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Box Office: May opening weekend to break 14-year trend with Sinners and Thunderbolts both surpassing USD 30M
Marvel's Thunderbolts and Ryan Coogler's Sinners are set to break a 14-year trend as both eye USD 30M-plus weekends, kicking off a powerful start to summer 2025 at the box office.
The 2025 summer box office is off to a groundbreaking start, as the first weekend of May is poised to break a 14-year-old trend. For the first time since 2011, two films — Marvel’s Thunderbolts and Warner Bros.’ Sinners— are projected to gross over USD 30 million each in the same frame. This dynamic one-two punch marks a rare box office moment, typically reserved for a single blockbuster that dominates the early May window.
Traditionally, this weekend signals the launch of Hollywood’s summer movie season, often led by a tentpole release. The most notable example remains May 2011, when Thor and Fast Five both opened strong, setting a high bar for dual hits. Now, Thunderbolts and Sinners are ready to replicate the feat, injecting fresh momentum into a theatrical marketplace that was in a lull earlier this year before the arrival of A Minecraft Movie in April.
Thunderbolts, the 36th installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opened on May 2 in the U.S. after a London premiere on April 22. Directed by Jake Schreier and written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, the film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, among others. The antihero ensemble follows a group of outcasts forced to unite for a high-stakes mission.
Notably, Thunderbolts serves as the final chapter in Marvel’s Phase Five, and its blend of familiar MCU faces and new dynamics is driving strong interest from fans and critics alike.
Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler’s supernatural horror film Sinners is enjoying strong holdover momentum since its April 11 debut. Set in 1932 Mississippi and starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, the film blends historical tension with chilling supernatural elements. Sinners has already earned over USD 186 million globally and has drawn praise for Coogler’s stunning direction, Ludwig Göransson’s haunting score, and standout performances from Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, and breakout star Miles Caton.
While both films differ in genre, tone, and audience, their simultaneous success signals a more diverse and robust viewer appetite. With Thunderbolts poised for far more than USD 30 million in its debut and Sinners tracking for the same figure in its third weekend, May 2025 is shaping up to be an explosive launch for the summer box office — one that breaks the long-held tradition of a single-title start.
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