After Thunderbolts*
have dropped in our nearest theatres since last Friday, the revenue thunder at the box office refuses to settle. The movie has arrived as the newest MCU
royalty, taking its massive fan base back to the days of previous glory, after
a couple of rare hits along its trip down the quality lane. And it is not just
the audience, but the makers are also acknowledging this hard-hitting fact.
After its
latest impressive success, Disney’s CEO Bob Iger showered praises on the movie
while sinking his teeth into some bitter truth that has been haunting the studios and Marvel in the recent past.
Disney to focus on quality not quantity after Thunderbolts* success
On Wednesday,
during an investor call, Bob Iger admitted that Thunderbolts*
, now known as The New Avengers
, is the “first and
best example”
of the studio’s new priority to make better movies. Variety reports that he also admitted
that in their zeal to flood the streaming platform with more
content, the studios turned to all their creative engines, including Marvel,
and had them produce a lot more content, just for the sake of it. But Thunderbolt*
‘s opening weekend collection of $76 million, paired with critical appraisal, taught
them some valuable lessons.
THUNDERBOLTS SPOILERS
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–Sentry got so much aura he’s blocking knives with it
— Poe’s Law, Esq: Poe’s Lawyer (@dyingscribe) May 6, 2025
During the call,
Iger also acknowledged that Disney has learned over time that quantity does not
necessarily beget quality. And realised within themselves that they lost little
focus by making too much. But they are willing to mend their mistakes by
consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, which will
eventually result in better quality. And Thunderbolts*
serves as its perfect
starter.
Read More: Florence Pugh Sheds Light on Marvel’s Boldness for Doing The Most Unconventional Summer Blockbuster
The movie,
with its star-studded ensemble cast and a newly introduced name after release
, has
arrived as no less than an early Christmas blessing for Marvel and MCU, which has visibly
struggled with previous releases since 2020.
Marvel tough fight to maintain footing with recent releases
The Marvel
Cinematic Universe was once the king of superhero movies, which saw its phenomenal
ending with Avengers: Endgame
. But as the decade took a turn, so did Marvel’s quality
and revenue. With releases like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels
,
and Captain America: Brave New World
took their ship to deep waters, selective
hits like Deadpool & Wolverine, Spider-Man: No Way Home,
and Doctor Strange
in the Multiverse of Madness
became its limited saving grace.
Oh no. Thunderbolts was wonderful. And suddenly I care about the next Marvel movie again. pic.twitter.com/USxXkVQzUu
— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) May 2, 2025
But
Thunderbolts*
has once again waved their flag high and is reminding the
audience of how amazing this superhero universe used to be. It has boosted
Disney’s confidence, which has other big flicks like Zootopia 2, Marvel’s Fantastic Four:
The First Steps
, and Avatar: Fire and Ash
, slated for this year.
What are your thoughts on Thunderbolt*’
s massive success and Disney’s U-turn of focusing on quality after this? Tell us below.