Chris Hemsworth is still wincing at the reception of Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
The actor looked back on the goofily disappointing 2022 Marvel movie in a new profile in Vanity Fair.
“I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself,” Hemsworth said. “I didn’t stick the landing.”
The profile noted that Hemsworth feels like he owes fans another Thor movie due to the fourth film’s reception.
The 40-year-old is perhaps being a bit hard on himself (something he admits he’s prone to do), given the film’s creative direction was largely driven by its co-writer and director, Taika Waititi, who previously led the Thor franchise to what’s universally considered its best film, 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Also, while Love and Thunder might never be a fan favorite, it still grossed $760 million at the box office and has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 63 percent, which means it performed better than many films in the recent superhero-fatigue era.
Hemsworth also seemed to suggest the Netflix Extraction films weren’t hugely fulfilling endeavors, noting his new role in George Miller’s Furiosa was a sharp contrast after coming off filming the intense Extraction 2 for the streamer despite nursing a back injury.
“As soon as I got to [Furiosa] rehearsals, everything lifted,” he said. ” I just got reinvigorated. Suffering without a purpose is awful. Suffering with purpose can be rejuvenating and replenishing. I’d grown so tired of myself, and now I had to lose myself in a character.”
In addition, the actor seemed to wonder why he isn’t offered more roles from acclaimed directors (despite being a massive movie star by any measure). “Why am I doing this film?” he found himself wondering. “Why isn’t this script better? Why didn’t that director call me for that or why didn’t I get considered for this role? Why don’t I get the call-up from Scorsese or Tarantino? I had begun to take it all too serious and too personal.”
It’s not the first time Hemsworth has admitted Love and Thunder didn’t entirely work, having previously said last year Love and Thunder was “too silly,” adding, “I think we just had too much fun … It’s always hard being in the center of it and having any real perspective … I love the process, it’s always a ride. But you just don’t know how people are going to respond.”
The upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is set years before the events in 2015’s Fury Road and stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Hemsworth as Warlord Dementus. The film opens May 24.
