

“Feige wanted a more grounded X-Men story with a plot that really focused on social issues and disagreements about what it means to be a mutant. He wanted a powerful dramatic movie that really showed what the X-Men were all about, with the Brotherhood of Mutants as the bad guys.

But that’s not what Iger and Disney want. Aware of the poor performance of more restrained films...

To call Avengers: Doomsday a moment in time a year before its release might seem premature, but there is no doubt about it that the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie has all the potential to be the biggest talking point in the entertainment world in 2026. And why wouldn't it be? All four of the previous Avengers movies have accomplished that feat, so you can rest assured this one stands every chance to.

Much like the double header of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Doomsday and Secret Wars promise to be game-changing events for the MCU as they will bring about the close of the franchise's ongoing Multiverse Saga. Better yet, they will be bringing in the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four (whose arrival in the MCU is imminent already) to make it happen. You know you were there to see the full cast list revealed in that chair-filled livestream!

Considering the misfit team of anti-heroes, shady government ops, Bucky Barnes brooding in a corner, and Yelena Belova expressing her love for Mac and cheese, we all expected MCU’s Thunderbolts* to make some noise at the box office. But turns out, our once-hyped chaos crew has landed in theaters with less thunder and more of a weak drizzle.

With a $180M budget and just $325M at the box office, the math ain’t mathing. It still seems to need $35M to break even—and that’s before we even start talking about profit. What just happened with Thunderbolts*, despite the hype? It seems the movie might end up being a flop with its massive earnings gap.

A closer look at Thunderbolts* box office collection

Bringing in renowned stars like David Harbour and casting Oppenheimer’s Florence Pugh alongside Sebastian Stan didn’t come cheap for Marvel. And that’s...

The MCU does not deserve the hate it's been getting. In fact, it deserves a little more credit for what's it done so far. I know, I know. Hey, listen, put that pitchfork down. Also, don't throw that rock at me. I am a very sensitive person, and I will cry if a rock touches my face, however light the impact may be. No, for now, just sit down and listen. Once I'm done, you can go back to imagining the many different ways in which you want to see my face behind your fist. Just, again, please don't actually do it. I will sob. 

Anyway, the MCU has been mired in controversy the past few years. Its declining critical reception began not long after Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters. Following the film's release, Marvel Studios announced a slew of new movies and, excitingly, live-action Disney+ TV shows that, for the first time,...

With the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, the X-Men and mutants are finally being integrated into the MCU in a meaningful way. While mutants have appeared in previous projects and Professor X and Beast featured in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, the X-Men were not properly referenced.

However, as Kevin Feige has confirmed, the era of mutants has officially begun, with a live-action X-Men reboot on the way that will focus solely on the iconic team.

Michael Lesslie has been hired to write the script for the new X-Men movie, and reports suggest he proposed an ‘X-Men ’97’ lineup.

Related: 10 Most Popular X-Men (Ranked)

Recently, sources revealed the working title of this X-Men reboot: “Chunnel.” A working title is a temporary name used during development. Sometimes, it hints at the story’s direction, and other times, it’s just a placeholder. In this case, “Chunnel...

Brie Larson is going from Marvel to monster. The MCU star will play the lead — and the creature — in Fail-Safe, a new horror film from producer J.J. Abrams. Deadline reports that the film is set to be directed by Strange Darling's Jt Mollner.

Fail-Safe will be told from the perspective of a young boy who comes to realize that his loving parents are hiding something from him...and that his mother (Larson) has a big, terrifying secret. The title comes from a special panic room in their house which contains her during her transformations. It is based on a 2017 short story of the same name by Philip Fracassi, which will be adapted for the screen by Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You). Says Abrams, "...having the limitlessly talented Brie Larson as our star sets up Fail-Safe to be that rare horror film that makes you laugh, feel, and care,...

Exclusive: Oscar winner and Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson (Room) is set to star in creature horror film Fail-Safe, with J.J. Abrams producing and FilmNation, WME and CAA launching the hot project at the Cannes market.

Jt Mollner (Strange Darling) is set to direct the movie, which is described as “a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.”

Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You), who is currently directing Whalefall for 20th Century and Imagine, wrote the screenplay based on a short story by Philip Fracassi.

Lost creator and Star Wars and Star Trek director Abrams said: “With Fail-Safe, Brian Duffield has written an absolute powerhouse of a script. It’s a horror film that is as sweet and moving as it is terrifying.

