Thor Ragnarok, the third installment in the Disney and Marvel series made bank in one of the biggest opening weekends of the year.
The action superhero flick starring Chris Hemsworth is expected to clear $121 million in America and Canada.
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), Entertainment weekly reports.
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 Jedicoming in the weeks ahead.