title: Kanye West

text: West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old. West started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists. West crossed paths with producer No I.D., who became West's friend and mentor. After graduating from high school, West received a scholarship to attend Chicago's American Academy of Art in 1997 and began taking painting classes. Shortly after, he transferred to Chicago State University to study English. At age 20, he dropped out to pursue his musical career. This greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university, athough she would later accept the decision.


title: Kanye West

text: West began his early production career in the mid-1990s, creating beats primarily for burgeoning local artists around his area. His first official production credits came at nineteen when he produced eight tracks on "Down to Earth", the 1996 debut album of a Chicago rapper, Grav. In 1998, West was the first person signed to the management-production company Hip Hop Since 1978. For a time, West acted as a ghost producer for Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. Because of his association with D-Dot, West was not able to release a solo album, so he formed the Go-Getters, a rap group composed of him, GLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. The Go-Getters released their first and only studio album "World Record Holders" in 1999. West spent much of the late 1990s producing records for several well-known artists and music groups. He produced the third track on Foxy Brown's second studio album "Chyna Doll", which became the first hip-hop album by a female rapper to debut at the top of the U.S. "Billboard" 200 chart.


title: Kanye West

text: In 2000, West began producing for artists on Roc-A-Fella. West is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with his contributions to Jay-Z's 2001 album "The Blueprint", which "Rolling Stone" ranked among their list of greatest hip-hop albums. Serving as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella, West produced music for other artists on the label, including Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Cam'ron. He also crafted hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. Meanwhile, West struggled to attain a record deal as a rapper. Multiple record companies, including Capitol Records, denied or ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella.


title: Kanye West

text: A 2002 car accident accident, which shattered his jaw, inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he recorded "Through the Wire" at the Record Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut. The song was first available on West's ""Get Well Soon..."" mixtape, released in December 2002. At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album called "The College Dropout", whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'"


title: Kanye West

text: West recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. It was leaked months before its release date, and West used the opportunity to remix, remaster, and revise the album before its release; West added new verses, string arrangements, gospel choirs, and improved drum programming. The album was postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003, and was eventually released in February 2004, reaching No. 2 on the "Billboard" 200 as his debut single, "Through the Wire" peaked at No. 15 while on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart for five weeks. "Slow Jamz", his second single, featuring Twista and Jamie Foxx, became the three musicians' first No. 1 hit. "The College Dropout" received near-universal critical acclaim, was voted the top album of the year by two major music publications, and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists.


title: Kanye West

text: "Jesus Walks", the album's fourth single, reached the top 20 of the "Billboard" pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to the radio. "The College Dropout" was certified triple platinum in the US, and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and Best Rap Album (which it received). During this period, West founded GOOD Music, a record label and management company that housed affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. and John Legend, and produced singles for Brandy, Common, Legend, and Slum Village.


title: Kanye West

text: West invested $2 million and took over a year to make his second album. West was inspired by "Roseland NYC Live", a 1998 live album by English trip hop group Portishead, produced with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, incorporating string arrangements into his hip-hop production. Though West had not been able to afford many live instruments around the time of his debut album, the money from his commercial success enabled him to hire a string orchestra for his second album "Late Registration". West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion, who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks. "Late Registration" sold over 2.3 million units in the United States alone by the end of 2005 and was considered by industry observers as the only successful major album release of the fall season, which had been plagued by steadily declining CD sales.


title: Kanye West

text: When his song "Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for "We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead. Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in Brisbane. He later spoofed the incident on the 33rd-season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" in September 2007.


title: Kanye West

text: West's third studio album, "Graduation", garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper 50 Cent's "Curtis". Upon their September 2007 releases, "Graduation" outsold "Curtis" by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S. "Billboard" 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week. "Graduation" continued the string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, "Stronger", garnered his third number-one hit. "Stronger", which samples French house duo Daft Punk, has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro-infused music in the late 2000s. His mother's death in November 2007 and the end of his engagement to Alexis Phifer profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008 Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter.


title: Kanye West

text: Recorded mostly in Honolulu, Hawaii in three weeks, West announced his fourth album, "808s & Heartbreak", at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, where he performed its lead single, "Love Lockdown". Music audiences were taken aback by the uncharacteristic production style and the presence of Auto-Tune, which typified the pre-release response to the record. "808s & Heartbreak" was released by Island Def Jam in November 2008. Upon its release, the lead single "Love Lockdown" debuted at number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100, while follow-up single "Heartless" debuted at number four. While it was criticized prior to release, "808s & Heartbreak" is considered to have had a significant effect on hip-hop music, encouraging other rappers to take more creative risks with their productions.


title: Kanye West

text: While Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West went on stage and grabbed the microphone from her to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions. West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst, and by President Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass". The incident sparked a large influx of Internet photo memes. West subsequently apologized, including personally to Swift. However, in a November 2010 interview, he seemed to recant his past apologies, describing the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless".


title: Kanye West

text: Following the highly publicized incident, West took a brief break from music and threw himself into fashion, only to hole up in Hawaii for the next few months writing and recording his next album. Importing his favorite producers and artists to work on and inspire his recording, West kept engineers behind the boards 24 hours a day and slept only in increments. Noah Callahan-Bever, a writer for "Complex", was present during the sessions and described the "communal" atmosphere as thus: "With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire." A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and Pusha T, as well as off-the-wall collaborations, such as with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.


title: Kanye West

text: "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to widespread acclaim from critics, many of whom considered it his best work and said it solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, "Dark Fantasy" adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit "All of the Lights", and "Billboard" hits "Power", "Monster", and "Runaway", the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name directed by and starring West. During this time, West initiated the free music program GOOD Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday, a portion of which were included on the album. This promotion ran from August to December 2010. "Dark Fantasy" went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.


title: Kanye West

text: 2011 saw West embark on a festival tour to commemorate the release of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" performing and headlining numerous festivals including; SWU Music & Arts, Austin City Limits, Oya Festival, Flow Festival, Live Music Festival,


title: Kanye West

text: The Big Chill, Essence Music Festival, Lollapalooza and Coachella which was described by "The Hollywood Reporter" as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time", West released the collaborative album "Watch the Throne" with Jay-Z in August 2011. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, "Watch the Throne" became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. "Niggas in Paris" became the record's highest-charting single, peaking at number five on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The co-headlining Watch the Throne Tour kicked off in October 2011 and concluded in June 2012. In 2012, West released the compilation album "Cruel Summer", a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music.


title: Kanye West

text: Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial", he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances. "Yeezus", West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013, to rave reviews from critics. It became his sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales.


title: Kanye West

text: In September 2013, West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support "Yeezus", with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar accompanying him as a supporting act. The tour was met with rave reviews from critics. "Rolling Stone" described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers". Writing for "Forbes", Zack O'Malley Greenburg praised West for "taking risks that few pop stars, if any, are willing to take in today's hyper-exposed world of pop", describing the show as "overwrought and uncomfortable at times, but [it] excels at challenging norms and provoking thought in a way that just isn't common for mainstream musical acts of late". West subsequently released a number of singles featuring Paul McCartney, including "Only One" and "FourFiveSeconds", also featuring Rihanna.


title: Kanye West

text: In November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014, with production by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip. Having initially announced a new album entitled "Yeezus II" slated for a 2014 release, West announced in March 2015 that the album would instead be tentatively called "So Help Me God". In May 2015, West was awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture. The next month, West headlined at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance. Another petition aimed to block West from headlining the 2015 Pan American Games, garnering 50,000 supporters.


title: Kanye West

text: West announced in January 2016 that "SWISH" would be released on February 11, and later that month, released new songs "Real Friends" and a snippet of "No More Parties in LA" with Kendrick Lamar. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album from "SWISH" to "Waves". In the weeks leading up to the album's release, West became embroiled in several Twitter controversies. Several days ahead of its release, West again changed the title, this time to "The Life of Pablo". On February 11, West premiered the album at Madison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season3 clothing line. Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the tracklist once more before its release to the public. He released the album exclusively on Tidal on February 14, 2016, following a performance on "SNL". Following its release, West continued to tinker with mixes of several tracks, describing the work as "a living breathing changing creative expression" and proclaiming the end of the album as a dominant release form. Despite West's earlier comments, in addition to Tidal, the album was released through several other competing services starting in April.


title: Kanye West

text: In February 2016, West stated on Twitter that he was planning to release another album in the summer of 2016, tentatively called "Turbo Grafx 16" in reference to the 1990s video game console of the same name. In June 2016, West released the collaborative lead single "Champions" off the GOOD Music album "Cruel Winter", which has yet to be released. Later that month, West released a controversial video for "Famous", which depicted wax figures of several celebrities (including West, Kardashian, Taylor Swift, businessman and then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, comedian Bill Cosby, and former president George W. Bush) sleeping nude in a shared bed.


title: Kanye West

text: In August 2016, West embarked on the Saint Pablo Tour in support of "The Life of Pablo." The performances featured a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. West postponed several dates in October following the Paris robbery of several of his wife's effects. On November 21, 2016, West cancelled the remaining 21 dates on the Saint Pablo Tour, following a week of no-shows, curtailed concerts and rants about politics. He was later admitted for psychiatric observation at UCLA Medical Center. He stayed hospitalized over the Thanksgiving weekend because of a temporary psychosis stemming from sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this episode West took an 11-month break from posting on Twitter and the public in general.


