Newly released data sheds light on the box office performance of Thor: Love and Thunder for Marvel Studios in 2022, which was initially met with criticism upon its release.
The fourth installment of the Thor franchise received negative feedback for a variety of perceived flaws, and even earned the second-lowest audience score of all MCU films. As a result, the backlash to director Taika Waititi's superhero comedy resulted in one of the largest week-to-week box office declines in MCU history.
Did Thor: Love and Thunder Make a Profit?
Deadline recently published a report that disclosed the actual figures behind the box office of Thor: Love and Thunder. So, was it a success for Disney and Marvel?
According to the report, Thor 4 raked in $760.9 million at the global box office, with $343.2 million generated domestically and $417.6 million internationally. However, Disney's profit from the theatrical run was only $350 million, which is just under half of the total revenue.
The film's gross earnings were $94 million less than its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok, which grossed $855 million. However, the absence of the Chinese and Russian markets, where Ragnarok grossed $135.9 million, can account for the drop.
Despite this, Love and Thunder outperformed Ragnarok in various locations, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and others.
Moreover, the film generated an additional $140 million in revenue from home entertainment and $160 million from television and streaming deals.
Based on the information provided, it appears that Thor: Love and Thunder was profitable, with an estimated profit of $103 million. The movie generated a total revenue of $650 million, while its expenses amounted to $547 million. This profit is significant, as it is even higher than the reported profit of the DC movie Black Adam, which was estimated to be between $52 million to $72 million.
It is also interesting to note that the horror movie Smile, which had much lower revenue compared to Love and Thunder, was also profitable with a reported profit of $101 million. However, Smile had lower production costs at just $107 million, compared to Love and Thunder's $250 million.
Why Thor 4 Was Actually a Huge Success
Many were quick to label Thor: Love and Thunder as a flop based on it having the second-lowest audience score in MCU history. This was compounded by the box office taking a dive from its predecessor, falling short of movies to hit just before it like Spider-Man: No Way Homeand Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
But clearly, these figures make it apparent Thor 4 was not a flop, and if it wasn't for the movie being banned in China and skipping out on Russia due to sanctions against the country because of its invasion of Ukraine, it probably would have made even more money than Ragnaork.
The resultant profit of Love and Thunder certainly won't leave Disney wanting to call it quits with the Thor franchise or director Taika Waititi anytime soon. Although talk of Thor 5 has been scarce for now, the House of Mouse still has big plans with Waititi as he continues to develop his own Star Wars movie under Lucasfilm.
Thor: Love and Thunder is streaming now on Disney+