Mission: Impossible vs Marvel: Can Tom Cruise Finally Take Back the Box Office Throne? (Photo Credit – Instagram/Prime Video)

Tom Cruise returns to the big screen to close out the crucial chapter of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, and quite possibly to “rescue” the theatrical business stateside and abroad. After seven years in production alongside its predecessor, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning faces box office pressure that makes its title feel more literal than narrative. The stakes are high — not just in North America but worldwide — as Cruise and Paramount once again set their sights on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s global earnings.

Despite being the highest-grossing film series of all time, the MCU, and Marvel in general, have been repeatedly defeated at the box office by Mission: Impossible. In fact, until its third billion-dollar flick, the MCU had not beaten the Impossible Mission Force (Imf) in ticket admissions.

We’ve got the first look at Ironheart, which promises an excellent ride for a new MCU heroine!

The MCU has seen a major shakeup in the last few years. Following the disappointments of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, combined with the 2023 Hollywood strikes, the decision was made to hold back on a lot of MCU projects.

That's without mentioning how the legal woes of Jonathan Majors means Marvel has dropped Kang for Doctor Doom for the upcoming Avengers; Doomsday film. That's changed all of their future plans.

While Captain America: Brave New World was seen as a letdown, Thunderbolts has become a success at the box office. Marvel is shifting focus towards their Disney+ shows, including the announcement that Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will feature Krysten Ritter reprising her role of Jessica Jones.

Now, Disney has released the first trailer for Ironheart, which gives us a...

Frasier star Kelsey Grammer made his debut as Beast in X-Men 3, aka X-Men: The Last Stand, before returning to provide the voice and motion capture for a fully CGI version of the character in The Marvels many years later.

In The Marvels' stinger, Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) wakes up in a medical lab after getting trapped in an alternate reality following her battle with Dar-Benn to find her late mother, Maria (Lashana Lynch), by her side. Rambeau is overcome with joy, but Maria - who is actually this world's Binary - has no idea who she is.

As Monica's confusion grows, a familiar voice asks "how's our patient," and a comic-accurate, blue-furred Hank McCoy enters the room.

There were rumors that Grammer was set to return as the fan-favorite X-Man in Avengers: Doomsday, which were confirmed during Marvel Studios' recent cast announcement. While appearing as a guest on The Jamie Kern Lima Show,...

Kelsey Grammer is no stranger to legendary characters — Frasier Crane alone earned him a spot in TV history — but there’s one role that continues to move him on a deeply personal level. In a newly released emotional excerpt from The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Grammer opened up about his longstanding love for Beast, the blue-furred philosopher mutant he portrayed in X-Men: The Last Stand, Days of Future Past, The Marvels, and now, Avengers: Doomsday. In the interview, Grammer becomes visibly emotional as he reflects on what Beast means to him and how he still connects to the character's moral code and quiet strength, adding: "I feel like it's who I am."

“I love the character. I love his… he is a stalwart, upright, serious-minded, decent man. And that’s what I love about him. I think of him as being the Martin Luther King of the Mutants,” Grammer says.

Marvel helped kick off the summer movie season with "Thunderbolts*" in the first weekend of May. Though not exactly a smash by superhero standards, director Jake Schreier's entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe opened to $74.3 million domestically and just over $160 million globally. That left it on uncertain ground, with the film's fate to be determined in weekend two and beyond. Fortunately, things have continued to go reasonably well for Marvel Studios and Disney in the early going.

"Thunderbolts*" added an estimated $33.1 million in its second weekend, once again topping the domestic charts. That represents a 56% drop, which probably had more to do with a lack of competition, with IFC's YA slasher "Clown in a Cornfield," Lionsgate's "Shadow Force," and the plane thriller "Fight or Flight" serving as the weekend's only new releases. Those were never going to compete for the top spot. All the same, this allowed...

After having a cameo in The Marvels, Kelsey Grammer shares what it is like to make his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Doomsday. One of the big reveals during Marvel Studios' surprise stream announcement was the news that several X-Men characters would be brought back for the huge Phase 6 installment. Following his setup in The Marvels, it was only natural that Grammer's Beast would be one of them, although how he and the other X-Men players fit into Avengers: Doomsday remains to be seen.