title: Kanye West

text: It was reported in May 2017 that West was recording new music in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a wide range of collaborators. In April 2018, West announced plans to write a philosophy book entitled "Break the Simulation", later clarifying that he was sharing the book "in real time" on Twitter and began posting content that was likened to "life coaching". Later that month, he also announced two new albums, a solo album and self-titled collaboration with Kid Cudi under the name Kids See Ghosts, both of which would be released in June. Additionally, he revealed he would produce upcoming albums by GOOD Music label-mates Pusha T and Teyana Taylor, as well as Nas. Shortly thereafter, West released the non-album singles "Lift Yourself", a "strange, gibberish track" featuring nonsensical lyrics, and "Ye vs. the People", in which he and T.I. discussed West's controversial support of Donald Trump.


title: Kanye West

text: Pusha T's "Daytona", "the first project out of Wyoming", was released in May to critical acclaim, although the album's artwork—a photograph of deceased singer Whitney Houston's bathroom that West paid $85,000 to license—attracted some controversy. The following week, West released his eighth studio album, "Ye". West has suggested that he scrapped the original recordings of the album and re-recorded it within a month. The week after, West released a collaborative album with Kid Cudi, titled "Kids See Ghosts", named after their group of the same name. West also completed production work on Nas' "Nasir" and Teyana Taylor's "K.T.S.E.", which were released in June 2018.


title: Kanye West

text: In September, West announced his ninth studio album "Yandhi" to be released by the end of the month and a collaborative album with fellow Chicagoan rapper Chance the Rapper titled "Good Ass Job". That same month, West announced that he would be changing his stage name to "Ye". "Yandhi" was originally set for release in September 2018 but was postponed multiple times. In January 2019, West pulled out of headlining that year's Coachella festival after negotiations broke down due to discord regarding stage design. In July, it was reported that songs from West's unreleased album "Yandhi" were leaked online. The following month, Kim Kardashian announced that West's next album would be titled "Jesus Is King", effectively scrapping "Yandhi". By October, the entire unfinished album was available for a short time on streaming services Spotify and Tidal.


title: Kanye West

text: On January 6, 2019, West started his weekly "Sunday Service" orchestration which includes soul variations of both West's and others' songs attended by multiple celebrities including the Kardashians, Charlie Wilson, and Kid Cudi. West previewed a new song, "Water" at his "Sunday Service" orchestration performance at Coachella 2019, which was later revealed to feature on his upcoming album "Jesus Is King"; West released the album on October 25, 2019. It became the first to ever top the "Billboard" 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums, Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums at the same time. On December 25, 2019, West and Sunday Service released "Jesus Is Born", containing 19 songs including several re-workings of older West songs.


title: Kanye West

text: West released a single titled "Wash Us in the Blood" on June 30, 2020, featuring fellow American rapper and singer Travis Scott, along with the music video, which was set to serve as the lead single from his tenth studio album "Donda". However, in September 2020, West stated that he would not be releasing any further music until he is "done with [his] contract with Sony and Universal". On October 16, he released the single "Nah Nah Nah". West held several listening parties at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for his upcoming album "Donda" in the summer of 2021, where he had taken up temporary residence in one of the stadium's locker rooms, converting it into a recording studio to finish the recording. After multiple delays, "Donda" was released on August 29, 2021. West claimed the album was released early without his approval and alleged that Universal had altered the tracklist. He released a delux edition of "Donda", including five new songs, to streaming services on November 14, 2021. On November 20, days after ending their long-running feud, West and rapper Drake confirmed that they would stage the "Free Larry Hoover" benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.


title: Kanye West

text: On January 5, 2022, West was announced as one of the 2022 headliners of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Later that month on January 15, West released the first single for his upcoming album "Donda 2", "Eazy" featuring The Game, to be executive produced by American rapper Future. West hosted a listening event for the album at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on February 22. In April, shortly before Coachella, West pulled out as headlining act, then proceeded to pull out of headlining Rolling Loud. West and The Game performed the single on July 22, marking West's first performance in five months following the low profile he had been keeping since "Donda 2" remained unfinished. A day later, despite cancelling as headliner, he appeared at Rolling Loud during Lil Durk's set.


title: Kanye West

text: In December 2022, after weeks of controversial anti-Semitic statements, West released a new song "Someday We’ll All Be Free" on his Instagram.


title: Kanye West

text: West's musical career is defined by frequent stylistic shifts and different musical approaches. In the subsequent years since his debut, West has both musically and lyrically taken an increasingly experimental approach to crafting progressive hip hop music while maintaining accessible pop sensibilities. West's rhymes have been described as funny, provocative and articulate, capable of seamlessly segueing from shrewd commentary to comical braggadocio to introspective sensitivity. West imparts that he strives to speak in an inclusive manner so groups from different racial and gender backgrounds can comprehend his lyrics, saying he desired to sound "just as ill as Jadakiss and just as understandable as Will Smith". Early in his career, West pioneered a style of hip-hop production dubbed "chipmunk-soul", a sampling technique involving the manipulation of tempo in order to chop and stretch pitched-up samples from vintage soul songs.


title: Kanye West

text: On his debut studio album, "The College Dropout" (2004), West formed the constitutive elements of his style, described as intricate hip-hop beats, topical subject matter, and clumsy rapping laced with inventive wordplay. The record saw West diverge from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop in favor of more diverse, topical lyrical subjects, including higher education, materialism, self-consciousness, minimum-wage labor, institutional prejudice, class struggle, family, sexuality, his struggles in the music industry, and middle-class upbringing. Over time, West has explored a variety of music genres, encompassing and taking inspiration from chamber pop on his second studio album, "Late Registration" (2005), arena rock and europop on his third album, "Graduation" (2007), synth-driven electropop on his fourth album, "808s & Heartbreak" (2008), acid-house, drill, industrial rap and trap on "Yeezus" (2013), gospel and Christian rap on "The Life of Pablo" (2016), "Jesus is King" (2019) and "Donda" (2021), and psychedelic music on "Kids See Ghosts" (2018).


title: Kanye West

text: Early in his career, West made clear his interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry. He launched his own clothing line in spring 2006, and developed it over the following four years before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009. In January 2007, West's first sneaker collaboration was released, a special-edition Bapesta from A Bathing Ape. In 2009, West collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, the Air Yeezys, becoming the first non-athlete to be given a shoe deal with the company. In January 2009, he introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton during Paris Fashion Week. The line was released in summer 2009. West has additionally designed shoewear for Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti.


title: Kanye West

text: In fall 2009, West moved to Rome, where he interned at Italian fashion brand Fendi, giving ideas for the men's collection. In March 2011, West collaborated with M/M Paris for a series of silk scarves featuring artwork from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". In October 2011, West premiered his women's fashion label at Paris Fashion Week. His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews. In March 2012, West premiered a second fashion line at Paris Fashion Week. Critics deemed the sophomore effort "much improved" compared to his first show.


title: Kanye West

text: On December 3, 2013, Adidas officially confirmed a new shoe collaboration deal with West. After months of anticipation and rumors, West confirmed the release of the Adidas Yeezy Boosts. In 2015, West unveiled a Yeezy clothing line, premiering in collaboration with Adidas early that year. In June 2016, Adidas announced a new long-term contract with Kanye West that extended the Yeezy line to a number of stores, planning to sell sports performance products like basketball, football, and soccer. In May 2021, West signed a 10-year deal linking Yeezy with GAP, however, in September 2022, West announced that he was ending the deal.


title: Kanye West

text: West founded the record label and production company GOOD Music in 2004, in conjunction with Sony BMG, shortly after releasing his debut album, "The College Dropout". West, alongside then-unknown Ohio singer John Legend and fellow Chicago rapper Common were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including West, Big Sean, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Yasiin Bey / Mos Def, D'banj and John Legend, and producers including Hudson Mohawke, Q-Tip, Travis Scott, No I.D., Jeff Bhasker, and S1. GOOD Music has released ten albums certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T the new president of GOOD Music.


title: Kanye West

text: In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area; the first was set to open in September 2008 in Orland Park. The second followed in January 2009, while a third location is yet to be revealed, although the process is being finalized. His company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago. Ultimately, in 2009, only two locations actually opened. In February 2011, West shut down the Fatburger located in Orland Park. Later that year, the remaining Beverly location also was shuttered.


title: Kanye West

text: In January 2012, West announced his establishment of the creative content company Donda, named after his late mother. In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; Donda would operate as a "design company" with a goal to "make products and experiences that people want and can afford". In stating Donda's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel." West is notoriously secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence. Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout Donda creative projects.


title: Kanye West

text: West expressed interest in starting an architecture firm in May 2013, saying "I want to do product, I am a product person, not just clothing but water bottle design, architecture... I make music but I shouldn't be limited to one place of creativity" and then later in November 2013, delivering a manifesto on his architectural goals during a visit to Harvard Graduate School of Design. In May 2018, West announced he was starting an architecture firm called Yeezy Home, which will act as an arm of his already successful Yeezy fashion label. In June 2018, the first Yeezy Home collaboration was announced by designer Jalil Peraza, teasing an affordable concrete prefabricated home as part of a social housing project.


