Chris Hemsworth Almost Had a Very Different Look in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’
Several Marvel heroes completed their arcs in Avengers: Endgame. But the God of Thunder will return for his upcoming fourth solo film, Thor: Love and Thunder. As much as he’s enjoyed playing the role, Chris Hemsworth often requested the chance to do something new.
Thor: Ragnarok particularly proved to be a turning point. But unbeknownst to fans, Hemsworth almost looked very different in the final version of that movie. Here’s a peek into the Thor audiences almost got instead.
Taika Waititi took the ‘Thor’ franchise in a new direction
The first two Thor movies were financially successful. But few fans were super enthusiastic about the character’s solo franchise. Although he shined in Avengers: Endgame, Thor’s own journey was somewhat lacking when compared to that of Iron Man and Captain America.
So, following the staid Thor: The Dark World, Marvel took a big swing with its follow-up. Rather than hiring a director to execute their specific vision, the company brought on Taika Waititi to reinvent the character. Gone were so many supporting players and subplots from the previous movies.
Instead, the resulting film brought Thor much more closely in line with Guardians of the Galaxy. Waititi applied his signature whimsy and quirk to a tongue-in-cheek cosmic adventure. In truth, Thor: Ragnarok feels more like a psychedelic adventure than anything relating to its predecessors.
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ almost went even more radical with the hero’s look
Marvel wanted to do a “soft reboot” of Thor. And they got exactly what they hoped for. Hemsworth’s self-serious attitude was replaced with a more laid-back energy. And Thor’s signature blond locks are trimmed away and replaced by a short cut. But as fans know, Marvel always has scrapped design ideas.
But according to Andy Park, director of visual development over at Marvel Studios, Thor’s hair was almost way shorter. In fact, the hero nearly had a buzz cut. Such a design would have visually leaned into the gladiatorial nature of the planet of Sakaar, where much of the movie takes place.
Park took to Instagram to share a piece of concept hair depicting short-hair Thor. This low-key — no pun intended — look could have worked in Thor’s favor. But ultimately his hair in the finished film neatly bridges the gap between the Thor fans first met and this new, evolved one.
Chris Hemsworth could switch it up again in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
Thor has changed so much since he first showed up in his first movie in 2011. After Thor: Ragnarok significantly lightened the character, the Avengers movies opened up a whole new side again. In Avengers: Infinity War, he suppresses his grief to focus on taking down Thanos. And, of course, Avengers: Endgame sees him enter a deep depression.
With Thor: Love and Thunder moving forward, fans have no clue which version of Thor they’ll get in that movie. No MCU hero has ever gotten more than three solo movies. And it remains to be seen how Waititi — who’s returning to direct — will pick up the threads left by Endgame. Perhaps Thor will be back in fighting shape, or he could still struggle with his personal demons. At this point, it could go either way.
