Marvel remains a draw among Filipino moviegoers, as Thunderbolts* records the second biggest opening week so far in the country this year. However, like the film itself, the opening is filled with asterisks uncertainties that reflect the broader concerns hovering over the industry right now.
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| (C) Marvel |
The newly formed ensemble collected ₱83 million ($1.5 million) in the country during April 30-May 4, 2025. The opening falls below Captain America: Brave New World ($1.7 million) back in February which, to be fair, had a more familiar name in the title. It's also under Marvel's last misfire The Marvels ($1.7 million) which tumbled after its opening. Nevertheless, that's still the second biggest opening of the year so far, outperforming titles such as A Minecraft Movie and Snow White. Marvel also reported that the film now holds the record for the biggest opening day in the country this year.
For a market that once gave the first Doctor Strange a ₱120 million opening ($2.7 million), or still delivered $7.8 million in total for Deadpool & Wolverine post-pandemic, it's an interesting case why Marvel is shedding a few more millions in what used to be a consistent franchise in the region. This trend is troubling overall as they rely on these tentpoles to bring the general crowd in before steering them toward more diverse film offerings. Not helping either are the exchange rates further making the numbers look even weaker in U.S. Dollar rates.
Local directors and producers have placed the blame on continuously increasing ticket prices (regular movie ticket in the metro now at around ₱300-400) as a major factor. However, the recent study by Film Development Council of the Philippines suggests that it's the local films that have been hit more by the decrease of moviegoers from Class D and E.The same study also found that 76% of respondents still prefer to watch foreign films.
Another reason often cited is the growing influence of streaming in the Philippines. Marvel has also faced criticism for releasing too much content annually on Disney+, though this is being addressed, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger. Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe currently has only four films planned through 2027, signaling a strategic scaling back.
Back to Thunderbolts*, Disney provided a standard campaign for the film in the country. Designed to capitalize on the midterm election season, they even created election-related posters for the film as shown below:
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| Election-related ads for Thunderbolts* (C) Marvel |
Unlike Donny Pangilinan and Cong TV for Deadpool and Wolverine or Kyle Echarri and JK Labajo for Captain America: Brave New World, Disney did not opt to bring local artists to interview the cast of Thunderbolts*.
Now, the film’s longevity at the box office hinges on word-of-mouth. Marvel even revealed the new title of the group to drum up interest further for its second week. With a coming week not filled with heavy competition (sneak previews for Final Destination are limited),the film has a strong opportunity to enjoy a healthy drop.
Meanwhile, A Minecraft Movie has surpassed ₱200 million in the Philippines as of its second week, according to Warner Bros. distribution head Rico Gonzales. A "block party" version of the film is scheduled to open in local cinemas on May 9.
Star Cinema has also updated the box office gross of KimPau's romance film My Love Will Make You Disappear during its thanksgiving party. The film managed to gross ₱173 million globally which is a very good final number for the debut film of their loveteam. It also serves as a much-needed boost for ABS-CBN, which continues to narrow its annual financial losses.
