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Back when Marvel was still playing it relatively safe with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, the idea of launching Thor almost didn’t make the cut. The studio wrestled with how to make a literal god work in a universe that was, at the time, trying to stay grounded. There were early drafts floating around where Thor was barely even part of the long-term plan. Yep, the God of Thunder was nearly benched before the game even began.
Before The Thunder: How Thor Survived Hollywood’s Director Shuffle
Long before Chris Hemsworth swung the hammer, the project bounced between hands. Sam Raimi once had eyes on it after Darkman, but the studio shrugged. Years later, Matthew Vaughn was in, then out, after trying to trim the budget. Guillermo del Toro was this close, but ditched it for The Hobbit, which he also eventually left. Finally, Kenneth Branagh stepped in — yes, the Shakespeare guy. He brought gravitas and classical flair to something that could’ve easily become a CGI bloat-fest.
Branagh’s name alone roped in heavyweights. Natalie Portman admitted, “I just thought it sounded like a weird idea because Kenneth Branagh’s directing it, so I was just like, ‘Kenneth Branagh doing Thor is super-weird, I’ve gotta do it.’” Stellan Skarsgård and Idris Elba said yes for the same reason. It gave the film credibility. Prestige. A shot at being more than just a god with a hammer.
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From Rejected To Worthy: How Hemsworth Fought For The Hammer
Hemsworth’s road to Thor? It was rough. At one point, he didn’t even get a screen test. One casting director shut him down early. His brother Liam tested instead. Marvel passed. But Chris’ agent pushed back, got Feige to take another look, and boom—second try, screen test, nailed it.
While filming The Cabin in the Woods, he got comic book tips from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard to prep. Soon enough, the golden locks were on (along with dyed eyebrows), and Thor was official. Even Feige later cringed at that beauty salon decision (via Slashfilm): “That poor guy, we made him freaking dye his eyebrows!”
Thor’s First Flight Was Risky But Branagh Stuck The Landing
Branagh walked a tightrope with that first movie. Thor had to be otherworldly but still click with RDJ’s Tony Stark. So the film played it as a half-Shakespearean drama, half-space adventure. Hemsworth leaned into the regal tone. The gods got their capes. The mortals got snark. And somehow, it didn’t fall apart.
The 2011 release pulled in $449 million worldwide. Not Avengers-level, but a strong enough swing to prove Thor belonged. It also gave us Tom Hiddleston’s Loki—arguably the most beloved villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). That casting? Spot on.
How Thor Went from Godly to Goofy and Saved His MCU Legacy
No MCU character changed as much as Thor. From the self-important thunder god of Thor to the cosmic goofball in Thor: Ragnarok, the reinvention was massive. Feige himself admitted, “Hemsworth is Thor and he doesn’t need long hair, or a cape, or a hammer, or two eyeballs to be Thor.” The MCU stopped chasing comic book looks and leaned into personality, and it paid off.
Branagh got the ball rolling. Taika Waititi broke the mold. And Hemsworth made sure Thor wasn’t written off in Marvel, but redefined.
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