If the critical reaction is anything to go by, Thor: Ragnarok is all set to be the best of the Thor movies. The blockbuster has received near universal praise and is sitting at Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes right now, but the movie still has to undergo the ultimate test: the box office. Thor: Ragnarok still has a week to go before its domestic debut, but it has already opened up in several foreign markets this weekend. So far the film has made $28 million, so yeah, things are looking pretty good right now.
Deadline has the data, and the outlet reported that Thor: Ragnarok has grossed $28 million in its first three days in 28 international markets. The U.K. is the top market thus far with $6.7 million, followed by South Korea ($3.8 million) and France ($3 million). Not only that, but the blockbuster is already breaking some records. It's become the biggest opening day release in Australia (showing that Chris Hemsworth hometown pride) with $2 million, and also in Brazil with $1.6 million. The film was previously projected to end the weekend with $85-$100 million.
Compared to other MCU openings, Thor: Ragnarok is currently tracking to go toe-to-toe with the best of them. Ragnarok is already running ahead of Doctor Strange, which premiered at this time last year. Doctor Strange grossed $32.6 million its opening day in the United States, going on to close the weekend with $85.1 million. It should come as no surprise that Ragnarok is already far ahead of where the last Thor movie, Thor: The Dark World, was at this point.
With a good foreign intake already behind it, Thor: Ragnarok can look forward to a strong domestic debut next weekend. The Taika Waititi-helmed blockbuster is currently tracking for an estimated $125 million in its opening weekend in the United States. If those numbers hold, that would make it the sixth-biggest opening weekend for an MCU film, falling right behind Iron Man 2.
Good word of mouth is likely going to be a major factor for Thor: Ragnarok. The movie has one of the most watched trailers on YouTube, surpassing the views for Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (both of which went well past $100 million in their respective debut weekends). The near-overwhelming praise for Ragnarok certainly hasn't hurt it either, as critics praised the performances, Taika Waititi's direction and humor.
American audiences will finally see how Thor: Ragnarok measures up when the film is released next Friday, November 3. If you haven't done so already, tickets are available for pre-order. To learn more about the sequel, read through everything that we know about Marvel's latest blockbuster.
