Thunderbolts* is a prime example of the decline in earnings the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is taking with each new release, but it still managed to outshine a surprising number of Fox X-Men movies. The reign of the MCU appears to be slowing down. After nearly two decades, with the rise of Marvel’s spectacular shared universe, and peaks where the latest MCU тιтles were consistently earning a billion dollars or more at the box office, the Multiverse Saga hasn’t fared nearly so well.

However, despite the MCU underperforming when comparing their metrics to their peak success, the latest films are still pulling ahead of a surprising number of other superhero films. And while it was almost ᴀssured to outshine the smaller comic book movies, Thunderbolts* has actually taken the lead ahead of several other Marvel releases. Albeit, not from the same studio.

Thunderbolts*’ Box Office Isn’t The MCU’s Best, But It Also Isn’t Its Worst

Thunderbolts* Had A High Bar To Hit For Profitability

Thunderbolts* managed to rack up $379 million at the global box office (via The Numbers). By no means is that a small feat, but with Marvel Studios’ consistently large budgets, and the spending on marketing, the movie is a significant financial failure for the studio. However, it has still managed to get ahead of a handful of other MCU тιтles.

By a large margin, the lowest-earning тιтle from the MCU was released in 2023. The Marvels only accumulated a figure just shy of $200 million at the global box office. The next lowest-earner is The Incredible Hulk, which debuted in 2008 when the MCU was still just a twinkling hopeful idea in Kevin Feige’s mind. And just behind Thunderbolts*, Captain America: Brave New World finished at the box office with $370 million.

Thunderbolts*’ Box Office Is Higher Than A Surprising Amount Of X-Men Movies

X-Men Walked So That The MCU Could Run At The Box Office

However, things get fascinating when comparing Thunderbolts* box office with the Fox X-Men franchise. In 2000, X-Men debuted and introduced the world to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the first time, alongside Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and Ian McKellen as Magneto. Despite the global success and popularity of this film, it only managed to earn $296 million at the box office (via The Numbers). Adjusted for inflation, that sum would increase to roughly $552 million, which would overtake Thunderbolts*, but there are a further four films in the series that earned less.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class, Dark Phoenix, and The New Mutants all come in under the total box office earnings for Thunderbolts*. Considering this list includes the film that kicked off the Fox X-Men universe, and the beginning of the rebooted series, along with some less popular тιтles helps to put into perspective how even this loss for Marvel Studios is still a relative hit with audiences, despite the financial loss incurred.

Why Thunderbolts*’ Box Office Is Higher Than A Number Of X-Men Movies

Thunderbolts* Has A Much Stronger Foundation Than The Fox X-Men

As noted above, two of the five тιтles above kicked off the franchise and the reboot. With that in mind, it makes sense that they would not have had much of an established fanbase ready to spend money on the film. Likewise, the movies that were less than stellar ended up being disappointing outings for Fox that didn’t nearly live up to their best successes, but they still pulled in tens or even hundreds of millions.

However, the MCU is a juggernaut in the space of comic book movies. Yes, the fanbase appears to be less rabid for new releases compared to earlier moments in the series, but with the rise of streaming and the ability to see new releases just a few months after their theatrical release, more people are holding back on watching the latest Marvel hit when it’s convenient for them. Regardless, the Thunderbolts* film received rave reviews, and remains a popular hit with many cinema-goers, though the box office doesn’t necessarily reflect that.