Kevin Feige Opens Up About Why ‘Thunderbolts*’ Flopped at the Box Office

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As a dedicated fan, I couldn’t help but notice the mixed fortunes of Marvel’s Thunderbolts at the box office, despite garnering positive reviews from critics. Recently, the mastermind behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kevin Feige, has shared some insights on why this might have been the case.

In the year 2025, Thunderbolts, a film helmed by Jake Schreier, hit the screens with an impressive ensemble including Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan. It was the 36th installment within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

*Note: “Thunderbolts” is a fictional movie in this context.

The plot revolves around a band of unconventional protagonists who find themselves compelled to collaborate for a perilous operation. The film received praise from critics, as reflected by Rotten Tomatoes’ 88% positive rating, and also earned favorable feedback from the audience.

However, the film managed to gross approximately $382 million globally, falling short compared to typical earnings of an MCU production. Unfortunately, this figure was insufficient to cover costs as Varity estimated that Thunderbolts needed to rake in at least $425 million to turn a profit, resulting in a significant financial letdown.

Kevin Feige, in a conversation with reporters, explained the underperformance of the movie. He attributed it largely to the massive influx of Marvel-themed content that has been released, particularly on Disney+, over the past few years.

Feige stated that the studio was attempting to manage an excessive number of characters and narratives simultaneously, which proved challenging due to their inability to produce a film every month. He clarified this by saying, “We’ve always had more characters than we could realistically produce films for because one movie isn’t made each month. However, there’s now a requirement to produce more.

The abundance of movies and TV series left viewers overwhelmed, making it challenging for some to follow along and fully appreciate films like Thunderbolts*. Feige acknowledged that this predicament led certain recent Marvel projects to fall short of expectations, as he explained, “Audiences still had the feeling of, ‘I must have watched these other shows to understand who this character is.’

As a result of recent developments, Marvel intends to scale back its production pace significantly. They aim to limit their annual movie releases to only three and reduce the number of live-action television series they produce.

Feige expressed that they are planning to let TV shows have their own distinct stories without requiring viewers to watch every connected project. He made this statement regarding Thunderbolts and its relation to other Marvel productions, saying, “We’re going back to making a TV show simply as its own entity.” For instance, although Thunderbolts concluded with a significant event in New York, it won’t impact the Daredevil: Born Again series, which takes place in the same city.

Speaking optimistically, Feige is eager for the release of the upcoming Fantastic Four film. He commended its blend of retro and futuristic aesthetics and asserted that it’s crafted to be accessible, making it enjoyable even for those not deeply invested in every Marvel production. In his words, “This movie doesn’t require any homework. It stands independently from anything we’ve produced before.” This strategy aims to attract new viewers without overwhelming them with complexity.

As a film enthusiast, I must admit that the box office performance of Thunderbolts* wasn’t quite what we hoped for. However, it seems Marvel is tuning in to our feedback and intends to craft future narratives more accessible, eliminating the need to watch every single piece to fully enjoy the storyline. The candid words from Feige suggest that the studio is ready to adapt and strike the right balance as we move forward.

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2025-07-21 14:44