title: Kanye West

text: In March 2015, it was announced that West is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal. The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal, Aspiro, in the first quarter of 2015. Sixteen artist stakeholders including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake. In October 2022, in direct response to bans he received on Twitter and Instagram stemming from his antisemitic comments, West reached an agreement in principle to acquire the alt-tech social network Parler for an undisclosed amount. Parler and West mutually agreed to terminate the proposed deal in mid-November.


title: Kanye West

text: West, alongside his mother, founded the Kanye West Foundation in Chicago in 2003, tasked with a mission to battle dropout and illiteracy rates, while partnering with community organizations to provide underprivileged youth access to music education. In 2007, West and the Foundation partnered with Strong American Schools as part of their "Ed in '08" campaign. As spokesman for the campaign, West appeared in a series of PSAs for the organization, and hosted an inaugural benefit concert in August of that year. In 2008, following the death of West's mother, the foundation was rechristened The Dr. Donda West Foundation. The foundation ceased operations in 2011. In 2013, Kanye West and friend Rhymefest founded Donda's House, Inc., a program aimed at helping at-risk Chicago youth.


title: Kanye West

text: West has contributed to hurricane relief in 2005 by participating in a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert after the storm had ravaged black communities in New Orleans and in 2012 when he performed at a . In January 2019, West donated $10 million towards the completion of the Roden Crater by American artist James Turrell. In June 2020, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the following protests, he donated $2million between the family of Floyd and other victims of police brutality, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. The donation funded legal fees for Arbery and Taylor's families, as well as establishing a 529 plan to fully cover college tuition for Floyd's daughter.


title: Kanye West

text: West made cameo appearances as himself in the films "State Property 2" (2005) and "The Love Guru" (2008), and in an episode of the television show "Entourage" in 2007. West provided the voice for "Kenny West", a rapper, in the animated sitcom "The Cleveland Show". In 2009, he starred in the Spike Jonze-directed short film "We Were Once a Fairytale" (2009), playing himself acting belligerently while drunk in a nightclub. West wrote, directed, and starred in the musical short film "Runaway" (2010), which heavily features music from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". The film depicts a relationship between a man, played by West, and a half-woman, half-phoenix creature.


title: Kanye West

text: In 2012, West wrote and directed another short film, titled "Cruel Summer", which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in a custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens constructed for the film. The film was inspired by the compilation album of the same name. West made a cameo appearance in the comedy "" (2013) as a MTV News representative in the film's fight scene. In September 2018, West announced starting of film production company named Half Beast, LLC.


title: Kanye West

text: On July 4, 2020, West announced on Twitter that he would be running in the 2020 presidential election. On July 7, West was interviewed by "Forbes" about his presidential run, where he announced that his running mate would be Wyoming preacher Michelle Tidball, and that he would run as an independent under the "Birthday Party", explaining his decision of why he chose the name, saying, "Because when we win, it's everybody's 'birthday'." West also said he no longer supported Trump because he "hid in [a] bunker" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing, he said, "You know? Obama's special. Trump's special. We say Kanye West is special. America needs special people that lead. Bill Clinton? Special. Joe Biden's not special."


title: Kanye West

text: Various political pundits speculated that West's presidential run was a publicity stunt to promote his latest music releases. On July 15, 2020, official paperwork was filed with the Federal Election Commission for West, under the "BDY" Party affiliation amid claims that he was preparing to drop out. West held his first rally that weekend, on July 19. West aligned himself with the philosophy of a consistent life ethic, a tenet of Christian democracy. His platform advocated for the creation of a culture of life, endorsing environmental stewardship, supporting the arts, buttressing faith-based organizations, restoring school prayer, providing for a strong national defense, and "America First" diplomacy. In July 2020, West told "Forbes" that he is ignorant on issues such as taxes and foreign policy.


title: Kanye West

text: West conceded on Twitter on November 4, 2020. He received 66,365 votes in the 12 states he had ballot access in, receiving an average of 0.32%. Reported write-in votes gave West an additional 3,931 votes across 5 states. In addition, the "Roque De La Fuente / Kanye West" ticket won 60,160 votes in California (0.34%). According to "Reuters", on January 4, 2021, a Kanye West-linked publicist pressured a Georgia election worker to confess to bogus charges of election tampering to assist Trump's claims of election interference. In December 2021, "The Daily Beast" reported that West's presidential campaign received millions of dollars in services from a secret network of Republican operatives, payments to which the committee did not report. According to campaign finance experts, this was done to conceal a connection.


title: Kanye West

text: West has stated his intentions to run for president again in the 2024 presidential election. In November 2019, he said at an event, "When I run for president in 2024, we would've created so many jobs that I'm not going to run, I'm going to walk." He was met with laughter from the audience. On October 24, 2020, while running for president, West told Joe Rogan on his podcast that he would be open to running for Governor of California. On May 19, 2021, Fox News reported that it had obtained a letter concerning an RFAI (Request for further information) from the Federal Election Commission regarding an exploratory presidential committee. West's representatives stated, "Kanye West has not decided whether to become a candidate for president in the 2024 election, and the activity of the Kanye 2020 committee that prompted this RFAI is strictly exploratory." On subsequent interviews, merchandise, and in songs lyrics, West would repeatedly insinuate that he will indeed run. On November 20, 2022, Kanye announced his intention to run in 2024.


title: Kanye West

text: West has been an outspoken and controversial celebrity throughout his career, receiving criticism from the mainstream media, industry colleagues and entertainers, and three U.S. presidents.


title: Kanye West

text: West has voiced his opposition to abortion in 2013, citing his belief in the Sixth Commandment, and in 2022, deeming abortion "genocide and population control" of black people. He has stated that the 400-year enslavement of Africans "sounds like a choice", before elaborating that his comment was in reference to mental enslavement and argued for free thought. He later apologized for the comment. In late 2022, West made a series of antisemitic statements, resulting in the termination of his collaborations, sponsorships, and partnerships with "Vogue", CAA, Balenciaga, Gap, and Adidas. West was widely condemned after appearing at a dinner hosted by Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago beside white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In a subsequent December appearance on Alex Jones's "InfoWars", West praised Adolf Hitler, denied the Holocaust, and identified as a Nazi. Following the interview, West's Twitter account was terminated after he posted an image depicting a swastika entangled within a Star of David. Subsequently, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago rescinded West's honorary degree.


title: Kanye West

text: In April 2012, West began dating reality television star Kim Kardashian, with whom he had already been long-time friends. West and Kardashian became engaged in October 2013, and married at Fort di Belvedere in Florence in May 2014. Their private ceremony was subject to widespread mainstream coverage, with which West took issue. The couple's high-profile status and respective careers have resulted in their relationship becoming subject to heavy media coverage; "The New York Times" referred to their marriage as "a historic blizzard of celebrity".


title: Kanye West

text: West and Kardashian have four children: North West (born June 2013), Saint West (born December 2015), Chicago West (born via surrogate in January 2018), and Psalm West (born via surrogate in May 2019). In July 2020, during a presidential campaign rally of his, West revealed that he had previously considered abortion during Kardashian's first pregnancy but has since taken anti-abortion views. In April 2015, West and Kardashian traveled to Jerusalem to have North baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Cathedral of St. James. Their other children were all baptized at Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the mother church of the Armenian Church, in October 2019.


title: Kanye West

text: In September 2018, West announced that he would be permanently moving back to Chicago to establish his Yeezy company headquarters there. This did not actually occur, and West instead went on to purchase two ranches near Cody, Wyoming, where he recorded his eighth solo studio album, "Ye". Kardashian resides with their children in a home that the now-divorced couple owns in California, whereas West moved into a home across the street to continue to be near their children. In fall 2021, West began the process of selling his Wyoming ranch.


title: Kanye West

text: In July 2020, West acknowledged the possibly of Kardashian ending their marriage due to his adoption of anti-abortion views. Later that month, West wrote on Twitter that he had been attempting to divorce Kardashian. He also wrote that the Kardashian family was attempting "to lock [him] up". In January 2021, CNN reported that the couple were discussing divorce. A month later, Kardashian filed for divorce, with the couple citing "irreconcilable differences", agreeing to joint custody of their children, and declining spousal support from each other. On several occasions in 2021, West said that he would rather stay with Kardashian than divorce. The divorce was finalized in November 2022, and West was ordered to pay $200,000 in monthly child support and be responsible for half of the children's medical, educational, and security expenses.


title: Kanye West

text: West began an on-and-off relationship with the designer Alexis Phifer in 2002, and they became engaged in August 2006. They ended their 18-month engagement in 2008. West dated the model Amber Rose from 2008 until mid-2010.


title: Kanye West

text: In January 2022, actress Julia Fox confirmed in an "Interview" essay that she was dating West. West continued to say that he wanted his "family back" and publicly lashed out at Kardashian's new boyfriend, the comedian Pete Davidson. His treatment of Davidson and Kardashian has been described by commentators as harassment and abusive; the 64th Annual Grammy Awards dropped him as a performer in response to his "concerning online behavior". Less than two months after confirming their relationship, Fox said that she and West had split up but remained on good terms. She later said that she dated West purely to "give people something to talk about" during the COVID-19 pandemic and to "get him off Kim's case".