During a recent appearance on the Literally! with Rob Lowe podcast, Grammer looked back on his Beast legacy, including how "I heard lovely things about the young man that ended up playing Beast, but I didn’t really watch it. I nursed the hope that one day I’d get to play him again," referring to Nicholas Hoult's run with the character in the X-Men prequels.

If you told someone 25 years ago that One Piece would outsell Superman, the greatest superhero of all time, they’d laugh in your face. But here we are! One Piece, the best-selling manga of all time, has totally dominated not just Batman but Superman as well in terms of sales.

That’s right, One Piece, a story of a stretchy pirate kid who aspires to be the Pirate King, has outsold the Man of Steel in the battle for comic book dominance. So, how did this happen? Let’s look at why manga, specifically One Piece, is taking the world by storm and why superhero comics are lagging behind.

The numbers: How One Piece is dominating against Superman

So, back in August 2022, One Piece totally crushed it by selling over 516 million copies worldwide. Seriously, that’s not just a big deal, it’s a huge deal. Just to give you a fairer perspective,...

Marvel’s been on quite the rollercoaster lately, haven’t they? Their newest offering, Thunderbolts*, just hit theaters, and honestly, the numbers are pretty interesting when you compare them to other recent MCU flicks. We’re talking $128.45 million domestically and a solid $272.15 million worldwide after just 10 days (via BoxOffice Mojo)—not too shabby for a team of antiheroes that most casual fans might not even recognize.

Remember when every Marvel movie was practically guaranteed to hit a billion? Yeah, those days are gone, but that doesn’t mean the MCU is down for the count. This ragtag bunch of reformed villains might just be proving that Marvel can still surprise us at the box office.

Strong second weekend performance sets Thunderbolts* apart

Here’s where things get really interesting, folks. Most movies nowadays absolutely crater in their second weekend. Well, Thunderbolts* is bucking that trend in a big way. The...

What makes a movie worth watching over and over again? That’s the question Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson sparked recently when she detailed her thoughts on what separates ordinary movies from truly lasting ones. While her remarks were focused on celebrating meaningful storytelling, they have also led many to reflect on her work, Captain Marvel.

The 2019 Marvel hit was a major moment in her career and a massive success at the box office. But does it stand the test of time, the way truly rewatchable movies do? As fans debate on this, Larson’s movie finds itself at the center of the conversation. Let’s dive deeper.

Did Captain Marvel live up to Brie Larson’s definition of universal art?

Actress Brie Larson has always advocated for powerful storytelling. Throughout the years, she has taken on roles that are emotional, complex, and present the raw human experience, evident from her Oscar-winning role in Room.

Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* held on to the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, taking in $33.1 million in its second weekend of release.

This marks a 55% drop from its debut, which is a better hold than other recent MCU movies Captain America: Brave New World (down 68%), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (down 70%), The Marvels (down 78%) and Thor: Love and Thunder (down 67%).

"The New Avengers" now sits at $128.5 million in North America and $272 million globally. The movie had a reported production budget of $180 million before marketing costs, and will need to clear $400 million worldwide to turn a profit.

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler's Sinners also continues to perform very well, and has now passed the $200 million milestone at the U.S. box office, becoming just the sixth horror movie to do so in history after The Exorcist, Jaws, The Sixth Sense, It, and It Chapter 2.

The period vampire drama, which...

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts led the global box office for a second straight weekend, adding $34 million overseas and $67.1 million globally. Its total stands at $272.2 million across all markets, with $143 million from international territories and $128.5 million from North America.

The film is holding stronger than several recent Marvel Cinematic Universe titles. While Captain America: Brave New World, The Marvels, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania experienced sharp second-week declines, Thunderbolts dropped just 55 percent from its opening weekend. This figure sits slightly above the franchise average but is considered a solid result given the franchise’s recent volatility.

Budgetary pressure remains a factor. With a production cost of $180 million and marketing expenses topping $100 million, the title is expected to rely on sustained box office interest. Studio insiders indicate that continued momentum through late May is essential, as upcoming competition could shift audience attention.

The project, directed by Jake Schreier, brings together characters introduced across various Marvel properties.

