Marvel's Thunderbolts* proves a hit at box office

Marvel and Disney's new release, *Thunderbolts*, has been a box office success. It earned an estimated $162 million (£122 million) internationally.

The film aims to launch a new franchise. It features lesser-known superheroes facing human and superhuman threats. These heroes also deal with their personal struggles.

Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan play key roles. They are joined by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Harbour.

Critics have mixed reviews, but fans love it. The movie has an impressive 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The characters are described as dysfunctional outsiders who unite as heroes. This score ranks third among Marvel titles, tied with *Spider-Man: Far From Home*. It trails behind *Shang-Chi* and *Spider-Man: No Way Home*.

Not all critics are kind. Empire's John Nugent says the film lacks color both visually and thematically. He notes that serious topics like suicide and domestic violence aren't always handled sensitively.

Radheyan Simonpillai from The Guardian gives it three stars. He calls it the best Marvel offering since *WandaVision*. However, he feels the film's themes often remain superficial.

Simonpillai praises Pugh for bringing sincerity to a weak screenplay.

Clarisse Loughrey from The Independent is more positive, giving it four stars. She calls it "the best Marvel movie in years."

Loughrey believes *Thunderbolts* feels different from previous films. She describes it as genuinely self-aware, suggesting it might be the ultimate Marvel film for now.

Audience fatigue with Marvel films is a concern for the studio. They have tried to shift focus since *Avengers: Endgame* in 2019.

This may explain why *Deadpool & Wolverine* was a hit last summer. It featured less prominent characters, similar to what *Thunderbolts* aims to do.