‘I became a parody of myself’: Chris Hemsworth on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

In his interview with Vanity Fair, Chris Hemsworth expressed that Marvel fans should be treated to another "Thor" movie, considering the underwhelming reception of 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder". Hemsworth had previously acknowledged to GQ in the past year that the fourth standalone "Thor" film was "too silly," a sentiment that seems to linger as a regret.

 

"I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself. I didn't stick the landing," Hemsworth admitted.

Despite his gratitude for the career-defining role of Thor, Hemsworth confessed to the publication that he experienced frustration portraying the character in four standalone Marvel films and additional "Avengers" movies.

"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. What's my character doing?' It was always about, 'You've got the wig on. You've got the muscles. You've got the costume. Where's the lighting?' Yeah, I'm part of this big thing, but I'm probably pretty replaceable," Hemsworth elaborated.

Then again, Hemsworth's longtime Marvel co-star, Robert Downey Jr, who portrayed Iron Man, rejects such claims, stating, "First off, Thor as a character was super tricky to adapt — lots of implied limitations — but he and Ken Branagh figured out how to transcend, make him somehow relatable but godlike. Hemsworth is, in my opinion, the most complex psyche out of all of us Avengers. He's got wit and gravitas, but also such restraint, fire, and gentleness."

Thor catapulted Hemsworth into the realm of big, muscular Hollywood action stars, a path he has continued to excel in with films like Netflix's "Extraction" series. However, the actor craves diversity in his roles, expressing to Vanity Fair his desire to explore beyond the action genre and collaborate with renowned dramatic filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan, Kathryn Bigelow, Greta Gerwig, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. He disclosed that Darren Aronofsky, producer of his adventure documentary series "Limitless", is developing two potential projects tailored for him. One is a dark comedy, while the other is a sci-fi venture.

Hemsworth's upcoming project sees him taking on the role of the villain in George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road" prequel film "Furiosa". The actor expressed that this role has been his favourite since starring in Ron Howard's 2013 race car movie "Rush".

"Ron took me out of that typecast space of the muscly action guy and let me play a character with complications and darkness. I remember thinking at the time, 'Oh, this is going to change everything,'" Hemsworth conveyed. 

"Furiosa" reignited Hemsworth's passion for acting. While it remains uncertain when he might reprise his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he is determined to deliver the "Thor" movie that fans deserve. However, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly last year, he expressed uncertainty about continuing to portray the same character indefinitely. He suggested that a potential "Thor 5" would need to offer something fresh and unexpected.

"Furiosa" is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival before its theatrical release nationwide on May 24, distributed by Warner Bros.