Update May 11, 2025: Thunderbolts, aka New Avengers, dominated the box office during the May 9-11 weekend, earning $33.1 million in its second outing. Ticket sales for Disney's Marvel movie dropped just 55 percent from its $74 million opening, buoyed by its A-minus CinemaScore and glowing reviews. This is a better hold than several previous Marvel films, including Captain America: Brave New World (down 68 percent), 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (down 70 percent), The Marvels (down 78 percent), and 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder (down 67 percent), signaling a positive shift for the franchise.

In second place, Sinners held strong with $21.1 million, with the Warner Bros. vampire flick's domestic tally soaring past $200 million and nearing $300 million worldwide. A Minecraft Movie followed in third with $8 million in its sixth weekend; the video game-based movie, also from Warner Bros., has now grossed $409 million in North America as it inches closer to $1 billion globally. Ben Affleck's thriller, The Accountant 2,...

Making the most of little competition at the global box office this weekend, Marvel’s Thunderbolts* retained its number one position and passed a major new milestone. The superhero movie made around $160 million worldwide in its debut weekend and has now passed the lifetime haul of the studio’s biggest bomb, The Marvels. Whether it is able to break through a new ceiling of sorts for Marvel movies — around $400 million globally — will become clearer as its run progresses. But if its performance this weekend is anything to go by, Thunderbolts* is on the right track. With around $130 million domestically and another $143 million from overseas markets, the film’s cumulative global haul stands at $272 million.

Directed by Jake Schreier, the movie registered a solid second-weekend hold, dropping less drastically than Marvel’s last three releases — Captain America: Brave New World, Deadpool & Wolverine, and The Marvels. These three movies encapsulate Marvel...

The second weekend of the summer movie season saw little drama, with last week’s Thunderbolts* retaining its top spot on the domestic box office charts. The Marvel superhero movie had a solid debut, grossing $74 million in its first three days of release. In its sophomore frame, the positively received film registered an encouragingly strong hold, dropping by under 55%. Thunderbolts*grossed an estimated $33 million this weekend, taking its running domestic total to just under $130 million in 10 days of release. It’ll face its first real competition next week, with the release of Final Destination: Bloodlines.

The movie has already overtaken the lifetime domestic totals of past superhero titles such as Joel Schumacher’s disastrous Batman & Robin, the Nicolas Cage-starrer Ghost Rider, and Ryan Reynolds’ notorious Green Lantern. Unlike these films, Thunderbolts* opened to positive reviews; it holds a “certified fresh” 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, in addition to an even...

What kind of staying power will “Thunderbolts” have at the box office?

That’s the big question after the film’s second weekend, where “Thunderbolts” collected $34 million overseas and $67.1 million globally. So far, “Thunderbolts” is persisting far better than recent Marvel Cinematic Universe titles like “Captain America: Brave New World,” “The Marvels” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” all of which slid significantly in subsequent outings and failed to get out of the red. Still, “Thunderbolts” carries a hefty $180 million production budget, not including at least $100 million in marketing expenses. Since theater owners get to keep half of ticket sales, “Thunderbolts” needs a long life in theaters to justify its price tag.

“Thunderbolts” has enjoyed far better reviews and word-of-mouth compared to those comic book installments, which analysts believe will help the movie stick around on the big screen. It won’t face direct competition until “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning...

Update: 2025/05/11 08:05 Est By Brennan Klein

Thunderbolts* Still Takes No. 1 With One Of The McU's Best Week 2 Drops, But Is Falling Short Of Original $35 Million Projections

This article was originally written Saturday Am and has been updated Sunday Am with up-to-date box office projections (in bold), a full chart, and further analysis.

Thunderbolts* has turned out an astounding second weekend at the domestic box office. The new movie, which is the 36th feature-length installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, follows the formation of a team of antiheroes from previous installments in the superhero franchise, including Ant-Man and the Wasp's Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Black Widow's Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). The Thunderbolts* release kicked off somewhat inauspiciously with a $74.3 million debut that landed below the previous installment, Captain America: Brave New World ($88.8 million).

Per Variety,...

Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” remained No. 1 at the box office, collecting $33.1 million in its second weekend of release.

Ticket sales declined by 55% from its $74 million debut, marking a far better hold than recent Marvel adventures that slid significantly in their second weekends, such as February’s “Captain America: Brave New World” (down 68% in its sophomore outing), 2023’s “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (down 70%), “The Marvels” (down a whopping 78%) and 2022’s “Thor: Love and Thunder” (down 67%).

