Chris Hemsworth has boarded a new submarine thriller.
Patrick Vollrath will direct the movie, called ‘Subversion.’
It’s set to shoot this fall in Australia.
Director Patrick Vollrath is clearly a filmmaker who gets something out of movies set in enclosed spaces.
He made his directorial debut with 2019’s ‘7500,’ starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a pilot stuck in his cockpit while his plane is hijacked, and he’s now attached to a movie that will primarily be set inside a submarine.
Chris Hemsworth at the Comic-Con 2022 ‘Transformers One’ presentation. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Writer Andrew Ferguson, who has a number of scripts floating around the Blacklist of favored unproduced work, and has 2020 short film ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ on his resume, has cooked up the story, described as a “ ‘Die Hard’ on a submarine”-style thriller that centers on a once-promising Naval commander (Hemsworth) who is blackmailed by a cartel-like operation into piloting a dangerous submarine carrying illegal cargo across international waters.
Thrust into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the man must outmaneuver blockades and navigate perilous threats both in and outside of the submarine.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing via his di Bonaventura Pictures company, and the movie is setting up to start the cameras rolling this fall in Australia.
What else is Chris Hemsworth working on?
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor: The Dark World’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Hemsworth was recently confirmed to be returning for the next big Marvel team-up movie, ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ his name announced first among a sprawling list of veteran and more recent characters from the giant cinematic universe.
Coming up for the actor is Bart Layton’s new thriller ‘Crime 101,’ which sees a detective tracking a jewel thief adhering to the “Crime 101” rules –– a strict set of guidelines for the perfect heist.
He’s been at work making a third ‘Extraction’ outing, with Sam Hargrave back directing for Netflix and has been linked to a couple of projects that seem to be in development limbo; the ‘G.I. Joe’/‘Transformers’ crossover that Paramount is hoping will unite two of its biggest franchises and live-action Disney movie ‘Prince Charming,’ which is on hold since the box office failure of ‘Snow White.’
When will ‘Subversion’ sail into theaters?
‘Subversion’ is under the banner of Amazon MGM Studios, but the company has yet to confirm a release date.
Kenneth Branagh is an Oscar-winning Writer, director, producer, and actor.
The filmmaker first made a name for himself in the 80’s and 90’s for his big screen adaptions of William Shakespeare plays like ‘Henry V,’ ‘Much Ado About Nothing‘ and ‘Hamlet,’ which he also starred in.
After several Academy Award nominations over the course of his career, Branagh finally won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his very personal 2021 film ‘Belfast.’
In honor of ‘A Haunting in Venice’s release, Moviefone is counting down every movie Kenneth Branagh has ever directed.
Ferdia Shaw in ‘Artemis Fowl.’ Photo: Nicola Dove / Disney.
Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw) is a 12-year-old genius and descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds. He soon finds himself in an epic battle against a race of powerful underground fairies who may be behind his father’s (Colin Farrell) disappearance.
Out of work actor Joe (Michael Maloney) volunteers to help try and save his sister’s local church for the community by putting on a Christmas production of Hamlet, somewhat against the advice of his agent Margaretta (Joan Collins). As the cast he assembles are still available even at Christmas and are prepared to do it on a ‘profit sharing’ basis (that is, they may not get paid anything) he cannot expect – and does not get – the cream of the cream. But although they all bring their own problems and foibles along, something bigger starts to emerge in the perhaps aptly named village of Hope.
During World War I, in an unnamed country, a soldier named Tamino (Joseph Kaiser) is sent by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina (Amy Carson) from the clutches of the supposedly evil Sarastro (René Pape). But all is not as it seems.
London, June 29th, 1613. The Globe Theater, ran by the famous playwright William Shakespeare (Branagh), accidentally burns to ashes. Seriously affected, he stops writing and returns to his hometown, where his wife Anne (Judi Dench) and daughters Judith (Kathryn Wilder) and Susanna (Lydia Wilson) get surprised to hear he intends to stay there definitively, after two decades working in the capital, neglecting his sincere affections for them.
