Thor fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as star Chris Hemsworth just confirmed his MCU future beyond the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Hemsworth, who has played the iconic Asgardian since 2011's Thor, is set to return to screens later this year, appearing in the hotly anticipated fifth Avengers film. Having now played the character for what will be 15 years (at the time of Doomsday's release), some had begun to wonder whether the longtime MCU star would hang up the hammer in the not-too-distant future, but that does not look to be the case.
In a recent appearance on the Smartless podcast, Hemsworth addressed his MCU future, revealing that there are plans for him to return to the franchise after Avengers: Doomsday. When asked about what is next for his hero and whether he was ready for super-powered retirement, Hemsworth confirmed that he will appear "a couple more times" after Marvel's 2026 mega-movie.
"We've got some ideas to do something pretty unique again," he added, lamenting that "[Kevin Feige] said it's cool because the audience now expects dramatic turns with the character:"
"[Kevin Feige] said it’s cool because the audience now expects dramatic turns with the character. And whatever we do next—we’ve got some ideas to do something pretty unique again and hopefully be [different]."
Previously, it had been reported that Marvel Studios was perhaps ready to sunset the character after more than 15 years in the franchise. A recent rumor suggested Marvel would give the Thor character a send-off as part of its upcoming slate, using the events of New Avengers (Vol. 3) #32 as an inspiration.
Hemsworth himself has been noncommittal about his future as the lightning-wielding supe, telling press that, for him to return beyond the ongoing Multiverse Saga, it would have to be for something "drastically different" from what has come before.
Thor is confirmed as a key player in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film; in fact, it has been reported that he will be the secondary lead, behind Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. The longtime Avengers was one of the few MCU characters to get his own Doomsday trailer in its initial four-teaser push.
What Is Next For Thor in the MCU?
One of the biggest reasons Chris Hemsworth has not yet soured on the Thor role over the years has been the MCU's ability to transform the character. His films have gone from high Shakespearean melodrama to space-faring gigglefests, and now they will seemingly go somewhere completely different yet again.
If Marvel can keep reinventing the character and putting him in new, unique situations, then Hemsworth seems more than game for coming back time and time again.
This revelation may surprise fans, as Thor has been a popular choice for being Doomsday or for Secret Wars' big, movie-defining death (in the same way that Tony Stark's was in Avengers: Endgame). These worries come from the fact that Hemsworth is one of only a handful of original MCU Avengers left on the board, and if a character were to kick the bucket, his would make a lot of sense.
Thor does not seem to be leaving the on-screen universe any time soon, though, as Hemsworth is still seemingly not only ready for more, but it appears that Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios brain trust even have plans set in place for what will come next for the character.
These plans will most likley take the form of Thor playing a significant role in both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, before he takes on another solo adventure in Thor 5, helmed by a whole new director and creative team.
From there, who knows where the character goes? But if Hemsworth wants to do more, then Marvel would be smart to let him.
