Kevin Feige on why Ragnarok needed to be different from other Thor movies

October 20th 2017, 12:45pm

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The reviews are pouring in for THOR: RAGNAROK, and so far, the consensus is that the movie certainly Ragna-rocks, and that it succeeds in being wildly different than other MCU movies, as well as an improvement over previous THOR flicks. One reason why is because of how uproariously funny the movie is, and how Chris Hemsworth (Thor) finally got to flex his comedic muscles. This was all a part of the plan, according to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.

While speaking with IndieWire, Feige talked about how the first two movies showed us a certain heroic side of the God of Thunder, but as with IRON MAN 3 and CIVIL WAR, the third movie had to feel different than the first two. A big key to making that happen was showing just how hysterical the Australian actor can be:

Every time we’ve found ourselves, like with CAPTAIN AMERICA and with IRON MAN, making a third film in a series, we use it as an opportunity to do something very different. To not just do more of the same, but to say, ‘"Okay, the audience is willing to go with us, let’s take them to a unique place.’" The notion of allowing Chris Hemsworth to be funnier than we’d seen him before was definitely one of the ideas [that sparked THOR: RAGNAROK].”

Hemsworth had shown off his comedic chops as Thor before, as evidenced in AVENGERS and in some scenes in THOR: THE DARK WORLD, but Feige said fans saw him as a “big badass supehero,” and that it was time to “see this other side of him.” One way writers Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher L. Yost and director Taika Waititi achieved that was by pairing him up with another Avenger (in this case Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo), which is something Hemsworth had been trying to achieve for some time.

There was some friendly rivalry that occurred over the years, as Hemsworth would point out that Captain America was getting a lot of other Avengers in his movies, and Thor wasn’t. And how come Thor couldn’t get some of the other players to join his movies? There was always a half-serious aspect to that, but it did get us thinking, "Who would fit into this franchise? Who would fit into the world?”

I have yet to see the movie for myself, but I found myself busting a gut from laughter while watching the trailer, and word is those funny bits are only the tip of the comedy iceberg. RAGNAROK also looks visually stunning, and the whole thing seems to have this madcap energy the other THOR movies just don’t have.

THOR: RAGNAROK arrives November 3.