After inheriting a large country estate from his late father, Peter (Stephen Fry) invites his friends from college: married couple Roger (Hugh Laurie) and Mary (Imelda Staunton), the lonely Maggie (Emma Thompson), fashionable Sarah (Alphonsia Emmanuel), and writer Andrew (Branagh), who brings his American TV star wife, Carol (Rita Rudner). Sarah’s new boyfriend, Brian (Tony Slattery), also attends. It has been 10 years since college, and they find their lives are very different.
Celebrated sleuth Hercule Poirot (Branagh), now retired and living in self-imposed exile in Venice, reluctantly attends a Halloween séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.
The King of Navarre (Alessandro Nivola) and his three companions swear a very public oath to study together and to renounce women for three years. Their honour is immediately put to the test by the arrival of the Princess of France (Alicia Silverstone) and her three lovely companions. It’s love at first sight for all concerned followed by the men’s hopeless efforts to disguise their feelings.
Witty, playful and utterly magical, the story is a compelling romantic adventure in which Rosalind (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Orlando’s (David Oyelowo) celebrated courtship is played out against a backdrop of political rivalry, banishment and exile in the Forest of Arden – set in 19th-century Japan.
Based on Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein” tells the story of Victor Frankenstein (Branagh), a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster (Robert De Niro), which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It’s not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions.
Chris Pine plays the young Jack Ryan, cruising the downtown streets of Manhattan for ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo credit: David Lee.
Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), as a young covert CIA analyst, uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.
In this Shakespearean farce, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and her groom-to-be, Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), team up with Claudio’s commanding officer, Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), the week before their wedding to hatch a matchmaking scheme. Their targets are sharp-witted duo Benedick (Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) — a tough task indeed, considering their corresponding distaste for love and each other. Meanwhile, meddling Don John (Keanu Reeves) plots to ruin the wedding.
When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella’s fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger (Richard Madden) in the woods.
Hamlet (Branagh), Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father (Brian Blessed) murdered and his mother (Julie Christie) now marrying the murderer… his uncle (Derek Jacobi). Meanwhile, war is brewing.
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
In 1949 composer Roman Strauss (Branagh) is executed for the vicious murder of his wife Margaret (Emma Thompson) with a pair of scissors. In 1990s Los Angeles a mute amnesiac woman (also Thompson) shows up at an orphanage and private eye Mike Church (also Branagh) is called in to investigate. Under hypnosis both the woman and Church seem to have a strange link back to the Strauss murder.
(L to R) Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Jude Hill, and Lewis McAskie in ‘Belfast,’ directed by Kenneth Branagh
Written and directed by Branagh, ‘Belfast’ is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy’s (Jude Hill) childhood, amid the music and social tumult of the late 1960s.
With action sequel ‘Extraction 2’ hitting Netflix next week, star/producer Chris Hemsworth is naturally ramping up promotion for the new movie. And that apparently includes letting loose one of the secrets that has heretofore not been released: Idris Elba, another Netflix veteran, is in the film!
The original ‘Extraction’, just in case you’re unfamiliar, was the 2020 Netflix action thriller directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo (adapted from the Russo Brothers’ multi-authored graphic novel ‘Ciudad’).
Hemsworth plays the gloriously named Tyler Rake (fun to say, as Elba points out in the clip above): a mercenary who takes on military assignments in the most punishing, ‘John Wick’ manner possible. First time out he was rescuing the son of a crime lord.
In the sequel, the mission Rake chooses to accept is the unofficial release of a Georgian gangster’s family from prison.
It’s somewhat of a surprise to see him up and about again, since ‘Extraction’ ended with Rake seemingly on the verge of death after that first mission. But then, we’re not sure people would really watch a movie where Hemsworth just has a quiet beer while lounging on a comfy sofa watching a gardening show (though some of his fanbase would watch him do anything, let’s be honest).