title: Kanye West

text: In December 2006, Robert "Evel" Knievel sued the rapper for trademark infringement of his name and likeness in West's video for "Touch the Sky". Knievel took issue with the "vulgar and offensive" and "sexually charged video" in which West takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" that Knievel claimed damaged his reputation. The suit sought monetary damages and an injunction to stop distribution of the video. West's attorneys argued that the music video amounted to satire and therefore was covered under the First Amendment. Days before his death in November 2007, Knievel amicably settled the suit after being paid a visit by West, saying, "I thought he was a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman."


title: Kanye West

text: In 2014, after an altercation with a paparazzo at the Los Angeles Airport, West was sentenced to serve two years' probation for a misdemeanor battery conviction, and was required to attend 24 anger management sessions, perform 250 hours of community service, and pay restitution to the photographer.


title: Kanye West

text: After the success of his song "Jesus Walks" from the album "The College Dropout", West was questioned on his beliefs and said, "I will say that I'm spiritual. I have accepted Jesus as my Savior. And I will say that I fall short every day." In a 2008 interview with "The Fader", West stated that "I'm like a vessel, and God has chosen me to be the voice and the connector". In a 2009 interview with online magazine Bossip, West stated that he believed in God, but at the time felt that he "would never go into a religion". In 2014, West referred to himself as a Christian during one of his concerts. Kim Kardashian described West's Christian born-again experience in September 2019: "Kanye started this to really heal himself and it was a really personal thing, and it was just friends and family... He has had an amazing evolution of being born again and being saved by Christ." In October 2019, West said with respect to his past, "When I was trying to serve multiple gods it drove me crazy" in reference to the "god of ego, god of money, god of pride, the god of fame", and that "I didn't even know what it meant to be saved" and that now "I love Jesus Christ. I love Christianity."


title: Kanye West

text: In September 2012, West donated $1,000 to Barack Obama's re-election campaign, and in August 2015 he donated $2,700 to Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign. He also donated $15,000 to the Democratic National Committee in October 2014. In December 2016, West met with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago. West subsequently stated he would have voted for Trump had he voted. In February 2017, however, West deleted all his tweets about Trump in purported dislike of the new president's policies, particularly the travel ban. West reiterated his support for Donald Trump in April 2018. In October 2018, West donated to progressive Chicago mayoral candidate Amara Enyia. That same month, he voiced support for the Blexit movement, a campaign started by conservative commentator Candace Owens, whom he had previously associated with.


title: Kanye West

text: On November 19, 2016, West abruptly ended a concert before being committed at the recommendation of authorities to the UCLA Medical Center with hallucinations and paranoia. While the episode was first described as one of "temporary psychosis" caused by dehydration and sleep deprivation, West's mental state was abnormal enough for his 21 cancelled concerts to be covered by his insurance policy. He was reportedly paranoid and depressed throughout the hospitalization, but remained formally undiagnosed. Some have speculated that the Paris robbery of his wife may have triggered the paranoia. On November 30, West was released from the hospital.


title: Kanye West

text: In his song "FML" and his featured verse on Vic Mensa's song "U Mad", he refers to using the antidepressant medication Lexapro, and in his unreleased song "I Feel Like That", he mentions feeling many common symptoms of depression and anxiety. In a 2018 interview, West said that he had become addicted to opioids when they were prescribed to him after liposuction. The addiction may have contributed to his nervous breakdown in 2016. West said that he often has suicidal ideation. West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016, though his diagnosis was not made public until his 2018 album "Ye." He told President Donald Trump that it was a misdiagnosis. He had reportedly accepted the diagnosis again by 2019, but again suggested that it had been a misdiagnosis in 2022. In December 2022, he suggested that he may be autistic.


title: Kanye West

text: On August 24, 2021, West applied to have his legal name changed from Kanye Omari West to Ye, with no middle or last name; he cited "personal reasons" for the change. The request was granted on October 18. West had alluded to wishing to change his name since 2018 and had used Ye as a nickname for several years prior. In a June 2018 interview, he said that "ye" () was the most commonly used word in the Bible: "In the Bible it means 'you'. So, I'm you. I'm us. It's us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye."


title: Kanye West

text: West’s net worth was as high as $2 billion in 2021. "Forbes" estimated his net worth at $400 million as of October 2022, making him among the wealthiest musicians in the world.


title: Kanye West

text: West is among the most critically acclaimed popular music artists of the 21st century, earning praise from music critics, fans, industry peers, and wider cultural figures. In 2014, "NME" named him the third most influential artist in music. Jon Caramanica of "The New York Times" said that West has been "a bombastic figure who can count rankling two presidents among his achievements". Nieson elaborates, "He is talented enough that he has made the calculation that you can dislike him and you will still listen to his music." Ed Ledsham from "PopMatters" said "West's melding of multiple genres into the hip-hop fold is a complex act that challenges the dominant white notions of what constitutes true 'art' music."


title: Kanye West

text: "Rolling Stone" called West "as interesting and complicated a pop star as the 2000s produced—a rapper who mastered, upped and moved beyond the hip-hop game, a producer who created a signature sound and then abandoned it to his imitators, a flashy, free-spending sybarite with insightful things to say about college, culture, and economics, an egomaniac with more than enough artistic firepower to back it up." AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier writes of his impact, "As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West shattered certain stereotypes about rappers, becoming a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold."


title: Kanye West

text: "Rolling Stone" credited West with transforming hip-hop's mainstream, "establishing a style of introspective yet glossy rap", while "Highsnobiety" said his first three albums – "a triumvirate of uber-successful records" – "cemented his role as a progressive rap progenitor". West also has been credited with the commercial decline of the gangsta rap that once dominated mainstream hip-hop. Erik Nielson, a University of Richmond professor who teaches courses on hip-hop culture, opines that West is a "mediocre rapper, but an extraordinary producer". Nielson states, "He will take a concept to an extreme, and flesh it out and explore it in some sort of depth," with a "broad, eclectic range of sounds that he draws on that has opened up new possibilities for artists who came after him".


title: Kanye West

text: In 2013, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of "Spin" described West as fronting a "new art-pop era" in contemporary music, in which musicians draw widely on the visual arts as a signifier of both extravagant wealth as well as creative exploration. West maintained a preppy fashion sense that helped expand hip-hop's definition of masculinity. Nielsen concedes that West said when he came out that he wasn't a thug. He was the kid who went to school, his mom was a college professor. He definitely challenged some of the authenticity that had to be there at the moment." The outcome of a highly publicized sales competition between rapper 50 Cent's "Curtis" and West's "Graduation" marked a turning point in the music industry. With its emotive raps and confessional details, the album altered the direction of hip hop and helped pave the way for new rappers who did not follow the hardcore-gangster mold to find wider mainstream acceptance.


title: Kanye West

text: According to Ben Detrick of "XXL" magazine, West effectively led a new wave of artists, including Kid Cudi, Wale, Lupe Fiasco, Kidz in the Hall, and Drake, who lacked the interest or ability to craft lyrical narratives about gunplay or drug-dealing. Rosie Swash of "The Guardian" deemed the sales competition a historical moment in hip-hop, because it "highlighted the diverging facets of hip-hop in the last decade; the former was gangsta rap for the noughties, while West was the thinking man's alternative."


title: Kanye West

text: "Billboard" senior editor Alex Gale declared West "absolutely one of the best, and you could make the argument for the best artist of the 21st century." Sharing similar sentiments, "Complex" called West the twenty-first century's "most important artist of any art form, of any genre." "The Atlantic" writer David Samuels commented, "Kanye's power resides in his wild creativity and expressiveness, his mastery of form, and his deep and uncompromising attachment to a self-made aesthetic that he expresses through means that are entirely of the moment: rap music, digital downloads, fashion, Twitter, blogs, live streaming video." Joe Muggs of "The Guardian" argued that "there is nobody else who can sell as many records as West does [...] while remaining so resolutely experimental and capable of stirring things up culturally and politically."


title: Kanye West

text: Hip-hop artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, and Chance the Rapper have acknowledged being influenced by West. Numerous other artists and music groups of various genres have named Kanye as an influence on their work.


title: Kanye West

text: West's success in the fashion industry has led to him being recognized as an influential popular culture figure.


title: Kanye West

text: A documentary shot over 21 years featuring footage of West's early days in Chicago through the death of his mother to his presidential run was announced to debut in 2021. Titled "Jeen-Yuhs", it was acquired by Netflix for $30 million.


title: Kanye West

text: West has won a Webby Award for Artist of the Year, an Accessories Council Excellence Award for being a stylemaker, International Man of the Year at the "GQ Awards", a Clio Award for "The Life of Pablo Album" Experience, and an honour by The Recording Academy. West is one of eight acts to have won the Billboard Artist Achievement Award. In 2011, he became the first artist to win Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards three times, he is the male artist with the most wins for Video of the Year at the ceremony, and the only person to have been awarded the Visionary Award at The BET Honors.


