"Thor: Ragnarok" gets thunderous opening in India

Marvel Studios' "Thor: Ragnarok", which has brought back one of its mightiest superheroes, Thor, on the big screen, opened at Rs 9.91 crore in India.

The third instalment of the "Thor" franchise released in IMAX 3D, 3D and 2D across 1,200 screens on Friday in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

The Taika Waititi directorial collected Rs 9.91 crore (gross box office collection). This includes Rs 13 lakh from the 10 IMAX shows held on Thursday. Net box office collection is at Rs 7.73 crore with 45 per cent of the contribution coming from the dubbed audience.

"It's been a smashing month of serious uniting of forces across on ground and digital activations including a pan-India figurine tour, screenings, solid digital activations, a strong PR drive and more. We hope the thrill we experienced putting together the plan is also experienced by the audiences when they go meet Thor and Hulk on the big screen," Amrita Pandey, Vice President - Studios, Disney India, said in a statement.

"'Thor Ragnarok' is a prelude to the biggest fight of the Millennium that is up next in May 2018 with the 'Avengers - Infinity Wars - Part 1' where all these superheroes from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) come together," she added.

In the latest title, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) reunites with his fellow Avenger - the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The two go on a fun-filled adventurous journey to save Asgard.

They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban and Anthony Hopkins.

To extend the excitement and anticipation around "Thor: Ragnarok" beyond the screens and spread superhero thrill into the daily lives of fans, Disney India's Consumer Products business brought on board a diverse range of brands to create various products across categories - apparel, accessories, consumer electronics, toys, stationery and many more.

Given the large and loyal fan following of Marvel's superheroes in India, the team has got as many as 28 brands on board. For instance, Myntra created an exclusive line of "Thor: Ragnarok" inspired apparel collection.

Amazon curated a "Thor: Ragnarok" store with over 1000 SKUs across 8-10 product categories, toys and men's apparel leading the categories.

"The popularity and fan-following of Marvel's superheroes has grown exponentially in the country with every movie. Today, it's not just a favourite among consumers, but also sought after by a variety of brands," said Sanjeet Mehta, Executive Director - Consumer Products, Disney India.

Gaurav Chakravarty, Head Marketing and Loyalty, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd, said: "We have created an exciting range of apparel for kids inspired by 'Thor: Ragnarok'. The merchandise has received an overwhelming response."

--IANS

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