Elba’s character is mostly a mystery –– he’s not named in the clip, but it appears he’s the one who gives Rake the latest mission. And Netflix’s TUDUM blog offers up that he’s known as the Man In The Suit. And what a nice suit it is, too.
This also marks something of a ‘Thor’ reunion for the two actors since Elba has appeared as Heimdall in all the Marvel movies focused on Hemsworth’s Norse warrior (and even death in ‘Infinity War’ didn’t stop him popping up again).
In a word: action. Lots of action. Crazy action, with Hemsworth and Hargrave looking to not so much push the envelope as tear it into pieces and light it on fire.
And talking of flames, one extreme sequence in the sequel will see Rake fighting people while literally on fire.
“For me, the image of Chris Hemsworth beating the shit out of a bunch of prisoners, while on fire, in the snow was something that I couldn’t pass up,” Hargrave told Empire Magazine. “And hats off to Chris. It wasn’t CG fire. And he had to do it over and over. I don’t know a lot of people, let alone Hollywood A-listers, who are gonna let you light them on fire while on camera.”
Sounds lit to us.
Meanwhile, Netflix is really leaning into the promotion of Hemsworth’s latest collaboration, putting out a fun video that sees him meeting the company’s “Chief Action Officer” –– one Arnold Schwarzenegger –– who has some… thoughts… about ‘Extraction 2’s potential dialogue.
Ray Stevenson, a versatile actor known for genre fare such as ‘Punisher: War Zone’, the first three ‘Thor’ movies, HBO’s ‘Rome’ and much more, has died. He was 58.
Born George Raymond Stevenson on May 25, 1964, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, he harbored acting ambitions from an early age and enrolled at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, from where he eventually obtained his graduate degree.
TV Appearances
From there, he kicked off a career in British and European TV, starting with 1993’s ‘A Woman’s Guide to Adultery’, in which he had a supporting role as a journalist. He racked up credits in a number of TV series well known to UK audiences, including ‘Peak Practice’, ‘Holby City’ and ‘The Bill’ (the British equivalent of ‘Law & Order’ where many actors either got their start or have appeared in guest roles).
(L to R) Luke Bracey as Rexford G. ‘Rex’ Lewis / Cobra Commander and Ray Stevenson as Firefly in 2013’s ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation.’ Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
But on the small screen, his true big break was HBO’s ‘Rome’, in which he played the cheery, violent Titus Pollo. It raised his profile, and he began to score bigger parts both on TV and the big screen.
His TV work in the States also includes ‘Black Sails’, ‘Dexter’ ‘Medici’ and voicing the character of Gar Saxon in both ‘Star Wars Rebels’ and ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’. He’ll be back on our screens in that galaxy far, far away for ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’, in which he plays a different character, the villainous Baylan Skoll.
Ray Stevenson as Big Ray in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Two roles, though, may stand out on his movie resume: he played the jubilant Volstagg, one of the Warriors Three who stand with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in the first two movies featuring the Marvel hero (his character is unceremoniously offed in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.
And in a rare leading performance, he was chosen by director Lexi Alexander as Frank Castle in ‘Punisher: War Zone’, an underrated adaptation of the Marvel comic book character.
Alexander was among those quick to pay tribute to the actor.
Though he was sometimes seen as tough, brutal villains on screen, Stevenson is remembered as a warm, kind person by colleagues and those who met him. His passion for his work was infectious and he managed to find the human heart beating in the most nefarious character. Other roles, such as Pollo, let him showcase his natural charm.
Alongside his completed work on ‘Ahsoka’ Stevenson had been at work on Italian movie ‘Cassino in Ischia’ when he died; that film as well as ‘1242: Gateway to the West’ will join the ‘Star Wars’ show as his final projects.
Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle / The Punisher in 2008’s ‘Punisher: War Zone.’ Photo courtesy of Lionsgate Films.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth. Based on the Marvel Comics characters, Elba plays all-hearing Asgardian sentry Heimdall.
Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers (Elba and Kate Winslet) must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.