title: Kanye West

text: In 2015, he became the third rap act to win the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. West has won 22 Grammys, he has the second most wins (21) and nominations (68) for a rapper (both behind Jay-Z). He has been the most nominated act at five ceremonies, and won the most Grammys by a male artist, and fourth most overall in the 2000s decade. In 2008, West became the first solo artist to have his first three albums receive nominations for Album of the Year.


title: Kanye West

text: West is the fourth-highest certified artist in the US by digital singles (69 million). He had the most RIAA digital song certifications by a male artist in the 2000s (19), and was the fourth best-selling digital songs artist of the 2000s in the US. In Spotify's first ten years from 2008 to 2018, West was the sixth most streamed artist, and the fourth fastest artist to reach one billion streams. West has the joint-most consecutive studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 (9).


title: Kanye West

text: All of West's first six solo studio albums were included on "Rolling Stone"s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020), with "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (17) being the highest ranking 21st century album. "Entertainment Weekly" named "The College Dropout" the best album of the 2000s decade, "Complex" named "Graduation" as the best album released between 2002 and 2012, "808s & Heartbreak" was named by "Rolling Stone" as one of the 40 most groundbreaking albums of all time, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" was named by numerous publications as the best album of the 2010s decade and one of the greatest albums of all time, "Yeezus" was the most critically acclaimed album of 2013, and "The Life of Pablo" was the first album to top the Billboard 200, go platinum in the US, and go gold in the UK, via streaming alone.


title: Kanye West

text: West made the most appearance on "Complex's" "Best Producers of every year since 1979" list (five). On "Billboard"s 2000s decade-end charts, West was third on the list of top producers. West has made more appearances (four) than any other act on "The Guardian"s "The Best Albums of the 21st Century" list, having topped the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll the joint-most times (four albums). In 2015, West became the second-ever rapper to headline Glastonbury Festival.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Thor: Love and Thunder is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Thor. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to "" (2017) and the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor alongside Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Waititi, Russell Crowe, and Natalie Portman. In the film, Thor attempts to find inner peace, but must return to action and recruit Valkyrie (Thompson), Korg (Waititi), and Jane Foster (Portman)—who is now the Mighty Thor—to stop Gorr the God Butcher (Bale) from eliminating all gods.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Hemsworth and Waititi had discussed plans for a sequel to "Ragnarok" by January 2018. "Love and Thunder" was announced in July 2019, with Hemsworth, Waititi, and Thompson all set to return, as well as Portman who did not appear in "Ragnarok". Waititi wanted to differentiate "Love and Thunder" from "Ragnarok", seeking to make a romance film and 1980s-inspired adventure. He adapted elements from Jason Aaron's run on the "Mighty Thor" comic book, which sees Foster take on the mantle and powers of Thor whilst under treatment for cancer. Robinson joined to contribute to the script in February 2020, and further casting was revealed later that year including the appearance of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Production was expected to begin in late 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming ultimately began in January 2021 in Sydney, Australia, and concluded at the beginning of June. The film's production budget of $250 million made it one of the most-expensive films ever made.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: "Thor: Love and Thunder" premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on June 23, 2022, and was released in the United States on July 8, as part of of the MCU. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its light-hearted nature, visuals, and the performances of Hemsworth, Bale and Portman, while criticism was aimed at the screenplay and tonal inconsistency; many critics deemed the film inferior to "Ragnarok". "Love and Thunder" grossed over $760 million worldwide, making it the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2022.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Gorr and his daughter, Love, the last of their race, struggle in a barren desert. Despite their prayers to their god, Rapu, Love dies. The god-killing Necrosword calls to Gorr, leading him to Rapu's lush realm. After Rapu cruelly mocks and dismisses Gorr's plight, he renounces the god, causing Rapu to strangle him. The Necrosword offers itself to Gorr, who kills Rapu with it and vows to kill all gods. Gorr is granted the ability to manipulate shadows and produce monsters but is cursed with impending death and corruption under the sword's influence. After Gorr kills several gods, Thor, who has joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, learns of a distress signal from Sif. He parts ways with the team and finds an injured Sif, who warns that Gorr's next target is New Asgard. Meanwhile, Dr. Jane Foster, Thor's ex-girlfriend, has been diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer. With medical treatment proving ineffective, she travels to New Asgard hoping that Thor's hammer Mjolnir, which was previously fractured by Hela, might heal her.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Due to an enchantment Thor unknowingly placed on it years earlier to protect Foster, Mjolnir reforges and bonds itself to her. Thor arrives in New Asgard just as Gorr's attack begins. Thor is surprised to find Foster wielding Mjolnir, but teams up with her, Valkyrie, and Korg to fight Gorr. The group thwarts Gorr, but he escapes, kidnapping several Asgardian children and imprisoning them in the Shadow Realm. The group travels to Omnipotence City to warn the other gods and ask for their help in creating an army. The leader of the gods, Zeus, is unwilling to help, thinking they can remain safe and hidden from Gorr in the City; he also believes that Gorr will not be able to achieve his stated goal of visiting the realm of Eternity, where he will be granted one wish, presumably to destroy all gods. As a security precaution, Zeus orders the group's capture to prevent them from exposing the City's location to Gorr. When Zeus injures Korg, Thor impales Zeus with his thunderbolt, which Valkyrie steals before they escape to confront Gorr in the Shadow Realm. On the way, Thor learns of Foster's cancer diagnosis, and the two rekindle their relationship.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: The group arrive at the Shadow Realm but are unable to locate the children. Foster sees ancient drawings that depict Thor's battle-axe Stormbreaker as a way to summon the Bifrost to enter Eternity, and deduces the trap laid out by Gorr. She throws away Stormbreaker to prevent Gorr from accessing it. However, Gorr overpowers the group and threatens to kill Foster, forcing Thor to summon it back. Gorr successfully steals Stormbreaker and injures Valkyrie before a weakened Foster collapses.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Upon traveling back to New Asgard, Thor discovers that Foster’s Thor form is not allowing her body to naturally fight the cancer. Due to this, Thor travels to Eternity's altar alone, and using Zeus's thunderbolt, imbues the children with his power to fight Gorr's monsters while he battles Gorr. When Foster senses that Gorr is about to kill Thor, she joins the battle with Mjolnir to save him. They destroy the Necrosword, freeing Gorr from its influence, but the three are brought into Eternity's realm. With Gorr poised to make his wish, Thor implores Gorr to revive his daughter instead of destroying the gods. Thor then leaves Gorr to make his decision and attends to Foster, who succumbs to her illness and dies in his arms. Moved by their display, Gorr wishes for Eternity to revive Love, which it grants. As Gorr dies from the curse, he requests Thor to take care of Love.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In the aftermath, the children return to New Asgard, where Valkyrie and Sif begin training them, and a monument in honor of Foster is built. Thor adopts Love, who joins him in his heroics, with the former wielding Mjolnir and the latter wielding Stormbreaker.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In a mid-credits scene, back in Omnipotence City, a recuperating Zeus sends his son Hercules to kill Thor. In a post-credits scene, Foster arrives at the gates of Valhalla, where Heimdall welcomes her.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Additionally, the Guardians of the Galaxy are featured in the film, with Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper reprising their respective MCU roles as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Nebula, Drax the Destroyer, Mantis, Kraglin Obfonteri, Groot, and Rocket. Matt Damon, Sam Neill, and Luke Hemsworth reprise their roles as Asgardian actors respectively playing Loki, Odin, and Thor from "Ragnarok", with Melissa McCarthy joining them as an Asgardian actress playing Hela, and McCarthy's husband Ben Falcone as the stage manager. Miek, who previously appeared in "Ragnarok" and "" (2019) via CGI, is voiced by Stephen Murdoch, while Carly Rees provides the motion capture performance for the character. Also returning from previous MCU media are Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgård as Foster's colleagues Darcy Lewis and Erik Selvig, respectively, and Idris Elba as Heimdall in the post-credits scene. Daley Pearson appears as New Asgard tour guide Darryl Jacobson, after first portraying the role in Marvel Studios' "Team Thor" short film series. Archive footage from previous MCU films of Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Rene Russo as Frigga, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, and Zachary Levi as Fandral is featured at the beginning of the film. Chanique Greyling portrays a young Frigga during a flashback sequence.