Thor: Love and Thunder may have had mixed reviews, but most audiences enjoyed seeing the shenanigans that director Taika Waititi put its cast of characters through. Chris Hemsworth’s titular character got to reunite with a long-lost flame, Jane Foster got to wield his ex-hammer with true finesse, and Thor himself even took an adopted daughter under his wing.
Once the movie came to a close, sadly, Jane was off the board not much longer after she entered. But, Thor was alive because of it, and he was looking after the daughter of Eternity. So the big question now is: when will the founding Avenger pop up next in a live-action project? After all, Love and Thunder did declare that "Thor Will Return."
Will it be Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Maybe not until the culmination of Phase 6? Well, let’s take a look at all the most likely options for where the God of Thunder could make a comeback.
1.) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
It’s hard not to start out with The Guardians of the Galaxy. Their upcoming threequel is right around the corner, but could their old pal Thor Odinson make an appearance?
The Asgardian God first met the motley space team in Avengers: Infinity War and then went on to form an even stronger bond with Rocket Raccoon in Avengers: Endgame. They all showed their faces in Chris Hemsworth’s latest adventure, so it would only be natural if Thor got back into contact with the group—even if it was briefly.
Sadly, however, it seems the odds are very slim he’ll show up in The Holiday Special or Vol. 3. The project’s director, James Gunn, recently stated that he completely ignored the former Avengers and chose not to utilize the character at all.
2.) The Marvels
With The Marvels taking place in the cosmic corner of the MCU, that automatically puts it in the running for an appearance by Chris Hemsworth’s Avenger.
Fans have already had interactions between Captain Marvel and Odinson in What If…? as Carol Danvers engaged in battle against Party Thor, so could that have been a tease at things to come? But with both Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan in starring roles, it’s hard to imagine the God of Thunder’s help being needed in the first place.
On the other hand, those two had a pretty neat moment of comradery in Avengers: Endgame that sorely needs to be expounded on.
There are also all the rumors involving a potential appearance from Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. While that certainly doesn’t confirm Thor would show up alongside her, it at least opens up the possibility for him to join in on the cameo fun.
3.) Loki Season 2
With Loki performing so well for Disney+, Tom Hiddleston is all but confirmed to continue being a key player in the MCU, despite the first incarnation of his former villain being killed by Thanos himself. But, with the God of Mischief being active on the board, it’s only right that he eventually comes across his brother again… right?
The most likely way Chris Hemsworth would see Tom Hiddleston again is as a guest stint in Loki’s own show, probably as some Variant of himself. Maybe he could even reprise his role of Frog Thor, aka Throg, from Season 1—but obviously, that’s not the Thor being discussed.
It would be great to see Chris Hemsworth play a human-looking Odinson for at least an episode, even if it’s just for a few scenes. Fans miss the brotherly born between the two and seeing any version of it would be a win.
When it comes to Earth-616 Thor and Love meeting Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief, odds are that the situation will only occur during a movie like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars.
4.) Deadpool 3
Sure, Deadpool 3 doesn’t seem like the most obvious choice. After all, Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth will have a lot of catching up to do as he theoretically folds into Earth-616.
However, in a recent interview, Chris Hemsworth joked about wanting to cameo in the upcoming third film. Could these very public statements have made their way over to the threequel’s writers? And maybe even to Reynolds himself?
Hemsworth’s comedic prowess is impressive, so seeing him bounce off of Wade Wilson would be quite the spectacle. After all, if Marvel Studios is letting the creatives behind Deadpool 3 do whatever they want, an appearance from the God of Thunder is certainly possible.
5.) World War Hulk
With She-Hulk currently airing, many fans likely find their minds wandering back to the rumors regarding World War Hulk. Could that event be what Tatiana Maslany’s Disney+ series is leading towards?
After all, there was a massive Sakaaran spaceship in the first episode. Seems like something that would set up a massive-scale event such as the aforementioned storyline.
With Thor having some history with the Sakaarans himself, inserting him into the story would only be natural. It would also be great to see him get to know some of the newly extended Hulk family, such as Jennifer Walters.
Also, if Bruce Banner’s alter ego does end up becoming a problem for the world, the planet may need someone of Thor’s caliber to help counter Hulk’s threat. Maybe Odinson can even invite Love along for the ride.
6.) Eternals 2
One of the newest additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s space side of things is the Eternals. In their recent solo movie, the group was forced into action when they had to stop the evil Deviants while also keeping a Celestial from hatching out of the Earth.
Their defiant actions led to Arishem returning and kidnapping half the group while also declaring that he’d be back to judge the planet.
But now fans have no idea when any of those plot threads will be picked back up—especially given the poor reception of their debut film. So maybe Marvel Studios could bring Thor into a possible sequel to connect the group to the wider MCU and entice viewers to come back to the table when it comes to following the Eternals’ story.
Eternals even included a nod to the God of Thunder when Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo teased that Thor used to follow him around as a kid before becoming "a famous Avenger." Could Eternals 2 follow up on that relationship and bring it to the big screen?
Additionally, seeing Hemsworth’s hero interact with Starfox would also be a hoot. Seeing as Thor is the one who beheaded Thanos, the conversation between the duo could be highly entertaining.
7.) Nova
Nova is a character who is long overdue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Infinity War even gave the perfect setup for him to enter the game: Xandar’s destruction.
In the comics, a similar event happens with something called the Annihilation Wave, and Richard Rider is the only survivor—he is then forced to take on all of the cosmic power of Xandar’s Nova Corps and is tasked with protecting its culture.
Rumors have it that a project is finally on its way, but not many specific plot details aren’t known just yet. With his stories generally taking place in space, there’s always the chance Nova could run into Thor.
Maybe the two have already interacted in some manner. After all, the God of Thunder is the one who told the Guardians of the Galaxy about Xandar’s destruction. Maybe he visited in person? Though, that was about seven in-universe years ago.
Maybe Nova was snapped shortly after the destruction of the Nova Corps? Boy, that would be one rough chain of events.
8.) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
One of the clear choices for Thor’s next appearance is undoubtedly Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The massive team-up movie is the perfect place to bring the former Avenger back into the fold.
After all, he’s already fought and beaten Thanos—twice. So he’s bound to think Kang the Conqueror won’t be much trouble.
He’ll obviously be wrong, and hopefully, he’ll be humbled in great company alongside many other Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes. Thor’s new daughter, Love, could also end up playing a big role in the proceedings due to her being a product of Eternity itself.
Also, as it should go without saying, an appearance in Secret Wars is just as likely—if not a certainty.
9.) Thor 5
Sure, Thor could appear in a plethora of other Marvel Studios projects, but what about leading his own story once again? After all, currently, he’s got Brett Goldstein’s Hercules gunning for him—so the God of Thunder isn’t quite out of stories to tell just yet.
Even with that said, it sure does seem like a Thor 5 is unlikely. There may still be empty movie slots waiting to be filled, but there are more than a few higher priority possibilities—Shang-Chi 2, World War Hulk, Eternals 2, and Deadpool 3, just to name a few.
So, with that in mind, it sure does seem like Odinson is meant for a few guest appearances in the coming years. Who knows if Hercules is ever going to actually get around to killing him?
Thor: Love and Thunder is playing in theaters worldwide.