A team of explorers (Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Elba) discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Terri (Taraji P. Henson) is a devoted wife and mother of two, living an ideal suburban life in Atlanta when Colin (Elba), a charming but dangerous escaped convict, shows up at her door claiming car trouble. Terri offers her phone to help him but soon learns that no good deed goes unpunished as she finds herself fighting for survival when he invades her home and terrorizes her family.
Things couldn’t be better for Derek Charles (Elba). He’s just received a big promotion at work, and has a wonderful marriage with his beautiful wife, Sharon (Beyonce). However, into this idyllic world steps Lisa (Ali Larter), a temporary worker at Derek’s office. Lisa begins to stalk Derek, jeopardizing all he holds dear.
A man-cub named Mowgli (Neel Sethi) fostered by wolves. After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan (Elba), Mowgli is forced to flee the jungle, by which he embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and the free-spirited bear, Baloo (Bill Murray).
Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), a young skier and former Olympic hopeful becomes a successful entrepreneur (and a target of an FBI investigation) when she establishes a high-stakes, international poker game. With her reputation in ruins and future in jeopardy, she turns to attorney Charlie Jaffey (Elba) for legal help.
The USS Enterprise crew including Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Evans) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) explore the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy (Elba) who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.
The world’s favorite blue hedgehog is back! After settling in Green Hills, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles (Elba), in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan after killing fellow gangster Tango (Elba). He begins buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. At home, he crosses paths with a dirty cop (Josh Brolin), and a crusading detective (Russell Crowe).
A seasoned team of bank robbers, including Gordon Cozier (Elba), John Rahway (Paul Walker), A.J. (Hayden Christensen), and brothers Jake (Michael Ealy) and Jesse Attica (Chris Brown) successfully complete their latest heist and lead a life of luxury while planning their next job. When Ghost (Tip “T.I.” Harris), a former member of their team, is released from prison he convinces the group to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. As the “Takers” carefully plot out their strategy and draw nearer to exacting the grand heist, a reckless police officer inches closer to apprehending the criminals.
On a mission deep in the Bolivian jungle, a team of elite commandos led by Franklin Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and William Roque (Elba) finds itself on the receiving end of a lethal betrayal. Now presumed dead, the men join forces with a mysterious operative named Aisha (Zoe Saldana) to hunt down their enemy and even the score. Based on the DC Comics characters.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, as war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and a trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world. Elba plays commanding officer Marshal Stacker Pentecost.
Determined to prove herself, Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the first bunny on Zootopia’s police force, jumps at the chance to crack her first case – even if it means partnering with scam-artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) to solve the mystery. Elba plays Chief Bogo, an African buffalo who is the police chief of the Zootopia Police Department’s 1st Precinct.
Ever since US Diplomatic Security Service Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Decker Shaw (Jason Statham) first faced off, they just have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton’s (Elba) ruthless actions threaten the future of humanity, they join forces to defeat him.
A chronicle of Nelson Mandela’s (Elba) life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Based on the experiences of Agu (Abraham Attah), a child fighting in the civil war of an unnamed, fictional West African country. Follows Agu’s journey as he’s forced to join a group of soldiers led by Elba’s Commandant. While he fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination.
When fifteen-year-old Cole (Caleb McLaughlin) is expelled from school in Detroit, he is sent to North Philadelphia to live with Harp (Elba), his estranged father. Harp finds solace in rehabilitating horses for inner city cowboys at the Fletcher Street Stables, a real-life black urban horsemanship community that has provided a safe haven for the neighborhood residents for more than 100 years.
Torn between his growing respect for his father’s community and his reemerging friendship with troubled cousin Smush (Jharrel Jerome), Cole begins to reprioritize his life as the stables themselves are threatened by encroaching gentrification.
Gunning for revenge, outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) saddles up with his gang to take down enemy Rufus Buck (Elba), a ruthless crime boss who just got sprung from prison.
(L to R) David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba and Daniela Melchior in ‘The Suicide Squad.’
