Thunderbolts* is about to premiere on Disney+, and Marvel Studios might be learning from its mistakes. Despite receiving rave reviews and featuring an all-star cast of Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, and more, Thunderbolts* flopped at the box office. Having brought in just $382 million worldwide, Thunderbolts* became one of the MCU's 10 lowest-grossing movies, beating Black Widow but falling short of Eternals. The anti-hero ensemble has since made its way to home entertainment for digital and physical purchase, leaving Disney+ as its next and final stop.
Marvel Studios officially confirmed Thunderbolts* will finally hit Disney+ on Wednesday, August 27, following its theatrical debut on May 1. The streaming premiere comes 119 days after Thunderbolts* came to theaters, continuing a now-three-movie-long trend of 100+ day theatrical-to-streaming windows.
For around two years, MCU fans were only kept waiting for under three months to enjoy the latest movies on Disney+. This hovered between 47 to 82 days until Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania signalled a change with a longer streaming delay that has since been extended even further.
Deadpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brand New World, and now Thunderbolts* have held back their streaming releases for over 100 days, with the latest offering having the MCU's longest wait yet at 118 days:
- Black Widow – 89 days (Free with Subscription)
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – 70 days
- Eternals – 68 days
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – 47 days
- Thor: Love and Thunder – 62 days
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 82 days
- Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania – 89 days
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – 89 days
- The Marvels – 89 days
- Deadpool & Wolverine – 109 days
- Captain America: Brave New World – 104 days
- Thunderbolts* - 118 days
In the past, Marvel Studios was accused of rushing its streaming releases, with many citing it as the cause for some box office disappointment, but it now appears eager to right that wrong in the hopes of improvement.
Why Marvel Studios Needed to Delay Its Disney+ Releases
In holding back Disney+ releases longer, Marvel Studios is making a point of turning its movies into theatrical events once again. After all, the spectacle for an MCU blockbuster is one to be enjoyed for the first time on the big screen.
As theater ticket and concession stand prices have risen, many have opted to hold off watching Marvel Studios' latest movies until they release at home. Of course, this has translated to the box office, with the MCU facing numerous flops in the Multiverse Saga, perhaps due in part to these fast streaming debuts.
That's not to say Disney+ is the only thing hurting the MCU box office, as the Multiverse Saga has faced plenty of criticism and backlash as well. Some are even convinced that superhero fatigue is setting in after Captain America 4, Thunderbolts*, and The Fantastic Four disappointed at the box office.
Read more about the MCU's six biggest missed opportunities in Phase 5.
Disney shareholders will undoubtedly be hoping these same struggles won't hit Avengers: Doomsday next year, which may, in part, be behind the decision to start extending these theatrical-to-streaming release windows ahead of time.
This pattern will presumably be felt again for The Fantastic Four, with a Disney+ release unlikely to come until some point in November if the trend continues.
