'Avengers: Doomsday' Is Making a Much-Needed Change to Thor, and It’s About Time

It's officially 2026, which means it's the year of Avengers: Doomsday. Currently set to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) 39th movie, the ensemble adventure has spent the last few weeks kicking off its marketing by revealing a series of atmospheric, character-centric teasers. As per usual for Marvel, plot details are being kept tightly under wraps; at this point, the only thing that is certain is that several heroes from across the multiverse will band together to fight Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). The teasers themselves haven't offered much more beyond setting the stage for some huge returns.

With the MCU no longer quite the heavy-hitter it once was, there's a lot of pressure on Avengers: Doomsday to recreate the excitement that defined the franchise's earlier eras. Based on the footage that has been released thus far, it seems directors Joe and Anthony Russo are going back to basics and putting the spotlight on established characters fans know and love — for better or worse. The first, which confirmed the rumored return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, received some mixed responses online, but the second teaser, revolving around Thor (Chris Hemsworth), for many, felt like a return to form for the character. Thus far, it's Avengers: Doomsday's smartest move yet.

Thor Is Back to His Dramatic Roots in 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Few MCU characters have had a run as tumultuous as Thor. After two solid showings in 2011's Thor and 2012's The Avengers, Hemsworth's God of Thunder saw his second solo outing, 2013's Thor: The Dark World, saddled with the reputation of being the franchise's lowest-rated movie to date. He finally seemed to hit his stride with Thor: Ragnarok, which blended the dramatic Shakespearean elements of the character with Hemsworth's previously underused comedic skills. Suddenly, Thor was funny, going from crying over his haircut and throwing his brother to somberly accepting the mantle of Asgard's king with ease.

Though Thor's goofy turn was initially a hit with audiences, his subsequent appearances would take the concept too far. Avengers: Endgame made his very real trauma into a joke, and Thor: Love and Thunder overloaded itself on the silliness of Ragnarok. Everyone soured on the character, including Hemsworth himself. After Love and Thunder's release, he admitted, "I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself."

Virtually every aspect of Thor's Avengers: Doomsday story still has to be revealed, but his dedicated teaser has already gone a long way in establishing a positive change for the character. In keeping with the dramatic tone of the other teasers, the roughly minute-and-a-half-long video doesn't drop a single joke, instead focusing on Thor as he prays to his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), for strength and guidance in the battle to come. After all, he has a daughter now (Love from Thor: Love and Thunder, played by Hemsworth's own daughter India Rose Hemsworth), and his biggest concern isn't whether he has a proper weapon; it's whether he'll return to her at the end of the day. At long last, serious Thor is back.

This Is the Best Move for Thor’s Arc at This Stage of the MCU

Avengers: Doomsday will be Thor's ninth MCU movie (not including his post-credits appearance in Doctor Strange), and at this point in his arc, he's been through more hardship than most characters. Not only has he undergone significant growth by being exiled and witnessing Asgard's destruction, he's lost virtually everyone he cares about, including his parents, his brother, his friends, and his most enduring love, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). He's even lost one of his eyes, though he's got a replacement now. The Thor of today is radically different from the Thor of 2011, now more mature and facing threats with a greater weight on his shoulders.

There should always be a lightness to Thor's character. His humor is now an intrinsic part of him, and when deployed effectively, it can be an inspirational reminder that it's possible to find happiness amid so much darkness. However, it would be borderline tone-deaf to depict Thor as little more than a buffoon after all he's endured. Avengers: Endgame made light of his losses to the point of frustration, diminishing his grief and sanding down his multi-faceted personality. Now, with him facing down what could be his greatest battle yet, it makes far more sense for him to adopt a graver, more cautious personality, especially now that he's a father.

Avengers: Doomsday, or its 2027 sequel Avengers: Secret Wars, could very well be Hemsworth's last time playing Thor, the culmination of an arc that soon spans fifteen years. In order to pay proper tribute to his journey, the MCU needs to acknowledge everything he's been through — the good and the bad. When it comes to the latter, not everything can be passed off with a quippy one-liner. As the god of thunder, there's always been a certain amount of gravitas inherent to Thor, and it's time that becomes his defining feature once again. Thor's finale should have real stakes and emotions, and hopefully, Doomsday won't keep all that at arm's length by stuffing his story full of gags.

Avengers: Doomsday comes to theaters on December 18.