Thor 5

The expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe begins in 2023 with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to kick off Phase Five.

With Ant-Man as one of the remaining legacy superhero characters left from previous phases of the MCU, audiences are understandably questioning what the future of the franchise looks like for other established characters.

One of those is Thor, and the God of Thunder might be gearing up for Thor 5 in the not-so-distant future.

The MCU will focus its attention on Kang the Conqueror, played by Creed 3 actor Jonathan Majors, for the foreseeable future. Phases Five and Six have been announced with a plethora of interconnected television shows and movies set to last through 2026.

With that in mind, a potential Thor 5 might see the light of day once Disney and Marvel Studios give the green light to more phases.

Let’s take a look at everything we know about Thor 5.

MARVEL SAID THOR WOULD RETURN AFTER LOVE AND THUNDER

Australian heartthrob Chris Hemsworth has embodied the character of Thor in several film iterations for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as recently as 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

Also an executive producer on the fourth film in the Thor franchise, Hemsworth paid close attention to the comedic elements proposed by frequent collaborator and director Taika Waititi. Thor 5 would serve as a resolution to several characters introduced in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Thor: Love and Thunder ended with long-time love interest Jane Foster dying of cancer following an epic battle with Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). The film’s post-credits scene involved Zeus (Russell Crowe) discussing revenge against Thor with his son Hercules (Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein). As the credits rolled, the words “Thor Will Return” flashed on the screen, making the assumption that Thor 5 could see the light of day.

The ultimate premise of Thor 5 will likely include Thor battling Hercules alongside Gorr’s young daughter Love (India Rose Hemsworth). Although, Marvel has not made any announcements to confirm this theory.

Total Film reports that Hemsworth is interested in playing Thor again only if Marvel gives the newest installment variety compared to Waititi’s reimagining of the character into a buffoon rather than the powerful superhero we saw at the beginning of the franchise. Hemsworth noted in his interview with Total Film, “I’d like to exit before people tell me to exit.”

Thor 5 may not proceed if Marvel can find a way to incorporate Thor and Hercules into an established film of Phase Five or Six. Phase Six specifically outlines two Avengers movies that give a reason for the character of Thor to reprise his position in the formidable team.

THERE IS NO RELEASE DATE FOR THOR 5

Given that Marvel has yet to formally announce plans for Thor 5, a release date is still being determined. Unless Thor makes himself at home within the existing projects set within Phase Five or Six of the MCU, it is likely that a potential Thor 5 might be on the horizon after 2026 or beyond.

POPULAR CHARACTERS COULD RETURN FOR THOR 5

Without an official word from Disney or Marvel about casting announcements for Thor 5, several theories have circulated on social media as to who could show up in the fifth installment.

Other than Thor and Love, it is likely that Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) could show her face once again in New Asgard. The fan-favorite character made headlines when she appeared in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, as the Los Angeles Times reports she is the first openly LGBTQ+ superhero of the MCU.

Introduced at the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, Brett Goldstein could play a significant role in Thor 5 as Hercules. The character has had several iterations within Marvel Comics for almost 80 years, as he has been presented as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, an Olympian with super strength and speed, and the leader of the Gods of War. His inclusion in the Thor franchise will likely be as a villain at first.

Writer and director Taika Waititi has pulled triple duty in recent years by helming both Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder while simultaneously portraying the character of Korg.

Even if another director takes on Thor 5, Korg could show up again alongside frequent Thor franchise actor Jaimie Alexander as Sif.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH HAS PROJECTS LINED UP, BUT WILL ALSO TAKE A BREAK FROM ACTING

In the meantime, Chris Hemsworth has been hard at work filming other franchise projects outside of the confines of Marvel Studios. The Australian native appeared as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2, releasing on the streaming platform Netflix on June 16, 2023.

The sequel to 2020’s Extraction was written by one of his Avengers: Endgame directors, Joe Russo.

Chris Hemsworth has also wrapped production on the long-awaited post-apocalyptic prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road entitled Furiosa. The movie is set to be released theatrically in May 2024, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing the titular character that Charlize Theron initially portrayed in the 2015 blockbuster epic film.

Hemsworth has been tapped to perform in an undisclosed role but will feature prominently in the George Miller-directed spin-off prequel that also stars Tom Burke, Nathan Jones, and Angus Sampson.

However, the actor has been upfront with the media as of late about the future of his acting prospects. According to USA Today, Chris Hemsworth revealed that he is at high risk for Alzheimer’s Disease due to a genetic history recently discovered through testing. The test results revealed that Hemsworth has two copies of the gene APOE-e4, a major risk factor in developing the life-altering disease.

Hemsworth announced at the tail end of 2022 that he is taking a step back from his acting career for the time being. He is committed to promoting the projects he’s already filmed but will likely not add to his plate in the short term.

Focusing on his family and health is now a priority for Hemsworth, and Thor 5 might have to wait until the actor is ready to get back to filming for the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again.