‘Thor: Love And Thunder’, while not swinging the hammer like ‘Ragnarok’, still wins as no. 9 in Deadline 2022’s most valuable box office tournament

Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament took a hiatus during the pandemic, as theaters were closed for most of 2020-2021, distributing theatrical titles both on the big screen and on the studio’s respective streaming platforms. Back from this brink of the pandemic, movie studios have largely returned to their theatrical release models and the downstream monetization that can bring. Not to mention their strength in launching IPs around the world with huge global marketing campaigns. When it comes to evaluating the financial performance of top films, it’s not about how much a film costs at the box office. The true story is told as production budgets, P&A, talent royalties and other costs collide with box office and ancillary revenue from VOD to DVD and TV. To get closer to that mysterious end of the equation, Deadline is recapping our Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament for 2022, using data from experienced and trusted sources.

THE MOVIE

Thor: Love and Thunder
Disney

It stands to reason that if there was a fourth, Marvel Studios would hand the reins back to Taika Waititi Thor after the filmmaker revived the dormant franchise with a hysterical and hilarious third film in 2017, Thor: Ragnarok. This film achieved Best Franchise with an A CinemaScore and $855 million worldwide gross. Thor: Ragnarok made absurdist New Zealand filmmaker Waititi an A-list filmmaker. He proved his skills with Searchlight’s WWII black comedy yo yo rabbit, which won him an Oscar for adapted screenplay in 2020, followed by the football comedy The next goal wins (opens September 22) and is directing an episode of Disney+ The Mandalorian.

where to take Thor? Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige said at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 that the next level for the Norse superhero will be his match in Lady Thor, aka Thor’s former girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, returning after a hiatus). be. Ragnarok). Another plus was Christian Bale (long known from Christopher Nolan’s dark knight), making his Marvel debut as the despicable villain Gorr the Butcher, a man on an unstoppable quest for gods. Disney, which is constantly trying to make strides with LGBTQ+ representation on screen, also revealed that Tessa Thompson’s superheroine Valkyrie had a girlfriend, although she remains unattached here in the fourth film.

THE BOX SCORE

IT COMES AFTER

Thor: Love and Thunder still earned $103 million after all the improvements, even though the fourth film was not a fan favorite (B+, the same number as the first Thor) or critics who gave the film the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise at 63%. Essentially, Waititi’s sense of humor was lackluster. The film nevertheless debuted with a record domestic franchise opening of $144.1 million, albeit below the expected $160 million. Besides that, Thor: Love and Thunder with its worldwide debut setting a series record of $302 million. At the end of the day during gate 4 more than deserved Thor: Ragnarok domestic box office $343.2 million vs. $315 million, worldwide the fourth film was lower than the third, $760.9 million vs. $855.3 million, a big reason being the lack of Russia and China. Disney is one of those studios blocking its theatrical releases in Russia as a sanction for the country’s invasion of Ukraine, while China has largely turned its back on Disney and Marvel products coming out of Covid. Disney has developed a controversial reputation for theatrical releases on Disney+ as it tried to reopen theaters in 2021 and filed a controversial lawsuit against Scarlett Johansson black widow In spite ofThor: Love and Thunderjust like other post-pandemic MCU titles Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings, eternal And Doctor Strange 2She enjoyed a long theatrical run before appearing on the studio’s streaming service 63 days later (September 8). That streaming figure of $160 million worldwide includes the money Disney itself paid for the debut Thor: Love and Thunder on Disney+. Despite higher production costs here compared to Ragnarok ($250 million versus $180 million), Thor: Love and Thunder still profit even if lower than Thor: Ragnarok$174.2 million.