Welcome to Belle Reve, the prison where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out, even join the super-secret Task Force X. Today’s assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport (Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
Now arm them heavily and drop them on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) on the ground to make them behave, and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them all!
Directed by Taika Waititi, Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor, with actress Natalie Portman returning to play Jane Foster after sitting out the last movie. This time Foster becomes The Mighty Thor, and must team with her ex-boyfriend to defeat Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who has vowed to kill all Gods.
Moviefone and Made In Hollywood recently had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Natalie Portman in-person about her work on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
You can read the full interview with Natalie Portman below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Portman and Chris Hemsworth.
Moviefone: To begin with, people are going back to the theaters and Marvel fans are really excited to see ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ on the big screen. Is there anything you’d like to say directly to the fans as they’re getting ready to sit down and watch this movie?
Natalie Portman: I’m just so excited for people to see it. I just feel like it’s so entertaining. I think they’ll get a lot of joy and heart from it.
MF: Can you talk about returning to this franchise, returning to the character of Jane Foster, and having the opportunity to hold the hammer and finally play a superhero yourself?
NP: It was such an incredible opportunity that Taika and Marvel invited me back in this way where Jane gets to become The Mighty Thor. I got to work with Chris again, and with Tessa again, even though we hadn’t worked in the MCU together, but we had worked together on ‘Annihilation.’ It was just such a gift to get to come into this incredibly fun environment, and with people I felt so comfortable with.
Natalie Portman in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
MF: Had you followed this storyline in the comics? Were you aware that Jane Foster eventually becomes The Mighty Thor?
NP: I did. I think it was actually first mentioned to me by journalists when I was doing press for something around the time the comics first came out. So, I had heard about it, but it wasn’t until Taika approached me. I mean, it was right before the pandemic I feel like that he kind of started talking to me about the possibility of doing it together.
MF: What was it like reuniting with Chris Hemsworth, and can you talk about the different dynamics between Jane and Thor this time around?
NP: Well, it was so fun to work with Chris again. I mean, first of all, he’s just the best person, he’s so nice, fun, hardworking and such a good actor. He’s so just wonderful, and it was also very moving. When we met, we had both just started dating our future spouses on the first one and now our kids are running around on the set playing together. So, that was so wild to kind of cut to 10 years later.
Similarly, in the film, I think our characters are kind of reuniting after all this time passed and seeing where the other is in their lives, and so much has changed for them. I mean, it’s not similar places. We are in our lives as our characters are, but just the passage of time and how wild that is to have this relationship with someone that you’ve known for so long.
(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
MF: Finally, what was your experience like working with director Taika Waititi on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder?’
NP: Taika is just so extraordinary, and singular as a director and as a person. I mean, he really insists on spontaneity all the time, which is so incredible to be challenged with as an actor to be like, oh, every time has to be completely different. I have to be completely open to anything that could happen and just flow with it. It was really wonderful.
Then he also kind of makes it his responsibility to have everyone have a great time every day. He’s DJing, there’s music, and he’s on the mic making jokes. He’s leading the crew in workouts every hour on the hour. So, it’s the most fun set and it’s just his generosity that he cares about everyone having a good time.
Natalie Portman stars in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Chris Hemsworth in-person about his work on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
Moviefone: To begin with, people are going back to the theaters and Marvel fans are really excited to see ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ on the big screen. Is there anything you’d like to say directly to the fans as they’re getting ready to sit down and watch this movie?
Chris Hemsworth: I’d say, strap in, and get ready for the wildest wacky Marvel adventure you’ve ever been on.
MF: You’ve played this character for over ten years now in multiple films, what does playing Thor mean to you personally?
CH: Well, it’s paralleled my life. My whole career has been instructed around playing this character and being a part of the Marvel universe. It’s an absolute honor and a dream, and it’s such a special thing to be able to come back and play the character again, and with a different cast, different directors and trying different things. If you asked me when I first started acting what my dream career looked like, this was well above and beyond anything I could have imagined. So, I’m thankful.
