Thor: Ragnarok electrifies box office with $121 million opening weekend
Thor: Ragnarok may spell trouble for the realm of Asgard, but it brings good news for the box office. Disney and Marvel’s third solo movie starring Chris Hemsworth as the god of thunder is on track to gross an estimated $121 million in the U.S. and Canada over its first weekend, easily conquering the competition while heralding Hollywood’s first big opening in several weeks.
Ragnarok‘s haul represents the fourth-largest debut of 2017, behind Beauty and the Beast ($174.8 million), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($146.5 million), and It ($123.4 million). It also crushes the openings of 2011’s Thor ($65.7 million) and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World ($85.7 million), and edges out the most recent installment of the Marvel cinematic universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming ($117 million).
Directed by with a distinctly humorous tone by Taika Waititi and boasting a powerhouse cast — including Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddeslton, and Tessa Thompson — Ragnarok received glowing reviews and garnered an A CinemaScore, indicating good word of mouth. The threequel, which reportedly cost $180 million to make, has likewise fared well overseas, tallying about $306 million since it began rolling out last week.
After a sluggish October, Ragnarok could help spark a lively holiday moviegoing season, with fellow tentpoles like Justice League and Star Wars: The Last Jedi coming in the weeks ahead.
Back on earth, STX Films’ comedy sequel A Bad Moms Christmas is in line for second place with an estimated $17 million weekend, and a five-day total of about $21.6 million (after opening Wednesday). The latter figure is a bit below analysts’ expectations of about $25 million, and it falls short of the original Bad Moms‘ three-day $23.8 million opening.
The follow-up to the R-rated sleeper hit received largely negative reviews, and audiences gave it a so-so B CinemaScore (dropping down from the original’s A grade). Scott Moore and Jon Lucas returned to direct Bad Moms Christmas, which once again stars Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn as three overburdened, underappreciated women — who this time deal with the stress of the holidays and their own mothers.
Rounding out the top five are Lionsgate’s Jigsaw, with about $6.7 million, and Boo 2: A Madea Halloween, with about $4.7 million, and Warner Bros’. Geostorm, with about $3 million.
On the specialty front, actress Greta Gerwig’s critically acclaimed directorial debut, Lady Bird, is poised to gross about $375,612 from four locations, for a per-theater average of $93,903 — the best such mark of 2017. Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Tracy Letts star in the coming-of-age dramedy, which was released by A24.
Meanwhile Richard Linklater’s veteran drama Last Flag Flying will gross an estimated $42,000 from four locations, for a $10,500 per-theater average. Amazon and Lionsgate released the film — starring Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, and Laurence Fishburne — to solid reviews.
According to ComScore, overall box office is down 4.8 percent year-to-date. Check out the Nov. 3-5 figures below.
1. Thor: Ragnarok — $16.3 million
2. A Bad Moms Christmas — $17 million
3. Jigsaw — $6.7 million
4. Boo 2: A Madea Halloween — $4.7 million
5. Geostorm — $3 million
6. Happy Death Day — $2.8 million
7. Thank You for Your Service — $2.3 million
8. Blade Runner 2049 — $2.2 million
9. Only the Brave — $1.9 million
10. Let There Be Light — $1.6 million