Dhaka, May 4 -- Marvel Studios' latest release Thunderbolts* opened to a solid $31.5 million on Friday, including earnings from Thursday previews across 4,330 theatres, setting the stage for a projected domestic debut of $70 million to $75 million.

The action-packed ensemble film follows a group of lesser-known Marvel characters teaming up, many of whom were previously introduced in other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) titles.

Boosted by screenings in Imax and premium large-format theatres, the film marks a fresh direction for Marvel, steering away from traditional sequels for the first time in over a decade, according to Variety.

Despite the promising figures, Thunderbolts* signals a shift in Marvel's box office dominance. If project...