Thor: Ragnarok rocks the box office!
Marvel's beefy Asgardian hero returned to theaters this weekend and hammered his way to huge business, putting THOR: RAGNAROK on top at the box office with an estimated opening of $121 million!
Joined by "friend from work" the Hulk and a colorful supporting cast, the towering God of Thunder easily eclipsed the $85 million opening of THOR: THE DARK WORLD in 2013 and nearly doubled the $65 million start of the original THOR in 2011, becoming the eighth Marvel movie to have a nine-figure opening weekend.
Aided by his green buddy, Chris Hemsworth's third solo adventure also smashed past the $117 domestic opening of this summer's SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (which had the added benefit of MCU MVP Robert Downey, Jr), but came up short of the $146.5 million start of sequel GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 back in May.
Directed by Taika Waititi (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE), the 17th chapter in Marvel's Cinematic Universe has now pushed the domestic total for the studio's whole expansive franchise over $5 billion.
Thor's new space journey (which cost a reported $180 million) has also collected an additional $306 million from overseas since it opened a week ago, bringing it to a worldwide total of $427 million.
The entire MCU series has collected a whopping $13 billion worldwide in the nine years since IRON MAN first flew into theaters.
At the moment, the new action-fantasy has a critical average of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, just ahead of the 92% for THE AVENGERS and SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING and short of the 94% of the original IRON MAN. The JoBlo review can be found HERE.
Opening in second place was the new comedy A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS with $17 million for the weekend.
The R-rated sequel with Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn has gathered $21.5 million since it started last Wednesday (the schedule for holiday-themed releases apparently now officially begins on November 1).
The booze-fueled festivities got off to a slower start than last summer's surprise hit BAD MOMS, which opened to $23.8 million before rolling on to $113 million domestic and $183 million worldwide. The follow-up cost a reported $28 million (compared to the $20 million budget of the first).
Critics were feeling grinchy toward the ladies' latest antics, giving the sequel a 32% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).
Last weekend's winner JIGSAW was shunted to third place with $6.7 million, a drop of nearly 60% from its opening. The revival of the SAW series has a ten-day domestic total of $28.8 million, and a worldwide total of $59.5 million (on a reported $10 million cost).
The comedy sequel TYLER PERRY'S BOO 2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN was in fourth with $4.6 million for a domestic total of $42.9 million on its third weekend.
In fifth place was the pricey Gerard Butler sci-fi disaster GEOSTORM with $3 million. Dean Devlin's $120 million weather cataclysm only has $28.7 million domestic after three weeks but has pulled down $182 million worldwide.
Horror cheapie HAPPY DEATH DAY was in sixth with $2.8 million, bringing it to $52.9 million domestic after a month in theaters. The military drama THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE followed in seventh with $2.2 million, losing 40% from its mild opening last week.
BLADE RUNNER 2049 was in eighth with $2.2 million as the R-rated sequel now has a worldwide total of $240 million. Firefighter drama ONLY THE BRAVE and Jackie Chan's action-thriller THE FOREIGNER rounded out the list.
Outside the chart, the George Clooney-directed comedy SUBURBICON disappeared after one week in the Top 10, and the Stephen King adaptation IT finally crept back into the sewer after two months of snatching money.
In limited release, the comedy-drama LADY BIRD started with an outstanding $93k per-screen average, while the veteran drama LAST FLAG FLYING was dismissed with just a $10k per-screen average.
Next week continues the early Christmas-related calendar with the Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg sequel DADDY'S HOME 2, while famous actors contend with locomotive crime in MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.
Who is your favorite villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies? VOTE HERE!
| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thor: Ragnarok | $121 M | NEW |
| 2 | A Bad Moms Christmas | $17 M | $21.5 M |
| 3 | Jigsaw | $6.7 M | $28.8 M |
| 4 | Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween | $4.6 M | $42.9 M |
| 5 | Geostorm | $3 M | $28.7 M |
| 6 | Thank You for Your Service | $2.2 M | $7.3 M |
| 7 | Happy Death Day | $2.8 M | $52.9 M |
| 8 | Blade Runner 2049 | $2.2 M | $85.4 M |
| 9 | Only the Brave | $1.9 M | $15.2 M |
| 10 | The Foreigner | $1.5 M | $31.9 M |