Robert Downey Jr may have firmly shut the door on returning as Iron Man, and Chris Evans may be done and dusted with Captain American… but will Chris Hemsworth return as Thor in the next few years? Apparently so – as the Aussie actor confirms he isn’t quite ready to hang up Mjolnir nor Stormbreaker just yet. Not even after the franchise’s upcoming instalment Thor: Love & Thunder, directed by Taika Waititi.
“I’m not going into any retirement period,” Hemsworth tells Elle Man.
“Thor is way too young for that. I’m only 1,500 years old! It is definitely not a film that I say goodbye to… At least I hope so.”
Many had assumed Thor: Love & Thunder would be the mantle-passing moment. With Natalie Portman set to return as the Norse god’s love interest – Jane Foster – as well as set to wield the mythical hammer Mjolnir, the initial details surrounding Thor 4 had implied Hemsworth’s exit.
Furthermore, the idea that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would no longer require Thor was first alluded to in the closing scenes of Avengers: Endgame, when the Hemsworth’s character relinquished his title as ruler of Asgard and bestowed it upon Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie – a fellow Asgardian warrior who will also be making a return in the upcoming instalment.
“After reading the script, I can say that I am very excited,” adds Chris Hemsworth on Thor: Love & Thunder.
“I’m glad that after all that happened in Avengers: Endgame, I’m still part of the Marvel Universe and we can continue the story of Thor. Of course, I can’t tell you anything about the plot, but to satisfy your curiosity, I’ll say that I had a lot more fun reading the script than on Thor Ragnarok, and that proves something – because this movie was brilliant.”
In addition to Hemsworth, Portman, and Thompson, the production has cast none other than Christian Bale for the role of Love & Thunder‘s currently unspecified villain. No doubt it’ll be a menacing one.
Thor: Love & Thunder was originally scheduled for international release on November 5th of 2021. That date has since been pushed back to February 11th of 2022.
