On April 22nd, 2025, Marvel Studios hosted the first public watch parties for Thunderbolts*, featuring early fan screenings in major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and more. These events allowed selected audiences to experience the highly awaited film ahead of it’s official release on May 2nd, 2025.
Early reviews flooded in quickly with impressive ratings compared to other MCU projects since Avengers: Endgame. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scored an average of 88%, certified fresh, on the Tomatometer. The website keeps track of all reviews counted for each film and calculates the percentage of positive reviews (called Tomatometer). If the positive reviews make up 60% or more, the movie is considered “fresh”. However, if the positive reviews don’t make it to 60%, then it’s declared “rotten”.
In my opinion, this film is nearly perfect. The cinematography is well-managed, the scene transitions are very smooth and everything just makes sense. The special effects—like the Void—are incredibly satisfying to watch. The story is coherent, and I loved the references to older MCU movies like Black Widow (2019) or the backstory of certain characters, such as Ava Starr in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). I wish we could have seen every character’s past, but the main protagonists’ complexity and depth made up for it.
Each team member started on their own, and their enormous egos initially prevented them from working together. But as the story progressed, it became clear how strong they were as a team—and how much they needed each other to overcome the darkest parts of their past. One quote from Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier) that really touched me and reflected this theme was: “The past doesn’t go away. So you can either live with it forever… or do something about it.”
What truly made me enjoy the film was its theme: depression and the search for purpose. I was most impressed that a superhero movie could tackle such a deep and meaningful subject. It was also a first for the MCU to explore such mature themes, and it not only resonated with me but touched many fans around the world. It’s easy to relate to the topic, but even easier to see ourselves reflected in a character, and that’s exactly why I loved this film so much.
A Rotten Tomatoes critic, Fico Cangiano, shared his thoughts on the film: “Easily one of the best MCU entries in a while, and probably its darkest offering to date. It delivers on all Marvel fronts, yet goes places that other films haven’t dared to. Refreshingly artistic, creative, and very emotional.”
On Metacritic, it has a score of 68 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews. Based on 52 Critic Reviews, 40 (77%) were positive, 10 (19%) mixed, and only 2 (4%) were negative. CinemaScore awarded Thunderbolts* an A-, reflecting a strong, positive reaction from opening-night audiences. Since CinemaScore collects reviews from moviegoers right after their screenings, it provides an authentic indicator of the audience’s response, separate from critics’ views.
Since its release on May 2nd, 2025, Thunderbolts* has maintained strong reviews with critics praising standout performances, particularly Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova. The film’s storytelling and emotional depth are refreshing departures from typical MCU formulas. Internationally, it has performed well, earning $162 million worldwide in its opening weekend. Nevertheless, it faced many challenges in China, earning only 18 million yuan among shifting audience preferences and geopolitical tensions. Despite this, Thunderbolts* has been well-received globally, with a promising outlook for the MCU’s Phase Five.
On Letterboxd, a popular review center for fans, critics, and celebrities, one fan shared their thoughts on the film’s impact: “The future looks bright once again for the MCU (at least for as long as it includes Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman). I wanted to learn more, read comics, and talk about what future movies might explore. I haven’t cared this much in ages.”
Even with a few bumps overseas, Thunderbolts* seems to be hitting the right notes for both critics and fans. If this is how Phase Five starts, the MCU could be heading in a fascinating direction.
