See The First Look At Chris Hemsworth In His New Sci-Fi Movie Spiderhead

This could be a good one!

By Michileen Martin | Published

chris hemsworth

We’ve seen Chris Hemsworth as a hammer-swinging god, a huntsman, a Man in Black, a soldier, and a mercenary with moves that could give Jason Bourne a rough time. But we rarely see the Thor star as someone on the more cerebral side of things. That’s going to change with his next movie, and no, as much as we all love the new Thor: Love and Thunder trailer, that isn’t his next film. He’ll be playing a scientist with highly questionable ethics in Netflix’s new sci-fi action movie Spiderhead, and we’ve got the first official images from the film.

The new photos come from Entertainment Weekly, who spoke to some of the filmmakers and stars involved with Spiderhead. Chris Hemsworth plays scientist Steve Abnesti in the flick, a scientist who uses prisoners at a remote high-tech prison as guinea pigs for his experimental drugs. The medications have swift and intense impacts on the subjects’ “moods and abilities,” but not always in good ways. Director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) said Hemsworth’s character has “noble intentions,” but that he has “some darker things lurking underneath the surface.” Below is an image of Hemsworth as Abnesti.

chris hemsworth spiderhead
Chris Hemsworth as Steve Abnesti in Spiderhead (2022), Photo by Netflix

Miles Teller (Whiplash) will star in Spiderhead as Jeff, one of the guinea pigs under Abnesti’s care. Unlike the other inmates, however, Jeff will apparently form a friendship with the Chris Hemsworth character. Speaking to EW, Teller highlighted the importance of focusing his performance on his “sense of trust” in Abnesti.  “There’s a real earnestness and sincerity on Abnesti’s part toward helping everybody,” Teller said. “He has a soft spot for Jeff, and I think their dynamic is really entertaining to watch.” While there’s no word on exactly why Teller’s character is in prison, Kosinski talked about the character “grappling with a mistake he made in his past.” Below is an image of Teller as Jeff with co-star Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country), followed by a shot of Hemsworth, Mark Paguio (Lonesome), and behind them — in between two unidentified actors — Teller wearing a blindfold.

jurnee smollett, miles teller spiderhead
Jurnee Smollett and Miles Teller as Jeff in Spiderhead (2022), Photo by Netflix
chris hemsworth spiderhead
IChris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, and Mark Paguio in Spiderhead (2022), Photo by Netflix

Smollett plays Lizzy — an inmate who is in a relationship with Jeff. Kosinski referred to Lizzy’s “mysterious past,” and says that unlike Jeff, who “wears his heart on his sleeve,” Lizzy keeps a tight hold onto her secrets. It will be interesting to see what Chris Hemsworth’s Abnesti knows about the character’s more hidden parts.

Spiderhead will begin streaming on Netflix on Friday, June 17; less than a month before the premiere of Thor: Love and Thunder. Spiderhead is directed by Joseph Kosinski and written by the team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool) based on the short story “Escape from Spiderhead” by George Saunders which was published in the New Yorker in 2010. Spiderhead stars Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett, Mark Paguio, Tess Haubrich (Alien: Covenant), Angie Milliken (The Condemned), and Stephen Tongun (Escape from Pretoria).