Thor races ‘Fast Five’

“Thor” has thrown down the hammer at the international box office — but the Norse god may not ultimately have the strength to stave off “Fast Five.”

The film based on the popular Marvel comic book series opened in 55 foreign markets this weekend and collected a strong $83 million, according to an estimate from distributor Paramount Pictures.

Heading into the weekend, it was unclear how well “Thor,” starring Chris Hemsworth, would fare overseas. The movie premiered last weekend in Australia but was lapped by “Fast Five,” which outgrossed “Thor” there by 41%.

Indeed, “Fast Five” is proving steep competition abroad, having already grossed $81.4 million in only 14 countries. But it appears “Thor” is resonating with audiences: the movie did best in Britain and Ireland, where it collected $9 million, and in France, where it made $8.1 million. It also took the No. 1 spot in France, South Korea, Italy and Spain.

“Thor” premieres in the U.S. next weekend, when it will also debut in Finland and China.

—Amy Kaufman