The Marvel movie, Thor: Love and Thunder is expected to break all the box office records across the international film market. Filmmaker Taika Waititi’s directorial, with Chris Hemsworth returning once again as Thor, is predicted to do an opening business of $300 million worldwide, as per a Deadline report. With largely positive reviews, the film is expected to follow Spider-Man No Way Home and Doctor Strange and Multiverse of Madness in terms of box office performance.

Thor: Love and Thunder is a sequel to the 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok and is the fourth film in the Thor franchise. Besides Chris Hemsworth, the film brings back Natalie Portman, Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper, while Russell Crowe cameos as Zeus.

While Thor, which was released in 2011, was applauded for its definite vision and visual language, its sequel in 2013, Thor: The Dark World is rated as the worst movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by many. However, irrespective of the reviews, both the films have proven to be box office hits, clearly hinting at a loyal fanbase of the franchise. Thor did a worldwide business of $449 million, and Thor Dark World minted $644 million at the ticket counters across the globe. In India, Thor earned Rs 6 crore and Thor: The Dark World received a better reception at the ticket counters. It ended up with a collection of Rs 29 crore (Box office figures as shared by Koimoi.com).

But, the 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok revitalised the franchise. Director Taika Waititi, who came on board to direct Ragnarok, gave the fans of Marvel a hero to root for in Chris Hemsworth. Besides earning millions across the world, the film did great at the Indian box office as well. While the film’s worldwide box office collection was recorded at $853 million, in India it earned Rs 58.73 crore at the end of its three-week run in the cinemas.

Now, Thor: Love and Thunder is releasing five years after Ragnarok and going by its first reviews, the superhero drama sure seems like another winner for Marvel. But it sure remains to be seen if it will overtake the box office collection of another MCU blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Tom Holland film that emerged as the best performer at the Indian box office in 2021 with a collection of Rs 218.41 crore.

The Spidey film had set the tone right from the very first day when it collected Rs 32 crore on its first day of release in India itself. It also crossed the $1 billion mark in the international market, becoming the first film to do so after 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The 2022 release Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a little behind with Rs 28.35 crore coming on the first day, and eventually ending its run in Indian cinemas with an earning of Rs 130 crore.

Given the popularity and fondness for Thor among Marvel fans, it would be a cakewalk for Thor Love and Thunder to write new box office records. However, the film will not only have to take its place among the highest-grossing MCU films, but it will also have to compete with other Hollywood dramas which have set the cash registers ringing already; Tom Cruise’s Top Gun Maverick leading the case with a collection of over a billion dollars. Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer MCU movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has done a worldwide business of $953 million. Last week’s release Minions: The Rise of Gru is also pulling people to the theaters. Its worldwide earnings are $216 million.

Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder will see the Asgardian God in search of inner peace, but he must return to action and recruit Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster, who has become the Mighty Thor, to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods.

Produced by Thor: Love and Thunder Kevin Feige-led Marvel Studios, the film will release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam on July 7.

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