While a box office hit for the MCU -- grossing over $760 million worldwide -- Thor: Love and Thunder did not sit well with critics, fans, and now even its stars, as Chris Hemsworth admitted the film became "too silly" for its own good.
Coming off of the surprising success of 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi returned to the director's chair for the 29th installment in the MCU. However, Thor: Love and Thunder was met with mixed reviews, as many praised the performances --- particularly Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher -- but were turned off by the screenplay, visual effects, and tonal inconsistencies.
In a new GQ profile, Hemsworth opened up about the backlash Thor: Love and Thunder has received. "I think we just had too much fun. It just became too silly,” he said. “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." He shared that some of his biggest critics were not just professionals but his son's friends. “It’s a bunch of eight-year-olds critiquing my film. ‘We thought this one had too much humor, the action was cool but the VFX weren’t as good,’” he said. “I cringe and laugh equally at it.”
Despite the criticisms and focusing on other projects, such as his Extraction films, Hemsworth is still willing to return for more adventures in the MCU as long as the scripts offer something unique. “I love the experience,” he said. “I love the fact that I’ve been able to do something fairly different throughout the process. Thor 1 and 2 were their own thing, Thor 3 and 4 were a very different feel…and then even Avengers, the Lebowski Thor, the Infinity War Thor, due to different directors and I think mostly my own need to do something different.”
While it's unclear if Waititi will direct another Thor movie, perhaps a new filmmaker should offer his vision and satisfy Hemsworth's wants of having a different take on Thor set in a more creatively rich and interesting story. So, if and when Hemsworth announces his return, fans will know they are in for something different.
Thor: Love and Thunder is now streaming on Disney Plus.
Source: GQ