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Shortly after the release of the third "Thor" film, "", in November 2017, that film's director Taika Waititi and executives from Marvel Studios met to discuss ideas for another film, which was green-lit following the positive responses to "Ragnarok". Chris Hemsworth indicated in January 2018 that he was interested in continuing to play Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), despite his contract with Marvel Studios being set to end with his role in "" (2019). By then, Hemsworth and Waititi had discussed what they would want in a potential fourth "Thor" film, and Hemsworth said a month later that he would consider returning if there was "another great script". Tessa Thompson, who plays Valkyrie in the MCU films, believed in April 2019 that a pitch had been made for a "Ragnarok" sequel that involved Waititi returning. Hemsworth said then that he would continue to play Thor for as long as possible, crediting Waititi with revitalizing his interest in the role after he became exhausted and underwhelmed with it prior to making "Ragnarok".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In July 2019, Waititi officially signed on to write and direct a fourth "Thor" film, with Hemsworth expected to reprise his role. Waititi was not interested in repeating what they did with "Ragnarok", instead wanting to do "something more interesting for myself to keep the whole thing ignited and to make sure that I'm feeling creatively stimulated". Later that month, at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced the film as "Thor: Love and Thunder", with a release date of November 5, 2021. Hemsworth and Thompson were confirmed to be returning along with Natalie Portman, reprising her role of Jane Foster from "Thor" (2011) and "" (2013). Portman agreed to return to the franchise, after her character was not included in "Ragnarok", following a single meeting with Waititi, who was given creative freedom from Marvel Studios to reimagine her role in the film, in which he offered to portray the character in a different and fresh way, with a "license to be adventurous and fun and funny". Thompson and Feige added that Valkyrie's bisexuality would be addressed in the sequel, retroactively making her Marvel Studios' first LGBTQ superhero. Marvel Studios executive Brad Winderbaum was producing the film alongside Feige. Hemsworth, who also served as an executive producer on "Love and Thunder", was paid $20million upfront for his work on the film, an increase from the $15million upfront salary he earned for each of his appearances in "Ragnarok", "" (2018), and "Endgame".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Don Harwin, the Minister for the Arts for the Australian state of New South Wales, announced at the end of July that "Thor: Love and Thunder" would be filmed at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney back-to-back with Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021), with work set to begin on "Love and Thunder" there in March 2020 ahead of an August 2020 filming start. The production was set to receive over AU$24 million (US$ million) of subsidies from the Australian and New South Wales governments. Marvel Studios vice president David Grant said shooting the two films back-to-back would provide continuous employment for local crews, with "Love and Thunder" expected to generate over AU$178 million (US$ million) for the local economy. He added that the studio would work with "local educational institutions in creating internship opportunities". Jeff Goldblum said in August 2019 that there was a chance he could reprise his "Ragnarok" role of the Grandmaster in the sequel, and Waititi confirmed in October that he would be reprising his own role of Korg from "Ragnarok" and "Endgame". Christian Bale entered talks to join the cast in January 2020, with pre-production expected to begin in April. Thompson confirmed a month later that Bale would star as the villain in the film, while Vin Diesel, who voices Groot in the MCU films, said he had discussed the film with Waititi and had been told the Guardians of the Galaxy would be appearing in it. In early April, Disney shifted much of their slate of films due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving "Thor: Love and Thunder" release date to February 18, 2022. Pre-production on the film was delayed due to the pandemic, with Waititi unsure when production would continue. At the end of the month, Disney moved the release date up to February 11, 2022. By July, filming was set to start in early 2021.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: When announcing the film in July 2019, Waititi said it would adapt elements from Jason Aaron's "Mighty Thor" comic books by having Foster become a hero called the Mighty Thor. Feige said that the film would include a lot of elements from Marvel comics and that the story line of Foster becoming the Mighty Thor would be an important part, explaining that Marvel considered the "Mighty Thor" run to be one of the best recent comic books. Waititi read the comic while working on "Ragnarok", and when he agreed to direct another "Thor" film, he told Marvel that he wanted to include Foster as the Mighty Thor. The studio agreed to adapt Aaron's storyline and include Portman following discussions with Waititi about where the story could lead. Waititi said they stuck close to Foster's storyline from those comics and tried to adapt its best parts. He also explained that Thor having his axe Stormbreaker and then seeing his hammer Mjolnir return "in the hands of someone else" and "no longer [being] his hammer" would explore "the idea that someone's taking his place", which he felt some fans assumed would occur, but did not believe this as such. Aaron served as a consultant on the film. A. C. Bradley, the head writer of the animated series "What If...?", pitched an episode of that series in which Foster would have become Thor, but the idea was rejected because the storyline was already being used for "Love and Thunder".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In August, Waititi was reported to have completed a script for the film, but he denied this later that month. While promoting his film "Jojo Rabbit" in October, Waititi said he had completed the first draft of the screenplay, but the story would change throughout filming and editing. He was unsure if the film would include the storyline from Aaron's run in which Foster suffers from breast cancer, which he said was a powerful part of the comics. Portman later said Foster's treatment from cancer would be explored in the film. Waititi added that Marvel was still discussing how much time would pass between "Endgame" and "Love and Thunder", and that this would affect whether Thor is still carrying the extra weight he is depicted with in "Endgame", which earned him the nicknames "Fat Thor" and "Bro Thor". Waititi did note that he wanted to "keep changing it up with Thor. He's so interesting when he's changing all the time." The film is set eight years after Thor and Foster broke up, around 2024. Waititi also acknowledged fans "shipping" Valkyrie with Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel but said he did not intend to include a romantic relationship between the pair because he would rather surprise fans than do something by popular demand. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson was hired to work on the film's screenplay with Waititi in February 2020. Waititi received sole screenplay credit on the film's theatrical poster, with Robinson credited with him for the story, before the final credits from the Writers Guild of America credited both Waititi and Robinson as the film's writers.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: "Thor: Love and Thunder" follows Thor as he attempts to find inner peace, but must return to action and recruit Valkyrie, Korg, and Foster to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods. Four or five drafts of the screenplay had been completed by mid-April 2020, when Waititi said the sequel was "so over the top now in the very best way" and would make "Ragnarok" look like a "run of the mill, very safe film" by doubling down on its crazier aspects. He wanted to up the ante and make the film as if "10-year-olds told us what should be in a movie and we said yes to every single thing." Waititi added that the film would explore more of Korg's Kronan culture and indicated that it would include the Space Sharks alien race from the comics. He expressed interest in featuring the character Beta Ray Bill, but was unsure at that point if he would. The film also features Falligar the Behemoth, one of the gods slain by Gorr, the cosmic wish-granting entity Eternity, Thor's magical goats Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, based on the Norse mythological animals Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, and Warsong, Valkyrie's winged steed. The steed was renamed from Aragorn as in the comics to Warsong for "Love and Thunder", after previously appearing unnamed in "Ragnarok" and "Endgame".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: At the end of July, Waititi said they had been writing the script off and on for over a year and he was taking another pass on it that week. He said it was very romantic, and explained that he wanted to make a romance film because he wanted to make something that he had not done before, and, as such, wrote the film as a love story. He later said the film was "about love, with superheroes and outer space", and that he wanted to "embrace this thing that I was always a bit dismissive of, and explore this idea of love, and show characters who do believe in love". That October, Hemsworth said Waititi was still writing the script and expressed his excitement for doing something drastically different with his character, as he did in his previous three MCU films. Waititi later described "Love and Thunder" as the craziest film he had ever made and explained that each element was intended to not make sense. He said it would have its own "distinct flavour" from "Ragnarok", which he called a 1970s space opera with a festive, party-like tone. He saw this film as a 1980s adventure, taking inspiration from posters for films such as "Conan the Barbarian" (1982) and "The Beastmaster" (1982) as well as art seen on vans in Venice Beach, with the works of Jack Kirby and the cover of "old" Mills & Boon romance novels also serving as "visual touchstones" for the film. He said it was not serious or dramatic, but it did explore themes such as love, loss, and "our place in the world" while making the characters ask themselves the questions: "What is your purpose? What is the reason that you're a hero, and what do you do when you have these powers?"