“Thunderbolts*” started softer than all of those tentpoles (except for “The Marvels”), but solid reviews and positive word-of-mouth could help the movie stick around on the big screen. After opening weekend, Disney tried to stoke interest in “Thunderbolts*” by unveiling the meaning behind the asterisk in the film’s title — the ragtag group at the helm will henceforth be known as “The New Avengers.” The studio also revealed the motley crew of antiheroes will make...

Way to go, furball! Kelsey Grammer has found his spot in the MCU. Having reprised Dr. Hank McCoy aka Beast in 2023’s The Marvels – a role he took on in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand – it was revealed last month that Grammer would be back for Avengers: Doomsday. But don’t expect to see him at any cons in his Beast get-up

As he recalled on Literally! with Rob Lowe, “During [the making of The Marvels], somebody called me and said, ‘Would you come down and think about just doing a little…motion capture…We’re going to put you at the end of the movie in one of those little easter egg things.” One of the draws for Grammer where was that it would all be CG so he didn’t have to get into full Beast mode, something that took upwards of three hours at a time when making The Last Stand. And no,...

It looks like our (rather obvious) prediction that Thunderbolts (or rather The New Avengers) would win the weekend box office race was dead-on, but surprisingly, it may be a closer battle than expected. While Deadline reports that Thunderbolts may only drop about 55% week-to-week, with an estimated $35 million total, it’s got some vampires breathing down its neck. Indeed, Sinners, which has turned into a bona fide cultural phenomenon, is going with a stronger-than-expected $20 million weekend. And heck, these numbers are early, so for all we know, the movie might rally to over $25 million this weekend.

While it’s unlikely to beat Thunderbolts, it can’t be denied that Sinners is the kind of culture-grabbing, zeitgeist movie the Marvel films aren’t anymore. That said, Thunderbolts is having a much better hold than Captain America: Brave New World, which dropped 68% in week two, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (69%) or The Marvels...

MCU Phase 5 At Worldwide Box Office (Photo Credit – Instagram/Hotstar)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, aka MCU, created by Marvel Studios, produces some of the highest-grossing movies, and for better understanding, it is divided into several phases. At present, Phase 5 ended with Thunderbolts* and began in 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quatumania. It includes Deadpool and Wolverine, and today, we will be ranking the Phase 5 movies according to their box office collections. Keep scrolling for the deets.

The fifth phase continued to deal with the multiverse and faced several changes, too. It introduced Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man 3, but due to Jonathan Majors’ abuse case, Disney dropped him, and they had to pivot towards Doctor Doom, bringing back Robert Downey Jr. They also tried to stay relevant with their storyline in The Marvels, but that too tanked miserably. James Gunn’s final MCU movie and Hugh Jackman’s return as...

For fans of the Fox’s X-Men franchise, the announcement of returning cast members for Avengers: Doomsday was a treat. Before the Avengers existed and the MCU was a thing, the X-Men franchise did it all, from introducing the mutants to showing different versions of them to cleaning up the timeline with time travel. Fans have been through it all, but the charm of the original cast needs to be acknowledged on the big screen before we enter a new era of mutants in Marvel’s shared universe. One name among them is Kelsey Grammer, who already made a cameo in The Marvels that left fans pleasantly surprised and very excited.

Given the creative overhaul at the studio and the subpar performance of the movie, fans were worried whether The Marvels’ post-credit scene would pay off, but all doubts were put to rest when the Doomsday cast was announced. In a new interview on Literally!

2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand may have been an embarrassing mess made by a total sleazebag, but we have to admit that Kelsey Grammer did a solid job playing Beast, aka Jacked Blue Frasier Crane.

This version of Beast/Hank McCoy was such a success that Grammer was brought back for a confusing post-credit scene in The Marvels. And it was recently announced that he will be in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie. Or at the very least an empty chair featuring his name will.

On the most recent episode of Literally! with Rob Lowe, Grammer revealed that he hasn’t yet read a script for Doomsday. “I’ve had a preliminary introduction to the idea,” Grammer said. “They’re still very secretive about the script.”

The Cheers star was apparently pretty bummed to find out that the X-Men franchise would be rebooting with a new cast. And he got...

An “X-Men” movie at Marvel Studios looks to finally be picking up steam, and Jake Schreier, the director of one of the best-reviewed MCU movies in years “Thunderbolts*,” is in early talks to direct the film, IndieWire has confirmed.

