Chris Hemsworth admits Thor: Love and Thunder was too silly

Luca Fontana

9.6.2023

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

In a newly released interview, Chris Hemsworth speaks candidly about Marvel’s much-maligned Thor: Love and Thunder. And how Martin Scorsese’s and Quentin Tarantino’s criticism hit him.

It’s perhaps the most surprising mea culpa a Marvel star has issued in recent years. I’m talking about Thor actor Chris Hemsworth. In an interview with men’s magazine GQ, he talks about lousy reviews for Thor: Love and Thunder and the now-infamous Marvel comments from legendary directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.

The film set was too silly

When Thor: Love and Thunder opens in theatres in July 2022, hopes are high for the next Marvel hit. After all, Taika Waititi once again took the helm to direct Hemsworth as Thor one more time. Just a few years earlier, the duo managed one of the most successful soft reboots in Marvel history with Thor: Ragnarok. Thor: Love and Thunder did well at the box office. But the film still falls mainly flat with critics and fans.

«I think we just had too much fun. It just became too silly,» the Australian movie star says in the interview. "It’s always hard being in the centre 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.»

Among Hemsworth’s most persistent critics are his son’s friends. «It’s a bunch of eight-year-olds critiquing my film. ’We thought this one had too much humour, the action was cool but the VFX weren’t as good.’ I cringe and laugh equally at it.»

Hemsworth has starred in a total of eight Marvel films. More Marvel films aren’t currently on the schedule, he said, preferring to do «something else» for a while. But should the creative opportunity present itself, he wouldn’t turn down another «Thor» movie.

Harsh criticism from Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino

Hemsworth gets much more serious when it comes to the harsh criticism that iconic filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino have levelled at Marvel. Scorsese accused Marvel that its films weren’t true cinema and had a negative impact on the cinematic landscape. Tarantino, on the other hand, said that Marvel wasn’t able to produce movie stars because it wasn’t the actors and actresses who became famous, but merely the characters they played. Captain America, say – not Chris Evans.

«That’s super depressing when I hear that,» Hemsworth says of Tarantino and Scorsese. «There goes two of my heroes I won’t work with. I guess they’re not a fan of me.»

Still, Hemsworth prefers to see the glass half full. «I’m thankful that I have been a part of something that kept people in cinemas,» the star said, «Now, whether or not those films were to the detriment of other films, I don’t know. I don’t love when we start scrutinising each other when there’s so much fragility in the business and in this space of the arts as it is […] I don’t think any of us have the answer, but we’re trying.»

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

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