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: James Gunn, the writer and director of the three "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, consulted on how the Guardians characters were used in "Love and Thunder", with Gunn and Waititi discussing where the characters were going before Waititi began writing. Waititi read Gunn's script for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" (2023), which is set after "Love and Thunder", and then Gunn read Waititi's script and shared his thoughts, asking for some adjustments to be made. In January 2021, Gunn said the Guardians were "in great hands" with Waititi, and he later praised Waititi's work on the script. Chris Pratt said "Love and Thunder" would continue the rivalry between Guardians leader Peter Quill / Star-Lord and Thor that was established in "" and "", while Karen Gillan said Waititi brought out the "bonkers side" of Nebula through her "pure aggression".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Pre-production began in Australia by October 2020. A month later, Chris Pratt was revealed to be reprising his role as Guardians of the Galaxy leader Peter Quill / Star-Lord. Given the ensemble nature of the cast, industry insiders described the film as feeling like ""Avengers 5"". In December, Feige revealed that the film's release was delayed again, this time to May 6, 2022, and he announced that Bale would portray Gorr the God Butcher in the film. Jaimie Alexander was also revealed to be reprising her MCU role, returning as Sif from the first two "Thor" films, alongside other members and allies of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Karen Gillan as Nebula, and Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri; Gunn also provides on set reference for Guardians member Rocket. Matt Damon was set to appear, after making a cameo appearance in "Ragnarok" as an Asgardian actor playing Loki. He received special permission to enter Australia, despite the country's strict travel restrictions during the pandemic, since "Love and Thunder" was providing jobs for Australians. This prompted criticism as it was perceived that Damon, who traveled with his family, received preferential treatment to enter when many Australian nationals abroad were unable to return to the country. Sam Neill—who appeared alongside Damon in "Ragnarok" as an actor playing Odin—said there was a good chance he would be in the film as well, as long as he could travel from New Zealand to Australia during the pandemic.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Principal photography began on January 26, 2021, at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney, under the working title "The Big Salad". Barry "Baz" Idoine serves as the cinematographer, after previously working with Waititi on the Disney+ "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian". Filming was delayed from an initial August 2020 start date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Industrial Light & Magic provided the same StageCraft virtual production technology used on "The Mandalorian" which Waititi directed an episode of, creating a custom volume space at Fox Studios Australia. It featured more LED panels and offered a higher resolution than the original volume created for "The Mandalorian". Waititi also used Satellite Lab's PlateLight technology (after previously using their Dynamiclight technology on "Ragnarok"), which is a special rig designed to capture multiple lighting set-ups simultaneously within a single shot at a high frame rate, allowing Waititi to select which lighting set up he would like in post-production. Waititi believed he was able to shoot "Love and Thunder" more efficiently than "Ragnarok" due to already having experience working on a Marvel Studios film.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Filming occurred at Centennial Park in Sydney in early February, with Klementieff, Gillan, Bautista, and Pratt completing their scenes shortly afterward. In early March, set photos revealed Damon and Neill were reprising their roles as the Asgardian actors playing Loki and Odin, along with Luke Hemsworth in his "Ragnarok" role as the actor playing Thor. Melissa McCarthy was also revealed to be portraying an actress playing Hela alongside her husband Ben Falcone in an undisclosed role; these cameos were for a sequence where actors reenact scenes from "Ragnarok". Damon filmed his part over two days. Alexander completed filming her scenes by the end of the month, while Goldblum was confirmed to appear as the Grandmaster, and Russell Crowe was revealed to be portraying Zeus in what was described as a "fun cameo". Crowe was originally set to play Satan in the film before his character was changed to Zeus. Crowe finished filming his scenes in April. At the beginning of May, Waititi said there were four weeks left of shooting, while Idoine said he would continue work on the film through the end of 2021. Filming wrapped on June 1, 2021, by which point Neill had revealed that singer Jenny Morris would appear in the film. Goldblum and Peter Dinklage, who was set to reprise his role as Eitri from "Infinity War", had their scenes cut from the theatrical release, as did Lena Headey, who was approached by Waititi for a role in the film.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Waititi said in early June 2021 that post-production would be completed by February 2022. Later in June, Diesel was confirmed to be reprising his voice role as Groot. In October 2021, the film's release date was delayed to July 8, 2022, while Simon Russell Beale was revealed to be appearing. Additional photography for the film took place in early 2022. At the start of March, further reshoots were revealed to be happening "in the coming weeks", and were said to have begun with Bale by the week of March 18. With the release of the teaser trailer in April, Bradley Cooper was confirmed to be reprising his voice role as Rocket, and the following month, Akosia Sabet was revealed to be appearing as the goddess Bast. Following the appearance of Brett Goldstein in the film's mid-credits scene as Hercules, Waititi revealed in July 2022 that Feige "really wanted him" to be cast for that role.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Visual effects for the film were created by Wētā FX, Rising Sun Pictures, Framestore, Industrial Light & Magic, Method Studios, Luma Pictures, Raynault VFX, Base FX, EDI Effetti Digitali Italiani, Mammal Studios, Fin Design + Effects, and Cinesite. Matthew Schmidt, Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche, and Jennifer Vecchiarello serve as the film's editors. Perception designed the film's main-on-end title sequence, drawing inspiration from 1980s rock band logos and designing approximately 250 custom fonts for the sequence.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In December 2021, Michael Giacchino revealed that he would be scoring the film; he previously scored "Doctor Strange" (2016) and the MCU "Spider-Man" trilogy for Marvel Studios, as well as Waititi's previous film "Jojo Rabbit" (2019). A soundtrack album, featuring Giacchino's original themes along with the score composed by him and Nami Melumad, was released by Hollywood Records and Marvel Music on July 6, 2022. The single "Mama's Got a Brand New Hammer", the film's main suite, was released on June 30. Waititi wanted the music to reflect the same aesthetic of the film with its "bombastic, loud, colorful palette". "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses is featured in the film, given Guns N' Roses is one of Waititi's favorite bands, and helped "reflect the sort of crazy adventure that we're [visually] presenting"; the song was also used in the film's marketing. The film features the song "Rainbow in the Dark" by Dio, according to Wendy Dio, widow of band member Ronnie James Dio.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Lego sets and Hasbro figures based on the film were revealed in February 2022, with additional Lego sets and Funko Pops revealed that April. The teaser trailer was released on April 18, and commentators discussed its ending, which debuted Portman's Foster in the Mighty Thor costume and wielding a restored version of Thor's hammer Mjolnir. Marco Vito Oddo of "Collider" and Ryan Parker from "The Hollywood Reporter" highlighted the use of "Sweet Child o' Mine", which Oddo felt indicated Waititi would "keep the hard rock aesthetics that helped "Thor: Ragnarok" become a huge success", while Parker called it a "bright, stylish, fun trailer [that] sets a tone for the film in true Taika Waititi form". Justin Harp of "Digital Spy" felt the humor from "Ragnarok" was "clearly back in this film too", while Tom Power of "TechRadar" felt the trailer was a "superhero, intergalactic glam rock feast for the senses" and contained intriguing footage that did a good job of teasing the film. Both "The Ringer" Daniel Chin and "Empire" Sophie Butcher highlighted the trailer's focus on Thor's journey of self-discovery as well as the lack of footage of Christian Bale's Gorr. Chin remarked that the trailer was "dedicated to catching up with Thor as he rediscovers himself", and was excited for Portman's performance as Foster. He thought the trailer was a "far cry from the "Thor" we witnessed over a decade ago, as the franchise has transformed into a full-blown space comedy". Butcher felt the trailer's introspection was not surprising due to the film being set after "Endgame", and said the trailer was brief but exciting. The trailer had 209 million global views in its first 24 hours, becoming the seventh most viewed trailer in that time period.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: A second trailer was released on May 23, during Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Many commentators highlighted Christian Bale's appearance as Gorr the God Butcher in the trailer. Eric Francisco of "Inverse" noted the similar comedic tone from "Ragnarok" while adding "some darker shades" with the inclusion of Gorr. He said Bale brought an "absolutely vision of Gorr the God Butcher to the screen", adding that it appears Hemsworth was ready to pass the mantle of Thor to Portman. Jennifer Ouellette of "Ars Technica" noted that Gorr's scenes featured a different color palette, being shown in "primarily gray tones", which she felt made the contrast between other characters "more stark". Zach Seemayer from "Entertainment Tonight" felt that it "gives fans everything they've been hoping for from the brief flashes of important moments from the first trailer in April", citing scenes featuring Portman's the Mighty Thor, Thor "living up to his 'Space Viking' title", and Gorr's footage. Similarly, "The A.V. Club" Sam Barsanti and William Hughes also highlighted Portman and Hemsworth's Thor, Gorr's appearance, in addition to noting other comedic moments in the trailer, such as when Thor is nude after Russell Crowe's Zeus exposes his disguise. Scott Mendelson of "Forbes" called the trailer "the real deal" compared to the teaser, and noted similarities with the "Masters of the Universe" franchise. He speculated that Thor and Foster would be "pining" for each other despite it being 11 years after their first encounter, and called it "a little depressing", as he hoped the two "A+ dating specimens would have moved on". He also highlighted how Gorr's scenes played with color and contrast, and the "interplay" between Foster and Valkyrie. Footage from the film was also featured in the 2022 CineEurope presentation.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Ulta Beauty partnered with Marvel Studios to created a makeup collection based on the film. On July 9, 2022, Taika Waititi and Tessa Thompson appeared on "Vanity Fair" "Notes on a Scene" series, analysing the "Taste the Rainbow" scene. The video was met with criticism for what some viewers perceived as Waititi and Thompson's "mocking" the visual effects, on the same day that multiple VFX artists who worked for Marvel had spoken out against being "underpaid" and "overworked" by the studio's productions.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: "Thor: Love and Thunder" premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on June 23, 2022. The film was theatrically released in Australia on July 6, 2022, in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand on July 7, and in the United States on July 8, 2022, in 4DX, RealD 3D, IMAX, ScreenX, and Dolby Cinema. It was previously set for release on November 5, 2021, but was delayed to February 18, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then moved up a week to February 11 once "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" was rescheduled from November 2021 to March 2022, and delayed once again to May 6, 2022, in December 2020, before shifting to the July 2022 date in October 2021. It is part of Phase Four of the MCU. The El Capitan Theatre hosted two sensory inclusive screenings of the film in July 2022, featuring expedited check in, a "calming" lobby, reduced capacity, and gift bags for guests with items to aid with anxiety.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: The film was not released in Malaysia, Brunei, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Jordan due to containing LGBT elements. "Variety" reported that the Malaysian release did not happen because Disney refused to make cuts to the film requested by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia. The Malaysian government confirmed that this was due to LGBT elements not being cut from the film.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: "Thor: Love and Thunder" was released on Disney+ on September 8, 2022, part of Disney+ Day, with the option to view the theatrical version of the film or an IMAX Enhanced version. It was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 27. The home media includes audio commentary, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and various behind-the-scenes featurettes.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: "Thor: Love and Thunder" grossed $343.3million in the United States and Canada, and $417.7million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $760.9million. It is the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2022. The film's opening weekend earned $303.3 million globally, of which IMAX contributed $23 million, making it the third-largest July debut of all-time for the format.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In the United States and Canada, the film was projected to gross $140–167 million from 4,375 theatres in its opening weekend, along with a total gross of $345–420 million. The film earned $69.5 million on its first day, which included $29 million from Thursday night previews. This marked the second-highest opening day and preview night of 2022, behind fellow MCU film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", as well as the fifth-highest opening day ever for an MCU film. Its opening weekend earned $144.2 million, which was the largest debut of the "Thor" franchise, the twelfth-largest for the MCU, and the third-largest for 2022, behind "Multiverse of Madness" ($187.4 million) and "Jurassic World Dominion" ($145 million). Of the $144.2 million figure, over $13.8 million came from IMAX, making it the fifth-highest July debut of all-time for the format domestically. "Love and Thunder" was also the sixth film in the COVID-19 pandemic to earn over 10 million theater admissions in its opening weekend. Its second weekend grossed $46.6 million, a decline of nearly 68%, representing one of the MCU's largest sophomore weekend drops. "Deadline Hollywood" attributed this to its CinemaScore grade and generally mixed reception from critics and audiences. In its third weekend the film made $22.6 million, finishing second behind newcomer "Nope".


