Marvel star Chris Hemsworth has exited a major action franchise, prompting speculation about whether he will continue playing the MCU's Thor after Avengers: Secret Wars. Outside the MCU, Hemsworth has built a career that mixes action, drama, comedy, and franchise work. His most recent and notable credit is starring in Netflix's Extraction films (with a third movie arriving soon), in which he brought mercenary Tyler Rake to life. Hemsworth's other credits include In the Heart of the Sea, Snow White and the Huntsman, the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, and most recently, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. These projects proved Hemsworth has range beyond portraying the God of Thunder, demonstrating his willingness to take on big studio tentpoles and supporting roles when necessary. That broader resume makes his recent career moves stand out, especially after a new update surfaced online.
A new report from Variety corroborating Nexus Point News' exclusive that Chris Hemsworth dropped out of Paramount's new G.I. Joe reboot, a major action project in which he had previously been attached to in a lead capacity, shared that fellow MCU star Bradley Cooper (the voice of Rocket Raccoon) is being eyed to take over the role of Duke in the grounded reboot.
In that same report, it was also stated that the film is positioned as a full reboot, separate from earlier live-action entries and the abandoned Transformers crossover teased at the end of 2023's Transformers: Return of the Beast.
The timing of Hemsworth's exit arrives amid ongoing questions about his MCU future after Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. As one of the few remaining original Avengers, the promotional push for Avengers: Doomsday, the MCU's upcoming 2026 crossover, heavily featured Thor Odinson, meaning he is a major player in the looming fight against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom to save the Multiverse.
Thor, alongside Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, has long been a candidate for a major death or proper send-off in one of the two films, following in the footsteps of Downey's Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
Older comments from Hemsworth after his stint as Thor in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder fed those fears. In November 2022, the actor suggested that if he returned again, it might be time to "close the book" on Thor if he made another appearance, which could potentially include "the death" of his hero:
"Yeah, for sure. I feel like we’d probably have to close the book if I ever did it again, you know what I mean? I feel like it probably warrants that. I feel like it’d probably be the finale, but that’s not based on anything anyone’s told me or any sort of plans. You have this birth of a hero, the journey of a hero, then the death of a hero, and I don’t know—am I at that stage? Who knows?"
In April 2025, Alex Perez of The Cosmic Circus claimed that Marvel Studios is planning a proper swan song for Chris Hemsworth's Thor, leaning toward elements of Thor Corps storytelling for Avengers: Secret Wars and future MCU storytelling.
Avengers: Doomsday's promotional footage has clearly framed the fight between Thor and Doctor Doom as a pivotal moment in the movie, hinting that this sequence could tease his impending doom in the crossover. His potential death could instantly shake the stakes for Doomsday, considering that he is at the top of the list when it comes to being one of the most powerful heroes in the roster.
Despite that, Hemsworth already said in a previous February 2026 interview that Thor is confirmed to return after Avengers: Doomsday, meaning that he is slated to appear in Secret Wars:
"[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]."
This strongly suggests an appearance in Secret Wars and leaves the door open for further stories beyond it, even as speculation about his death persists until the films arrive.
Interestingly, Disney also confirmed that Chris Hemsworth will appear as Thor in Avengers: Infinity Defense, a theme park attraction set to open in 2028 at Avengers Campus. While this is non-canon to the main MCU timeline, it clearly demonstrates Marvel and Disney's willingness to continue using the actor in the role beyond the Multiverse Saga.
What Chris Hemsworth's MCU Future Looks Like After Avengers: Secret Wars
Chris Hemsworth's Thor is an MCU hero who is not easy to kill. Given the genius-level intellect of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, the most plausible path for the villain is to use Thor and flip him as an ally in the Battleworld setup he wants to fulfill after Avengers: Doomsday. If Thor becomes an ally to Doom in Secret Wars, this could pave the way for his survival beyond the final film of the Multiverse Saga, leading to more stories in the Mutant Saga.
The most probable path for Hemsworth past Secret Wars is another solo Thor film, almost certainly with a new director. Hemsworth has repeatedly emphasized the need for something unique and fresh for Thor's arc, meaning that a fresh take is in the cards for a possible Thor 5, which could also address the dangling cliffhanger tied to Brett Goldstein's Hercules at the end of Thor: Love and Thunder.
Aside from the imminent showdown with Hercules, other story threads worth exploring for Thor to entice audiences could focus on themes of fatherhood with Love, the cliffhanger involving Valhalla, and further exploration of Thor's powers. Keeping Hemsworth as one of the few original Avengers with real longevity actually fits the Thor character, considering that he is already an elder statesman by the time of the events of Avengers: Doomsday.
