Despite its underwhelming theatrical run, ‘Thunderbolts,’ aka the New Avengers, might not be done yet. A new report indicates that Marvel Studios is already working on a sequel, indicating the antihero team may have a much larger role in the MCU’s future than many had anticipated.
Marvel Has Big Plans Beyond The Multiverse Saga
Fans have been buzzing about the big releases from Marvel, namely ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, so it’s no surprise that they’ve been paying attention to those. However, the studio is reportedly plotting its future after ‘Secret Wars’, and ‘Thunderbolts’ is definitely on the list.
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Industry source Alex Perez, during a recent Cosmic Circus Q&A, said that a sequel to the ‘Thunderbolts’ is at the top of the list for Marvel Studios. The studio is working on ‘Black Panther 3’, ‘Shang-Chi 2’, ‘Spider-Man 5’, the X-Men reboot, ‘Blade’, ‘Midnight Sons’, another Avengers movie, and a sequel to ‘Thunderbolts’.
The reported plans indicate that the studio is still very much interested in the franchise despite the mixed results of the first film. However, Marvel has yet to confirm the project officially.
It also makes sense, as a lot of the members of the team are set to appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. A sequel could help to continue their stories in the next era of the MCU.
Marvel Wants More ‘Thunderbolts’ Despite Its Box Office Performance
The ‘Thunderbolts’ grossed approximately $382.4 million globally. The film was reported to have cost $180 million to produce, ranking it among Marvel’s weaker theatrical films. Still, it was more popular with critics and audiences, as it had already amassed high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and had a solid debut on streaming.
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Behind the scenes, Marvel was reportedly happy with director Jake Schreier’s work, as they reportedly picked him up to direct the upcoming X-Men reboot at the studio. The studio’s decision alone indicates that they consider ‘Thunderbolts‘ a creative success, even if it fails at the box office.
The movie also catapulted Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova to one of the MCU’s main characters. With the Avengers team expected to appear in future films, there’s a strong incentive for Marvel to keep investing in the franchise. ‘Thunderbolts’ may have failed at the box office, but their journey within the MCU is just starting.
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