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Outside of North America, "Love and Thunder" grossed $15.7million from 17 markets on its opening day, surpassing the first-day overall results of "" (2017) by 39%. Its weekend gross was $159.2 million from 47 markets, making it the MCU's ninth-largest overseas debut ever and the third-largest for any Hollywood film released in the COVID-19 pandemic. It surpassed "Ragnarok"'s opening by 19%. IMAX contributed $9.2 million to the weekend, becoming the third-largest July debut ever overseas. It also set several pandemic box office milestones in its opening weekend, marking the second-highest pandemic opening in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, while earning the third-highest in numerous territories, including Brazil, Italy, Thailand, Singapore and Argentina. As of July 24, 2022, the film's largest markets are the United Kingdom ($31.5 million), Australia ($25.5 million), Mexico ($23.2 million), South Korea ($22.3 million), and Brazil ($17.2 million).


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 64%, with an average rating of 6.4/10, based on 430 reviews. The site's critics consensus reads: "In some ways, "Thor: Love and Thunder" feels like "Ragnarok" redux – but overall, it offers enough fast-paced fun to make this a worthy addition to the MCU." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 64 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, and PostTrak reported 77% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 63% saying they would definitely recommend it.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In early reactions to the film, "Screen Rant" noted that the performances from Christian Bale and Natalie Portman were praised. Owen Gleiberman of "Variety" said there are "many words to describe ["Thor: Love and Thunder"]", stating "comedy is all part of the package" that made "Ragnarok" "such a genuine Marvel wildflower." Gleiberman wrote that the film "sustains its freshness" to the end, although it started with a "more awkward" first act with the Guardians of the Galaxy. He also praised Gorr's characterization–a "power[ful introduction]"–and concluded the review by saying he felt "moved" by the end. David Ehrlich of "IndieWire" praised the film for its light tone and humorous moments, writing that "[Taika] Waititi continues to brighten up the Thor movies with his own flavor of wackiness, which is as welcome here as it was grating in "Jojo Rabbit"." However, he noted that the film "is clouded by its uncertain place in the universe from the moment it starts". Nick Allen at "RogerEbert.com" gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, stating that it was "more or less a victory lap for all that [ Waititi ] achieved with his previous Marvel film, the often hilarious, rousing, and plainly refreshing "Thor: Ragnarok". And while it has too many familiar flourishes and jokes, this entertaining sequel is still a force for good, with enough visual ambition and heart in front of and behind the camera to stand on its own." He praised Natalie Portman's performance that "conveys why it's great to see Jane again" and Christian Bale's "striking" role that he considered as the "closest we'll get to seeing him play Pennywise the Clown, with a dash of Voldemort, but tethered to the same humility [he] brings to his most human, humbled characters."


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Todd Gilchrist at "The A.V. Club" graded the film 'B', feeling that it did "[revisit] the cheeky, sentimental tone of the nearly universally beloved "Thor: Ragnarok", and propels its eponymous hero into new adventures that bring full circle a journey that started with the very first, much-less-beloved "Thor" back in 2011." He praised Portman and Bale's performances, with the latter's character being considered "the most interesting and sympathetic Marvel adversary since Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger in "Black Panther"", and Waititi's "distinctive imagery [in the film] that may disturb and upset some viewers", outpacing Sam Raimi's accomplishments in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022). Leah Greenblatt at "Entertainment Weekly" also gave a similar grade, feeling that although "its cheerful melee of starry cameos, in-jokes, and Cliffs-Notes mythology, feels a lot like franchise fatigue, it also has frequent moments of gonzo charm, thanks largely to the Technicolor lunacy of writer-director [Waititi] and a cast that seems inordinately game to follow his lead."


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: David Rooney of "The Hollywood Reporter" stated, "The movie feels weightless, flippant, instantly forgettable, sparking neither love nor thunder." David Sims of "The Atlantic" felt the film delivered a "usual lightning-streaked action and tossed-off gags, but this time, there's not enough heft behind the flashiness." He found it a "hasty-feeling mess of a movie" and "disappointing given that it's directed by [Waititi]", although he praised Bale and Russell Crowe's performances. David Fear of "Rolling Stone" felt the film was "oddly unengaging; even the love and death aspects often feel like cold transmissions from distant sources." He saw it as a mess due to the "collision of competing tones, subplots, conceptual big swings and chaos masquerading as pathos". Eric Francisco at "Inverse" found Chris Hemsworth's Thor in the film becoming "meandering, left in the purgatory of a roundabout tale that makes some sense on paper but in execution fails to maintain viscosity", feeling that Marvel "doesn't know what to do with [the character] anymore." He felt that despite "striv[ing] for an emotional story about loss and love, the movie gets in its own way with tiresome relentless comedy, distracted plotting, and uneven tone." Richard Roeper of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, calling it "one of the goofiest and least consequential sagas in MCU history—an allegedly wild and wacky but ultimately disappointing and disjointed chapter in the ongoing story of the God of Thunder, who seems to get more clueless with each passing movie."


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: At the London premiere Q&A, in response to the question "How gay will the film be?" Waititi exclaimed that it would be "super gay"; critics and moviegoers who saw the film expressed disappointment that this statement was false and that Marvel queerbaited the audience. Jade King of "The Gamer" felt expectations from queer audiences for prominent "LGBTQ+ characters and themes" in "Thor: Love and Thunder" were not met, writing that "the film's creators have been out there talking up the LGBTQ+ representation when it isn't really a massive part of the experience. [...] it's time to temper your expectations and stop letting Marvel continue to queerbait us into disappointment."


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: In February 2021, the documentary series "Marvel Studios: Assembled" was announced. The special on this film, "Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder", was released on Disney+ on September 8, 2022, part of Disney+ Day.


title: Thor: Love and Thunder

text: Waititi was unaware that the tagline "Thor will return" was added to the end of the film, stating that it was a surprise to both him and Hemsworth. Waititi was open to directing another "Thor" film if Hemsworth was also involved, stating the story would need to be "something surprising and unexpected", suggesting a low budget road trip film with no fight scenes, similar to "Nebraska" (2013).


title: China

text: China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and borders fourteen countries by land, the most of any country in the world, tied with Russia. Covering an area of approximately , it is the world's third largest country by total land area. The country consists of 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and two Special Administrative Regions (Hong Kong and Macau). The national capital is Beijing, and the most populous city and financial center is Shanghai.


title: China

text: Modern Chinese trace their origins to a cradle of civilization in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. The semi-legendary Xia dynasty in the 21st century BCE and the well-attested Shang and Zhou dynasties developed a bureaucratic political system to serve hereditary monarchies, or dynasties. Chinese writing, Chinese classic literature, and the Hundred Schools of Thought emerged during this period and influenced China and its neighbors for centuries to come. In the third century BCE, Qin's wars of unification created the first Chinese empire, the short-lived Qin dynasty. The Qin was followed by the more stable Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), which established a model for nearly two millennia in which the Chinese empire was one of the world's foremost economic powers. The empire expanded, fractured and re-unified, was conquered and reestablished, absorbed foreign religions and ideas, and made world-leading scientific advances, such as the Four Great Inventions: gunpowder, paper, the compass, and printing. After centuries of disunion following the fall of the Han, the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties reunified the empire. The multi-ethnic Tang welcomed foreign trade and culture that came over the Silk Road and adapted Buddhism to Chinese needs. The early modern Song dynasty (960–1279) became increasingly urban and commercial. The civilian scholar-official or literati used the examination system and the doctrines of Neo-Confucianism to replace the military aristocrats of earlier dynasties. The Mongol invasion established the Yuan dynasty in 1279, but the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) re-established Han Chinese control. The Manchu-led Qing dynasty nearly doubled the empire's territory and established a multi-ethnic state that was the basis of the modern Chinese nation, but suffered heavy losses to foreign imperialism in the 19th century.