Marvel movies have been a bit hit-or-miss since Avengers: Endgame become one of the most successful films in history back in 2019, but the studio still knows how to get people to pay attention. A ton of folk tuned in to see the reveal of the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel's next big crossover event. The cast list is long, including Marvel newcomers like Pedro Pascal as well as old hands like Chris Hemsworth, who will return as Thor.
Hemsworth first appeared as the God of Thunder in 2011's Thor, so he's been at this for well over a decade, meaning he's spent more time consistently playing the same Marvel character than anyone else in the franchise. The other day, he posted a highlight reel of some of Thor's best moments, and what he wrote underneath kind of made it sound like his time in the MCU was coming to an end.
"Playing Thor has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Hemsworth said. "For the last 15 years I've held Mjolnir and then Stormbreaker as the God of Thunder, but what made it truly special… was sharing it with all of you. Your passion, your cheers, and your love for this character have meant everything to me."
"Thank you for making my journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe unforgettable.. Next up, Doomsday!"
Is it just me or does Hemsworth sound like he's getting ready to say goodbye to the character? Maybe Thor dies in Avengers: Doomsday? We'll find out when the movie lands in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Get a new look at Pedro Pascal in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Before that, we will see The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the introduction of the Fantastic Four into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The famous superhero family have appeared on the big screen before, but never as part of the MCU. This time, Marvel is trying to do it right: Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby is Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman; Joseph Quinn is Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is Ben Grimm, aka the Thing.
They are Marvel’s First Family, and I really wanted to do them justice,” Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige told Empire. That means telling a Fantastic Four story as it's told in the comics, where they face down a gigantic, planet-eating villain named Galactus (Ralph Ineson). “In another time, some might consider the notion of somebody with a big, angular helmet walking through a city goofy,” Feige continued. “I consider it awesome.”
How does one approach playing a being of enormous size and infinite power like Galactus? Ralph Ineson spent a lot of time staring off the edges of tall buildings. "We went to a wedding at the top of the Gherkin building in London, and I spent most of the afternoon just staring out, ruminating," he said. "I got in trouble with my wife — she was like, ‘You’ve got to say hello to the bride and groom at some point!’”
"The coming of Galactus is one of the greatest comic-book stories ever written...He’s a cosmic force. He’s a god, of sorts."
The Fantastic Four: First Steps comes out on July 25 of this year, pretty soon now. All four fantastic family members will return in Avengers: Doomsday alongside Chris Hemsworth's Thor. Whether they all make it to the movie after that remains to be seen.
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