Chris Hemsworth reflects on Thor's legacy and his cinematic regrets
Chris is one of the three Hemsworth brothers who aspired - and succeeded - in making a career in Hollywood. At 40, he has been involved in the cinema industry from the beginning, and his position was solidified through his involvement in one of the most profitable contemporary projects – Marvel movies. Playing Thor brought him fame and millions, but he now regrets the decision.
1 May 2024 20:19
He first portrayed the Norse god in a 2011 movie directed by Kenneth Branagh, reprising the role more than ten times in subsequent Marvel Universe instalments. His last appearance was in "Thor: Love and Thunder" by Taika Waititi in 2022. Produced for an impressive £200 million (coincidentally, this amount was the budget for a holiday movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), it grossed over three times its budget, nearing £609 million.
So, it wasn't exactly a failure for Marvel, but it didn't reach the monumental success expected. The first Thor chapter was a phenomenon, receiving critical and audience acclaim (with 93 and 87 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes). Waititi was praised for his innovative take on comic book heroes.
Most importantly, however, it earned slightly more than its sequel, generating revenues of over £682 million against a £144 million budget. The audience received the second film well (63 and 76 percent positive ratings among critics and fans, respectively), but even the actor in the titular role looks back on it unfavourably.
Chris Hemsworth regrets playing in "Thor: Love and Thunder." And not just that
Dreaming of a role in one of Kevin Costner’s films, he reflected bitterly in an interview with "Vanity Fair". – I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself. I didn’t stick the landing – he said, reflecting on his performance from two years ago. It turns out this is not the only issue troubling the actor. From his words, it seems he now views the entire Marvel universe, which has leveraged Thor's character heavily in recent years, with detachment.
– Sometimes I felt like a security guard for the team. I would read everyone else’s lines, and go, ‘Oh, they got way cooler stuff. They’re having more fun – he revealed in the interview. However, his co-star, Robert Downey Jr., does not share this view.
– Hemsworth is, in my opinion, the most complex psyche out of all us Avengers. He’s got wit and gravitas, but also such restraint, fire, and gentleness – commented the Iron Man actor.
Chris agreed, but he also felt that he could be easily replaced. He revealed that even though he feels obligated to deliver another Thor movie to fans (and rumours suggest that plans for such are indeed in place), he also feels that this phase of his career has passed.
The future of Thor in Hemsworth's portrayal is uncertain. Still, we will definitely see him in one of the most anticipated premieres of 2024, "Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga" by George Miller. The premiere will take place on Friday, May 24.
