Chris Hemsworth is staying in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thor, but when his time as the God of Thunder is up, he already has the perfect exit story. As the year continues, all eyes are on Avengers: Doomsday, which will release in December 2026. The Joe and Anthony Russo-directed film will begin the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, as Marvel Studios aims to deliver a satisfying conclusion to a rocky storytelling patch. Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom and Chris Evans’ reprisal of Steve Rogers have dominated the conversation about the movie, but Hemsworth’s outing as Thor should also get some attention.
With Iron Man dead and Rogers technically retired, Thor is expected to step into a much bigger role in Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. Currently, Hemsworth is one of the longest-serving actors who is still active in the MCU, but it doesn’t seem like there are plans for him to leave the franchise anytime soon. He previously floated the idea that there are already ideas for what the God of Thunder’s arc will be after the Multiverse Saga officially ends in 2027. Keeping him is obviously great for anyone who loves the character and remains nostalgic for the MCU’s earliest days. However, when the time comes that he wants out, Kevin Feige and his team already have the perfect narrative.
Thor’s Perfect MCU Ending Is A Logan-Style Send-Off
Image Courtesy of Fox
Director Kenneth Branagh recently commented on his history with the MCU, particularly directing the very first Thor film that was released in 2011. The version of the character then was Shakespearean, with its dialogue more poetic. Over the years, Marvel Studios has evolved the character in various ways, but Thor’s Avengers: Doomsday trailer hints at a return to its original form. Branagh expressed his desire to handle the hero again, particularly when it’s about to be retired. He particularly cited the critically and commercially successful Logan from James Mangold in 2017, which functioned as the swan song for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, as his inspiration.
While not established on the screen, Wolverine and Thor have a couple of core similarities that could back up Branagh’s plan, including both being warriors who have lived far longer than their peers. Mangold grounding Logan‘s story with the relationship between Jackman’s hardened mutant and Laura/X-23 made the film more emotional — something that the MCU can easily replicate with Thor and Love. In fact, Marvel Studios has a chance to do a better job in this regard, since it has the luxury of time to develop and deepen the God of Thunder and his adopted daughter’s relationship. The Avengers: Doomsday snippet being centered on Thor’s new role as a father is a perfect stepping stone for this. It would also explain why he’s back to his more serious demeanor, as being a parent naturally matures him.
Seeing someone as powerful as the Asgardian royalty die with his child by his side would be a wonderful way to end the character’s arc. Like Tony Stark’s sacrificial death in Avengers: Endgame, sending off Thor this way would be poetic when one considers how he was when he was first introduced into the MCU.
Unfortunately, Thor’s MCU Ending Doesn’t Work In An Avengers Film
Image via Marvel Studios
While following Logan‘s story format would give Thor the best ending, there’s one major drawback to going down this route. Because this narrative requires a proper and focused lead-up, it cannot be included in an Avengers film, the same way that Avengers: Endgame both wrapped up Iron Man and Captain America’s respective arcs. It will need to be in a standalone Thor film that will only focus on his journey from being a spoiled and rash warrior to a reserved and caring father. Whether Marvel Studios wants to also show him battle-worn like Wolverine was in Logan is up to them.
This means that Hemsworth’s final outing as Thor will be in a contained solo outing. Involvement from characters like Loki and even Odin and Frigga could work, but anyone else from the bigger MCU will be distracting to the plot. The question now is whether Marvel Studios is willing to go down this route for one of its most popular characters. Wolverine was well-beloved, but Fox wasn’t able to really lean on the appeal of an event film for their X-Men, like how the MCU did with the latter Avengers films.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
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