Thunderbolts*
Marvel's team of reformed villains unite for a dangerous mission
A ragtag team of anti-heroes and reformed villains are forced together for a covert government operation that challenges their loyalties and tests whether redemption is truly possible.
Director
Jake Schreier
Studio
Marvel Studios / Disney
Release
May 5, 2025
Runtime
164 min
Genres
Action, Adventure, Comedy
Budget
$200 million (estimated)
Box office
$382.4 million worldwide
Cast & Characters
Yelena Belova
Florence Pugh
↔ Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes
Sebastian Stan
↔ Yelena Belova
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Robert Reynolds
Lewis Pullman
Did You Know?
Thunderbolts* became the lowest-grossing MCU team-up despite strong critical reception.
Source: Screen Rant Box Office Analysis · verified 2026-07-28
The asterisk in the title (*) was revealed to have story significance during the film.
Source: Marvel Studios · verified 2026-07-28
Florence Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova from Black Widow.
Source: MCU Timeline · verified 2026-07-28
Critical Assessment
Thunderbolts* earned a 7.1/10 on IMDb, a 68/100 on Metacritic, and was Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 88% critics and 93% audience scores—a rare alignment that suggests both critics and audiences enjoyed the film's irreverent tone and character-driven humor.
“Marvel's most entertaining ensemble yet.” — Variety “Florence Pugh steals the show as the film's emotional anchor.” — The New York Times “A refreshingly fun team-up that breaks the MCU formula.” — IndieWire
Notably, the audience score (93%) significantly outpaced the critics' score (88%), with viewers particularly embracing the film's comedic and self-aware approach more than expected. Box office underperformance may reflect audience saturation with MCU releases rather than critical reception.
Ratings as of 2026-07-28
AI Verdict
AI-generatedThunderbolts* is a mid-tier MCU hit by ratings, but an underperformer by box office—suggesting the market for ensemble team-up films may be cooling, even when quality is high.