Michael Lesslie, who wrote “The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” wrote the script for the still-untitled “X-Men” movie. Kevin Feige, per usual, is producing.

Marvel declined to comment.

Since acquiring Fox back in 2017, Marvel has been building slowly towards bringing the X-Men back into the fold of the MCU. They’ve teased mutants in “Ms. Marvel,” and they had a post-credits sequence that teased the “X-Men” at the end of “The Marvels.” After bringing Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine for “Deadpool & Wolverine” last year, Marvel recently announced that the new “Avengers: Doomsday” film would include many of the stars from the original series of “X-Men” films that began...

According to Deadline, Marvel Studios is in early talks with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier to helm the upcoming X-Men movie. Nothing is official now, but insiders say Schreier is looking like the top choice after a successful meeting last week. Michael Lesslie (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) wrote the script for the X-Men movie, with Kevin Feige producing.

Since Disney officially acquired 20th Century Fox more than five years ago, Marvel fans have been eager for the inevitable day when the X-Men will finally join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise took small steps, with a few mentions of mutants, but it slowly led to appearances from Patrick Stewart as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Kelsey Grammer as Beast in The Marvels, and, of course, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the titular characters of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Related John Boyega says...

“Thunderbolts*” director Jake Schreier is being eyed to direct Marvel’s next “X-Men” adventure.

Sources stress the deal is in early talks and hasn’t been finalized, but Schrier catapulted to the top of Disney and Marvel’s wishlist after “Thunderbolts*” became one of the MCU’s best reviewed movie in years. Though “Thunderbolts*” started slower at the box office (with $76 million domestically) compared to most Marvel installments, the studio is hoping that support from critics and audience will help the film endure on the big screen.

Screenwriter Michael Lesslie, who recent credits include “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” penned the screenplay with Kevin Feige on board to produce the newest “X-Men” entry. No other details about the film, including the cast, plot description or release timeline, have been revealed.

Prior to Marvel, Schreier has directed 2012’s sci-fi drama “Robot & Frank,” 2015’s romantic comedy...

Following the release of Captain America: Brave New World, it appeared that the Marvel Cinematic Universe was still stuck in a place of mediocrity. While the film didn't crash and burn financially, the movie was a bust with most critics, scoring 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. As the release date for Thunderbolts* loomed, pressure was put on the film to right the ship, and thankfully, it did just that. Reviews were some of the best received in this era of the MCU, and its $74.3 million opening weekend indicates a solid box office run. One person very pleased with the performance of Thunderbolts* is Disney CEO Bob Iger, who suggests that the movie is the "first and best" example of the release strategy for the MCU moving forward.

Per Variety, Iger commented on the state of the MCU during an investor call on Wednesday. He's aware that the output from the MCU, in particular,...

As Marvel Studios nears the theatrical release of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," which will serve as the kickoff of the McU's Phase Six (thus closing the book on the franchise's dismal Phase Five), fans can't help but be laser focused on next year's "Avengers: Doomsday." It's not that the quartet's first official appearance in the MCU looks dire; it's just that Marvel, smarting from the franchise-hobbling failures of "The Marvels" and "Captain America: Brave New World," sweatily upstaged their summer 2025 slate last March with a bizarre PR stunt involving a ridiculous number of chairs.

This is not the Marvel Studios of the 2010s, where almost every single movie was a potential billion-dollar event. With the film business still struggling to recover from the Covid-19 stoppage and the (absolutely necessary) union strikes, studios need to go above and beyond to convince potential ticket buyers that their latest theatrical offering is...

Thunderbolts* North America Box Office Day 5 Update ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Thunderbolts*, aka The New Avengers, saw a big jump on its first Tuesday compared to its Monday gross, and with that, it has surpassed the domestic haul of The Marvels. It is reportedly the largest percentage increase in the MCU’s history on Tuesday. The film finally saw some benefit from its strong word of mouth. Keep scrolling for more.

The Marvels, released in 2023, is the biggest MCU flop, with a budget of more than $200 million. The film featured Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris in the pivotal roles. The audience did not enjoy the all-female flick due to a weak plotline and the over-the-top humor. Despite good visuals and action sequences, the film failed miserably at the box office, collecting only $84.5 million in its domestic run.

The New Avengers exploded on its first Tuesday discount day.