Kevin Feige revealed why Chris Hemsworth’s take on Thor became more comedic since his 2011 debut.

Chris Hemsworth made his first appearance as Thor in 2011. The origin film, which was directed by Academy Award-winner Kenneth Branagh had some humorous moments, but also mixed in some elements of Shakespearean tragedy that fit well with Norse mythology. However, it wasn’t until Taika Waititi stepped in to direct 2017’s Ragnarok where the God of Thunder became more universally beloved amongst audiences, and much of that can be attributed to his updated comedic sensibilities.

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During the official press conference for Thor: Love and Thunder, Kevin Feige explained why Chris Hemsworth’s protagonist was more humorous than originally conceived, and why audiences have really responded to him, leading to him becoming the first Avenger to receive a fourth solo film:

“I think they respond to Chris Hemsworth. And I think they respond to everything he can do, and Taika [Waititi] certainly brought another dimension that was always there within Chris. There were moments, even going back to EPK interviews between the two of them on our New Mexico set, where I was like, ‘Is he trying to be funny?’ or is it, ‘No he is being funny.’ He is like hilarious. I was watching a clip from [Age of] Ultron the other day, where he is trying to make [Mark] Ruffalo feel better about smashing a bunch of people, and it’s so funny, and it’s this expert timing, and Taika Was like, “What are you guys doing with him just holding up a hammer with lightning? Let’s do that, and tap into everything Chris can do, so I think the audience really responds to that and for so long, we said, ‘Well, he’s a Norse god, how do we make him relatable?’ And spent so much time making sure that the audience was connecting with him that they are so with him now, so yes, we can do a Part 4.”

A Fan-Favorite Avenger

Thor wasn’t without his fans pre-Ragnarok. Many clearly liked his dynamic with the other Avengers, but when it comes to a film like The Dark World, which is widely considered to be one of the lesser films in the entire MCU, some found the character boring. In fact, Chris Hemsworth himself was starting to get bored. Based on Kevin Feige‘s statements here, it makes sense why utilizing the comedic chops of Chris Hemsworth helped endear Thor more to audiences, with more people choosing him as their favorite Avenger than ever before.

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Here is the synopsis for Thor: Love and Thunder:

The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper.

Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8, 2022. Stay tuned for all the latest news surrounding the upcoming Chris Hemsworth film, and Kevin Feige’s future plans for the character, and subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.

Source: Thor: Love and Thunder Press Conference