Chris Hemsworth, fresh off of playing the character earlier this year in Thor: Love and Thunder, has recently addressed when he’ll be seen playing the character again. As it turns out, his return does not come without stipulations.
Hemsworth's last turn in the Thor franchise was not met with universal praise. Thor: Love and Thunder endured one of the worst second-week drops in the MCU. In addition to its underwhelming box office performance, the film does not have a sterling reputation among fans and critics alike. Taika Waititi's second go at the character was not as successful as the first, with many claiming the film does not take itself seriously enough.
While appearing on Josh Horowitz’ Happy Sad Confused podcast, Hemsworth revealed that he’s ready to return to the character, but only if there’s a new take waiting for him. "It would have to be a drastically different version...just for my own sanity,” Hemsworth said. "I’ve had such a unique opportunity with Infinity War and Endgame to do very drastic things with the character. I enjoy that [...] It keeps me on my toes [...] when it becomes too familiar, I think there’s a risk in getting lazy."
Hemsworth has previously said he’s ready to close the book on Thor if he returns. The actor appears ready to move on from the role he first began playing in 2011. He had been on the podcast to promote Limitless, his National Geographic documentary, and revealed that he discovered he’s genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's disease. This discovery led Hemsworth to take a break from acting to spend more time with his family.
So it’s fair to say that Hemsworth's return to Thor would have to be something special. Not only is he struggling with some troubling health news, but it also seems that, on a personal level, he’s ready to move on to new pastures. That makes sense, since even the face of the MCU, Robert Downey Jr., only stayed on for about 11 years. Hemsworth would have been in the universe for even longer by the time he retires the character.
Perhaps a special enough occasion and take on Hemsworth's return would also see Loki come back to the franchise. Though Thor currently believes Loki is dead, Loki reveals the trickster is alive due to interference by the Time Variance Authority. It would be a poignant send-off for the character if the two face off or join forces one last time.
Thor: Love and Thunder is available to stream on Disney Plus
Source: Josh Horowitz/YouTube