With the fourth instalment of the Thor franchise, Thor: Love and Thunder, recently released in theaters, it’s interesting to wonder what it would have been like if we had a different titular face to look at. There’s no doubt that Chris Hemsworth's performance is one of the reasons why the MCU character is so beloved by many around the globe. However, there was a time when he almost didn't land the role.
Hemsworth was relatively unknown when he was first cast. What's more, when Thor was in pre-production, the comic book superhero movie wasn't as gigantic a success as it was today. As a result, when Hemsworth was cast in the lead role of a major franchise, his being unknown naturally raised eyebrows, as outlined by Vulture. Indeed, candidates for the role of Thor were diverse, in both talent and experience. Here's a list of actors who were almost cast as the God of Thunder in the MCU.
8 Liam Hemsworth
Surprise, surprise: Chris Hemsworth wasn't the only Hemsworth brother to audition for the role of the God of Thunder. As it turned out, Chris completely bombed his audition and that's what prompted director Kenneth Branagh to ask his younger brother Liam Hemsworth, who was only 18 years old at the time, to try out to audition. When Chris heard about it, it drove him to give it another try with the helpful tips of his brother. Of course, it turned out that the older Hemsworth was the one they were looking for all along. Although it's intriguing to wonder how Liam would have done in the role, he surely was a little too young for the role.
7 Triple-H
Believe it or not, even the WWE star Triple-H was high on the list of candidates for the MCU's Thor. Although the sportsman had had some small acting roles prior to getting considered, he wasn't really known in the film industry. What probably made him one of the candidates was the specific look that the producers were going for: bulky body, long blonde hair, and a beard. Would getting the lead role in a Marvel movie have made Triple-H into a movie star? We guess we'll never know.
6 Kevin McKidd
Charlie Wen, one of Marvel Studios' co-founders of the visual department, shared that he based one of the early Thor concept arts on none other than Kevin McKidd. Many of you may know the actor from the popular TV series Grey's Anatomy or the cult classic Trainspotting. The actor was considered around the time of accepting his role as Owen Hunt in the popular TV series, and never really auditioned for Thor. We wonder what McKidd would have done with the complex MCU character if he was actually asked to star in it.
5 Joel Kinnaman
Although there isn't much information on Joel Kinnaman and his Marvel connections, we know one thing: the actor was indeed shortlisted as one of the candidates for the lead role of Thor. Although the MCU team doesn't always test out the people they're considering, it is said that Kinnaman did actually audition for the role. It would have definitely been a major break in Hollywood for the Swedish actor, but, alas, it worked out: Kinnaman joined the DCEU's Suicide Squad as Rick Flag.
4 Alexander Skarsgård
As for Alexander Skarsgard, it appears that he was one of the last people to get cut before Hemsworth officially landed the role of Thor. The actor admitted that he even filmed an audition tape wearing the costume and holding the hammer in his hand. Skarsgard definitely has his own experience in maintaining the muscles, considering his roles in Tarzan and the more recent spectacle The Northman. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to see Skarsgard in a future MCU project someday.
3 Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum was also one of the running candidates for the God of Thunder. He even ended up meeting with Branagh and discussing the elements of the character. As it later turned out, the production team was seeking someone "more Nordic-looking" and Tatum didn't fit their description. It's interesting to know just how many actors the Marvel team had to go through to find their Thor.
2 Tom Hiddleston
Now, imagine that Tom Hiddleston who has become so signature with his role of Loki the God Of Mischief, was actually chosen to play Thor. Well, it almost wasn't far from reality. The actor did indeed only audition to play the God Of Thunder and even did a screen test with long blonde hair and muscled body that he worked really hard for, only to get the part of his brother. Marvel Studios was looking for unknown actors that the audience couldn't associate with other projects, given how back then, the franchise wasn't as big as it is now. Thankfully, Marvel producers saw his potential as a versatile actor and ended up casting him as Thor's sneaky brother Loki, and we couldn't be more grateful.
1 Daniel Craig
Last but not least, Daniel Craig himself was directly offered the role of Thor, but politely declined. The actor said that it would be "too much of a power trip" for him to play both 007 and Thor at the same time. The James Bond franchise was already huge back then, but the same couldn't be said about the MCU. It would definitely have been a huge power trip if Craig ended up playing not one but two lead roles in major franchises with worldwide audiences. Maybe it was for the better that he ended up declining, given how hard it is sometimes to separate the actors from the characters.