(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
You can read the full interview with Chris Hemsworth below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.
MF: Can you talk about reuniting with Natalie Portman on this movie and the different dynamic between Jane Foster and Thor this time around?
CH: It was great. I started this journey with Natalie eleven years ago, and now to reunite and see her back dressed like Thor was so impressive. It was fun and unique. It did immediately change the paradigm of the space, and my character and his interaction. That’s what you want. You want your fellow actors and actresses to manipulate the scene. You want them to throw something in there that dramatically shifts your interpretation of it, and then it becomes unpredictable and it becomes unique.
She’s incredible and so much fun. She is a dear friend of mine. As I said, back on the first film, and we were just talking about this earlier today, she was so kind to me. To think that she’d won an Oscar, she was Natalie Portman, and this was my first job. I thought, I’m going to be fired or replaced at some point. But she was encouraging, supportive, and wonderful. I’m really thankful for that. I think about where it all started and so much of it, I think, the path that I was set on was due to that collaboration.
MF: Finally, after working with him on ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ what was the collaboration like on set between you and director Taika Waititi making ‘Thor: Love and Thunder?’
CH: It’s just about embodying the same thing we did in ‘Ragnarok,’ which is a sense of adventure and fun. If you’d asked a couple of five-year-olds what they wanted to see in a movie, that’s what this film is. That was us kind of riffing and throwing more and more ridiculous elements into it.
Again, he’s another very close friend of mine and to have that space to experiment, improvise and try different things, often that’s a little daunting. You don’t know what the director’s going to do with that in the edit room and how you’re going to look, but I have complete trust and faith in him. It’s a safe space to just go for it and I know he’s going to have my back.
Chris Hemsworth plays Thor in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ which opens in theaters on July 8th.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2
The result is another fun and stylish MCU outing from Waititi that features amazing performances from Portman, Hemsworth, and Bale, but tries to recreate too many moments from ‘Ragnarok’ and as a sequel never transcends its direct predecessor.
The film opens with Gorr the God Butcher’s (Bale) backstory, before a clever narration from Korg (Waititi) bringing the audience up to speed on Thor’s (Hemsworth) adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy since we last saw him in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ We see him transform from “Dude Thor” to his old self and then leave the Guardians with Korg when he learns of Gorr’s vow to kill all Gods. Worried about his fellow Asgardians, Thor returns to New Asgard to find King Valkyrie (Thompson) who has turned their town into a Disneyland-like tourist attraction.
Tessa Thompson in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
Meanwhile, Thor’s ex-girlfriend, Jane Foster (Portman) is dying of cancer. She feels the broken pieces of his hammer, Mjolnir calling to her and she arrives in New Asgard to investigate. The hammer suddenly comes alive, rebuilding itself, and eventually transforming Foster into The Mighty Thor, which temporarily cures her disease. Thor is surprised to see his ex, as well as wondering why Mjolnir has chosen her, but teams with Foster, Valkyrie and Korg to stop Gorr. In order to do so, they will need the aid of Zeus (Crowe) and his fellow Gods to defeat the butcher before it’s too late.
I loved ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and I would put it in the top five on my list of the all-time best MCU movies. But I only liked it on my first viewing, it took repeat viewings for me to fall in love with it. I had a similar experience with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ was not quite as enjoyable for me as ‘Ragnarok’ but it is one of the better Marvel sequels, although technically it is the forth in the franchise. To that point, it is still far superior to ‘Thor’ and ‘Thor: The Dark World,’ which are among Marvel’s most disappointing.
I also love Taika Waititi and think he is a brilliant filmmaker and actor, but he goes to the well one too many times trying to recreate ‘Ragnarok’s best moments in ‘Love and Thunder.’ For example, Matt Damon, Luke Hemsworth, and Sam Neill return, now with Melissa McCarthy, as Asgardian actors performing a play, which is the same joke from ‘Ragnarok’ and was given more prominence but lacked the surprise the second time around.
