Thor: Ragnarok Top NZ Box Office For 2017

MEDIA RELEASE
MONDAY 04 NOVEMBER

MARVEL STUDIOS’ THOR: RAGNAROK HAMMERS HOME A NEW ZEALAND BOX OFFICE VICTORY
THE NUMBER ONE MOVIE AT THE NZ BOX OFFICE FOR FILMS RELEASED IN 2017

Kiwis have embraced the iconic New Zealand humour in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok to make it the number one movie at the New Zealand box office for films released in 2017.

In just six weeks since its local release Thor: Ragnarok has grossed a whopping NZD $6.5 million. Globally it has grossed over USD $800 million to stand as the #7 release of all-time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

With its Kiwi in-jokes and slang the third installment of the franchise, directed by the ever-popular Taika Waititi, has overtaken other Marvel heavyweights including Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Captain America: Civil War.

The Kiwi connection is so strong, New Zealand is the only market in the world to achieve this status.

“The humour has been key to setting this film apart and creating its own unique place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A large part of that success was the unmistakably Kiwi character Korg who almost steals the show,” said Jo Bladen, General Manager Walt Disney Studios Australia and New Zealand.

In this satirical superhero blockbuster, Kiwi fave Waititi not only directs, but also plays a new CGI character named Korg, introduced by Marvel in a 1962 comic book.

Waititi is well known for not only directing but acting in his own films, including Kiwi classics Boy, What We do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Disney now has four of the top five grossing films for 2017 in New Zealand, with Thor: Ragnarok claiming its spot as the fourth highest earner ever in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in NZ.

Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok is in cinemas now.

ABOUT THE FILM:

In Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!

“Thor: Ragnarok” is directed by Taika Waititi and returns Chris Hemsworth starring as Thor and Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki. They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban, with Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.

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