Opening weekend results for Thor: Ragnarok are out and they live up to the hype for Kiwi director Taika Waititi.

The film, starring Chris Hemsworth and Cate Blanchett, took $2.2 million at the New Zealand box office over the weekend.

The third instalment of the Thor franchise is also Waititi’s biggest opening day and weekend across all of his films including Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Waititi publicly stated he wanted to include a nod to the New Zealand psyche by adding Kiwi humour in the film.

He highlighted this in his own appearance as Korg, a motion-capture rock monster, who Waititi based on Polynesian bouncers.

The opening weekend success was not contained to New Zealand.

Ragnarok grossed US$109 million at the global box office, putting it ahead of other Marvel movies including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Doctor Strange.

The movie is set to open in America later this week.