Summary
- Hemsworth returns as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday facing possible send-off, despite Doctor Doom battle.
- Marvel backtracks on Iron Man & Captain America exits with renewed appearances, likely impacting Thor's fate.
- Thor's send-off must be handled carefully to provide emotional weight without closing the door on his future.
Chris Hemsworth has been confirmed as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, which will mark his twelfth appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kevin Feige revealed that filming for Avengers: Doomsday has now commenced (28 April), and the Russo Brothers will be hard at work telling the next big MCU story.
Hemsworth will reprise his role of Thor for that movie as one of the only original Avengers remaining. However, with an influx of new heroes, Thor's days might be numbered, which is something that Marvel Studios needs to handle carefully.
Channing Tatum's Gambit Was Great In Deadpool & Wolverine But Just Won't Work In Avengers: Doomsday
Gambit is set to be part of Avengers: Doomsday, but it's hard to imagine him working in that setting.
What Does Marvel Have Planned For Thor?
He Will Be Returning In Avengers: Doomsday
Thor is set to return in Avengers: Doomsday as the universe's mightiest heroes prepare for a brand new battle, this time against Doctor Doom. This will be a familiar face for Thor, given that it is Robert Downey Jr. Taking on the role, and it remains to be seen whether or not Marvel will be leaning into that dynamic. However, it will be a multiverse story; therefore, anything is possible, and there are lots of surprises set to be in store. Many fans are hoping to see Thor reunite with his brother Loki at some stage, and return to being a more serious Marvel hero.
However, the most interesting thing Marvel has planned for Thor is that they want to give him an epic send-off. This might happen in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, but it appears Marvel is ready to say goodbye to Thor. It's a huge decision for them to make, considering the character's popularity and the star power of Hemsworth as an actor. He's one of the few original characters remaining that Marvel can still call upon, which makes the situation sad for fans. But if that's the decision that has been made, then the focus needs to be on handling it right and ensuring it's a moment worthy of the character.
What Mistake Did Marvel Make With Iron Man?
Robert Downey Jr. Is Already Returning To The Franchise
During the last Avengers movie, Marvel wrote off both Iron Man and Captain America, and they did so in different ways. Iron Man sacrificed himself to defeat Thanos in one of the MCU's most emotional moments. At the same time, Steve Rogers returned in time to return the Infinity stones and live the life he wanted to eventually die gracefully with the love of his life. These were two well-handled storylines that felt like the perfect ending to Downey Jr and Chris Evans' time in the MCU. However, Marvel has since backtracked with both of them.
Evans has already returned to the MCU to be in Deadpool & Wolverine, while both men are set to be involved in Avengers: Doomsday. While they're not taking on the same roles as before, it's clear that Marvel isn't confident in delivering these tentpole movies without them as part of the cast. There's no denying their star power, but if Marvel knew that they didn't have faith in a film without them, they shouldn't have killed them. It makes Marvel look weak and dependent on them, and that's a risk that they could end up taking with Thor.
Thor's Send-Off Should Be Achieved Differently
There Are Numerous Ways This Can Be Handled
Hemsworth is another actor capable of carrying his movies while genuinely attracting countless fans who would normally not watch a movie such as this. That's why Marvel needs to be careful in how they handle Thor's epic send-off. The multiverse phase is supposed to be over after this movie. Therefore, there's no potential for bringing him back again in the near future if they decide to kill him off. While having Thor die would be a huge talking point, especially if it's at the hands of Doctor Doom, it's also something they can't come back from. It's a permanent decision, and considering how they backtracked on Evans and Downey Jr, it might be a sensible decision to have Thor's send-off be handled in a different way that feels permanent but also leaves the door open if Hemsworth is open to returning down the line. It can still provide the emotional weight that Marvel is looking for, but not destroying the MCU's long-term future.
Recent reports have claimed that the Avengers: Doomsday script is unfinished, with Marvel set to work on it while filming is ongoing. That's a worrying sign, as it could lead to rushed decisions that might not have long-term goals in mind. That's something the creative team generally has to be careful with, particularly in the case of Thor. Marvel doesn't want to waste his send-off after so many years of being involved in the franchise; therefore, if Thor is going to be written off, then Marvel needs to think about things and make sure the decision is best for all parties in the long term.
