Thor: Ragnarok surpassed expectations at the domestic box office this weekend and thundered to a massive $121 million opening stateside.

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When tracking first came on board, it was clear that Marvel's seventeenth film, Thor: Ragnarok, would easily hit $100 million in its opening weekend domestically. What wasn't clear was just how far the film would go beyond that. Some reports had it pegged for a $115 million opening, while others suggested $118 was more than likely. In the end, the film managed to surpass those expectations and amass an impressive $121 million at the domestic box office, bringing its worldwide total to $427 million. That's with $55.6 million from China, which is more than what Thor: The Dark World made in its entire run in the region.

These are impressive numbers for a third entry in a franchise that has stumbled previously at the box office. Unlike its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok has had plenty of buzz ahead of its release and is currently sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes with many citing the film as not just the best Thor film, but also the best Marvel film to date. With so much positive buzz surrounding the film, it's looking as though it'll easily surpass the worldwide totals of box films before it -- $449 million and $644 million, respectively.

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In theaters nationwide, director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Cate Blanchett as Hela, Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, and Karl Urban as Skurge.

(via The Hollywood Reporter)