Another example is the sequence in the court of Gods with Zeus, which is very similar to the “Contest of Champions” scene with Hulk in ‘Ragnarok.’ It seemed unnecessary to the story and just an excuse to fill the scene with Easter eggs.
Christian Bale in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
While the musical choices are also similar to ‘Ragnarok,’ just swapping Led Zeppelin for Guns N’ Roses, it actually works exceedingly well and is explained by the story. But Waititi makes a bold choice by having the character of Gorr and his world presented in black and white, which is in stark contrast to the other colorful costumes and characters in the movie. While the film feels like it runs a little long, even at only 119 minutes, it’s completely entertaining and Waititi fills it with his unique humor and point of view.
In his eighth full length performance as the God of Thunder in a little over ten years, Hemsworth has finally found his Thor, which has become his signature character as an actor. Let’s be honest, no matter what else he does in his career, “Thor” will be in the first sentence of his obituary.
It took Hemsworth a few movies to truly find the character, and it didn’t really begin to happen till ‘Ragnarok,’ but once he was allowed to inject his own humor into the character he became the Thor we all know and love. In ‘Love and Thunder’ Hemsworth continues the characters journey after the events of ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ by restoring the humor and insecurities that have made the God-like hero so relatable in the second half of Hemsworth’s tenure.
Christian Bale, who is of course no stranger to comic book movies after playing Batman in ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy, gives a brilliant and terrifying performance as Gorr the God Butcher. Bale creates a sympathetic character that is not only truly frightening, but also a worthy nemesis for Thor and his alleys. Tessa Thompson also gets to build on her character, Valkyrie after ‘Ragnarok’ and ‘Endgame,’ and while the actress is excellent, I do wish we got a bit more of her in the film.
Natalie Portman in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
But the breakout performance for me came from Natalie Portman, who returns to the franchise after sitting out ‘Ragnarok.’ The Academy Award winning actress wasn’t given a lot to do in the first two ‘Thor’ movies, which is probably why she opted not to do the last one, but after a cameo in ‘Endgame’ returns thanks to a more pivotal story arc and likely the opportunity to work with Waititi. Adapting the “Mighty Thor” storyline from the comics allowed Portman to actually be a superhero too, and she is fantastic battling alongside Hemsworth.
However, I thought this was going to be a “passing of the hammer’ movie and it is not. I have news for you, Chris Hemsworth is here to stay as Thor. That’s fine by me, but I hope there is a way to bring Portman back again in the future. Her storyline was sad yet inspiring, and the actress clearly relished in having the opportunity to do more with the character.
There are two end-credit scenes, although I won’t give them away. I’ll just say that Marvel continues its trend of introducing a deep-cut comic book character played by a veteran movie star (see Charlize Theron as Clea in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’) or a fan-favorite celebrity (see Harry Styles as Starfox in ‘Eternals’) in the end-credits. It’s fun for fans of that particular actor or comic book historians, but the rest of the audience is often left scratching their heads asking, “Why is Charlize Theron in this movie?”
(L to R) Pom Klementieff, Chris Pratt, and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
And for anyone hoping the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ actors would have major roles in the movie, I hate to disappoint you, but they don’t. While it was nice to see Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, and Karen Gillan, and hear Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, they are not in much of the film, so you’ll have to wait to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ to see more of their story arc. But I’m glad they concluded Thor’s story with the Guardians before their next full-length feature outing, and their appearance does add to the film.
In the end, I may have been a little harsh on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and I really do hope that I will eventually love it as much as I wanted to, but for now, I only really liked it. Director Taika Waititi delivers a strong sequel, that tries too hard to recreate the magic of the last film, but is still entirely entertaining, funny, and action packed, and also features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, and in particular, Natalie Portman.
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
A7uWxSuNaTC8jVhL2FovZ2
Even if Captain America or Iron Man is usually your Avengers go-to, you can’t deny that Thor was very often the MVP of the MCU. On the splendid occasion of Chris Hemsworth‘s birthday (August 11), here are some of the very best Thor moments. (SPOILERS if you haven’t seen all the “Thor” and “Avengers” movies.)
