The continuing adventures of Yelena Belova, Winter Soldier, Alexei Shostakov, Ghost and John Walker - also known as Thunderbolts* - is looking at a $175M global start. The Marvel Studios pic kicks off summer this Friday, a tradition that Marvel wasn’t able to keep a year ago in the aftermath of the strikes.
Currently, U.S. and Canada presales for Thunderbolts* stands at $12M+, which is on pace with another first installment MCU movie, 2021’s Eternals ($71.2M opening). The presales figure is also ahead of that year’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings ($75.3M) and behind this year’s Captain America: Brave New World ($88.8M). Hence, the current opening projection on Thunderbolts* is $70M-$75M domestic at 4,300 theaters, with another $90M-$100M abroad.
Like previous MCU titles, the expected draw is males over and under 25. Given that Thunderbolts* is largely Florence Pugh’s movie, it will be interesting to see if her Little Women and Don’t Worry Darling female fanbase shows up. >>>'Sinners' Should Hold Strong Again
Related:
‘Thunderbolts*’ Movie Review |
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Return To Wisteria Lane - One of the most famous streets in TV history is ready to welcome new residents. Wisteria Lane, a reimagining of the hit ABC mystery dramedy series Desperate Housewives, has been set up for development at Onyx Collective, Deadline has learned exclusively. >>>Kerry Washington Producing
Tony Nomination Predictions - Forty-two productions are eligible for Tony Award nominations this year – the announcements come Thursday morning – making many of the categories very, very competitive. Will the movie and TV stars - like Denzel Washington and George Clooney - take over the awards just as they’ve done at the box office? >>>Deadline's Picks
Marvel Isn't Playing Nicepool With Baldoni - In a series of sharply worded letters sent to federal Judge Lewis J. Liman over the past few days, lawyers for Disney/Marvel and Justin Baldoni have been taking potshots at each other over a subpoena digging into what went on during the making of the R-rated blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine, and whether Blake Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds was mocking man-bun-friendly Baldoni with the cringy Nicepool character. >>> Malice Alleged
Smaller Movies, Big Profits - When it comes to mid-sized and low-budget films churning big profit margins, horror was the most reliable genre in 2024. >>>P&L Analyses
'Baby Reindeer' Legal Battle Rumbles On - Netflix's bitter legal fight over Baby Reindeer is expected to gather pace next month as the Richard Gadd-created series continues to win awards. U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled last September that Fiona Harvey’s case could proceed because the series was wrongly billed as a “true story." Days later, Netflix appealed Klausner’s ruling, meaning the case is now with the U.S. Court of Appeals. >>> Brief Expected In May
In Brief - Amanda Peet signs with UTA... CAA signs Run-A-Muck Media... Felipe Vargas signs with Verve
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Duncan Crabtree-Ireland hasn’t had much time for victory laps. The National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA played a key role in settling the 2023 actors strike. One of the key provisions of the landmark agreement pertains to a thorny issue for union members that continues to keep Crabtree-Ireland hard at work: AI.
In this conversation with Deadline Business Editor Dade Hayes about AI’s spread throughout the entertainment industry and beyond, Crabtree-Ireland talks about changes in the atmosphere since 2023; studios’ more “cautious” approach to the technology; and SAG-AFTRA’s ongoing efforts to resolve its 10-month strike against video game publishers. >>>Read The Interview |
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Exclusive
Jessica Alba has signed on to lead action thriller The Mark, a spy flick set to begin production in Australia in July. In the film from director Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Alba plays Eden, an enigmatic spy on a covert and dangerous mission.
Taylor Sheridan has tapped a fan favorite from his Yellowstone repertory to join the cast of Landman. Sam Elliott (1883) has been added to the second season of the Billy Bob Thornton drama for Paramount+. No information has been shared about his new role.
Exclusive
Two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) is set to star alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor and Norman Reedus in the Darren Aronofsky-produced feature Pendulum. The horror movie is currently shooting in New Mexico.
In Brief - Rome Flynn, Ana Ortiz & Sherri Saum join Apple's Imperfect Women... American Classic adds 7 to cast... Tahar Rahim, Camille Cottin and more join Fred Cavayé’s Les Misérables |
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More News
📺 Cosmo Jarvis has closed a deal to reprise his role as English pilot John Blackthorne in Season 2 of Shōgun, joining Hiroyuki Sanada in "a wholly original new chapter to the first season."
🎭 Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal, A Complete Unknown’s Monica Barbaro, Black Panther’s Letitia Wright and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan will be making their debuts at the National Theatre, regarded by many as Britain’s top cultural institution.
🏛️ The L.A. City Council on Tuesday passed a motion that reduces “onerous regulations and permitting” as well as other “unnecessary fees, inconsistent safety requirements.” The vote, which took place at City Hall, passed unanimously.
⚖️ The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has filed suit against Donald Trump and other members of his administration for their removal of three members of its board, including Sony’s Tom Rothman. |
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BY THE NUMBERS
10.1M - Views for the fifth season of Netflix's 'You' during its debut week |
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Trending
 CBS is racing toward the finish line as the most-watched broadcast network for the 17th consecutive season. It has seen a 14% increase in primetime viewership year-over-year. Season-to-date, CBS boasts the top seven shows on broadcast.
🔻 Snapchat parent Snap saw its stock droop in late trading after reporting first-quarter financials and stating, "We do not intend to share formal financial guidance for Q2." |
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Obituaries
🕯️ Bleecker Street Media founder and CEO Andrew Karpen died Monday from glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer that upended his life when it was discovered in January 2024. He was 59. 🕯️ Mike Peters , who as frontman for The Alarm sang on such tracks as “Strength,” “Sixty Eight Guns,” “Spirit of ’76” and “Rain in the Summertime,” died Tuesday of blood cancer in Manchester, England, a spokesman announced. He was 66 and had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia for decades. 🕯️ Priscilla Pointer , the co-founder of the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop and a theater, TV and film actress who often played memorable onscreen mothers – especially to her daughter Amy Irving – died in her sleep on Monday at the age of 100, according to family. 🕯️ 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries |
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On the Radar
Wed - Meta earnings
Thu - Tony nominations; Apple, Amazon and Roku earnings; Blake Lively on Seth Meyers
Fri - Thunderbolts* opens; Disney Q2 earnings
Sat - Kentucky Derby; Quinta Brunson hosts SNL
Mon - Disney class action trial starts; Met Gala; George Clooney on Seth Meyers |
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A Bite Out Of The Big Apple - A walker outside Madison Square Garden during The Walking Dead: Dead City NY Takeover. |
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