Will Love And Thunder Be Chris Hemsworth's Final Appearance As Thor?

Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok was a fresh and exciting new direction for — not just the Chris Hemsworth starring franchise — but the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. Ever since their introduction to Waititi's colorful and campy take on the Norse God of Thunder, fans of the film have been eagerly awaiting a followup. Thankfully, one is on the horizon.

We already know a few things about the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, one of the most crucial being that it will feature the return of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Thor's love interest from his first two films. But, wait! There's more. Not only is Portman returning – she'll be picking up the hammer and becoming a God(ess) of Thunder herself. This has prompted massive speculation about what that means for Hemsworth's future with the franchise. He is slated to appear in Love and Thunder, but will Jane's ascension to Thordom mean it's the last we see of Hemsworth's Thor?

During an interview with Poland's Elle Man (which has been translated from Polish), Hemsworth addressed the question head-on. When asked if Love and Thunder would be his last outing as Thor, the actor replied, "Are you crazy?! I am not going into any retirement period (laughs). Thor is far too young for that. It is only 1500 years old! It is definitely not a film that I say goodbye to this brand. At least I hope so."

It looks like — if Hemsworth has his way – Love and Thunder won't be his last dance before retiring to the Corpse Hall. This is good news for fans of one of Marvel Studios' earliest Avengers. 

In the same interview, the Australian actor also gave fans a few teases about what to expect from the latest Thor film. We've already heard from Waititi himself that Love and Thunder is allegedly going to put Ragnarok to shame in the wild 'n' crazy arena. Based on what Hemsworth had to say in his Elle Man interview, it sounds like he's in agreement. He teased, "After reading the script, I can say that I am very excited. For sure in this production there will be a lot of love and a lot of lightning (laughs)."

Love and Thunder was originally set to complete filming in 2020, according to Cinemablend, but production has been pushed back to early 2021. That means a longer wait for Thorheads, but Hemsworth reiterated that the delay will be worth it: "Of course, I can't reveal anything about the plot, but to satisfy your curiosity, I will say that reading the script I had a lot more fun than on Thor: Ragnarok, and that shows something, because [that] movie was brilliant."

As of now, fans will have to wait until February 11, 2022 to find out exactly what kind of madness Waititi has cooked up for them with Thor: Love and Thunder. Any future appearances in the franchise for Hemsworth remain TBD, though it's good to know he's keeping that Heimdall's Gate open.

If you're mostly a fan of the Marvel movies and don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of decades of comic book history (no judgement here, by the way), you may be wondering how exactly Jane Foster becomes Thor. Does that mean that she's replacing the previous Thor?

The storyline Waititi's film appears to be drawing from has its origins in a story that unfolded across the series Original Sin and Thor beginning in 2014. In this arc, Thor Odinson (a.k.a. Hemsworth's Thor) becomes unworthy of wielding Mjolnir, the sacred hammer, which is engraved with the phrase, "Whosoever holds this hammer, should he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." With Odinson out of contention, the next most worthy candidate steps up: Jane Foster. She picks up the hammer and becomes the Goddess of Thunder.

Jane Foster's reign as Thor sees her doing righteous battle against the forces of evil, even though she is also undergoing treatments for breast cancer. The power of Mjolnir interferes with her treatments, and she must make the choice to continue to prove herself worthy of the mantle of Thor, or lay down the hammer and save her own life. We won't spoil the whole thing, but suffice to say, heavy is the hand that wields the hammer. All the while, Odinson — who is unaware of Jane's battles — is attempting to solve the mystery of who became the God(ess) of Thunder after he was forced into retirement. 

We still don't know how closely Waititi's movie will adhere to the storyline of the comics, but considering how hyped Hemsworth seems for Love and Thunder, we're guessing he'll still have a substantial role in the film. And considering that the hammer can change hands relatively easily, there's always the possibility that he'll reassume his godly duties at some point in the future.