1. When he remembered that yes, he *is* the God of Thunder.
Was there ever a better use of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” than Thor raining down lightning and thunder in “Thor: Ragnarok“? We think not.
Marvel
2. When he threw shade at Bruce Banner.
Is insulting the very guy you’re trying to get to turn back into Hulk the best plan? Thor just can’t resist pointing out that Banner (Mark Ruffalo) isn’t the fighter Hulk is.
Marvel
3. When he was very excited to see an old friend.
Have Cap or Tony (let alone Nat or Clint) ever shown this level of enthusiasm about anything? Ever? Noooo.
Marvel
4. When he first discovered coffee.
Marvel
Mere mortals just don’t understand the proper response to a great cup of joe, do they?
5. When we realized he was “really cut for a crazy, homeless person.”
So maybe Thor’s pecs aren’t as epic as Cap’s, but [ahem] …
Marvel
6. When he admitted Loki was adopted.
Thor is quick to inform everyone that Loki is “of Asgard” and therefore his responsibility, not theirs, in “The Avengers.” Until they point out Loki’s enormous body count. “He’s adopted,” he says sheepishly in one of the biggest laugh-getting lines in the movie.
Marvel
7. When no one else was worthy to wield Mjolnir.
In some downtime in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the rest of the squad tries — and fails — to lift Thor’s mighty hammer. “You’re all not worthy,” he says, casually flipping the hammer like it’s no big deal.
Marvel
8. When he realized he was still worthy
Marvel
When Thor was banished to earth in his first solo film, he tried and failed to lift Mjolnir. But when he was willing to lay down his life to defeat Loki’s Destroyer, he earned back his hammer. And in “Avengers: Endgame,” when sad, alcoholic Thor journeyed to the past, he was overjoyed to realize he was still worthy. (And now he had two hammers to play with.)
9. When he happily traded hammers with Captain America
Marvel
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wielding Mjolnir in “Endgame”? The crowd goes wild. Steve and Thor tossing Mjolnir and Stormbreaker back and forth in the middle of battle? Reminds us of when they had each other’s back during the bleakest moments of the NYC battle in the first “Avengers” movie.
10. When he didn’t understand about the monkeys.
Marvel
Humans are so petty. And tiny. And why do they keep talking about monkeys? Thor does not understand that reference.
11. When he assures Star-Lord he’s the captain.
Marvel
We don’t want to call Thor “insincere” or “not exactly honest,” but it’s hard to take him at his word in “Endgame,” when he insists, “Of course, of course,” that Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is the captain of the ship.
As the MCU moves into its next phase, the “Thor” franchise will continue: “Thor 4” is officially in the works, with “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi once again at the helm.
The scoop comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which says that Waititi has just signed on to both write and direct the latest flick following the God of Thunder. As is typical with Marvel projects, no details about the potential plot were revealed, though there are a number of different directions in which Waititi and co. can take the franchise moving forward, considering where Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) ended up at the conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame.”
When we last saw our heroes, Thor was jetting off to join the Guardians of the Galaxy gang (perhaps setting up a cameo in “Guardians vol. 3”), while Valkyrie had taken over as the ruler of the Asgardians. Hemsworth is expected to return for “Thor 4,” according to THR, though there’s no word yet on Thompson’s involvement.
What is more clear, however, is how “Thor 4” will affect Waititi’s upcoming flick “Akira,” the live-action remake of the anime classic. That Warner Bros. project, which had been languishing in development for quite some time, was delayed by scripting changes that pushed back its production start date, which in turn put it in conflict with “Thor 4.” Now that Waititi has committed to the latter film, Warner Bros. is putting “Akira” on indefinite hold; while it’s not a done deal yet, THR says that the studio may simply wait for the director to wrap “Thor 4,” and save the project for him to tackle after he finishes the Marvel movie.
Stay tuned to see when “Thor 4” is expected to hit theaters.
