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Thor (film): the story on HearLore | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Development History —
Thor (film).
~9 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
Sam Raimi first developed the concept of a film adaptation based on Thor in 1991. He met Thor co-creator Stan Lee and pitched the idea to 20th Century Fox, but they did not understand it. The project remained dormant until April 1997 when Marvel Studios began expanding rapidly. Plans shifted toward television with UPN in talks to air the series. Tyler Mane was approached to play Thor during that era. By May 2000, Marvel brought Artisan Entertainment into the fold to help finance the movie. The deal fell through by June 2004 without studio patronage. Sony Pictures Entertainment eventually purchased the rights in late 2004. David S. Goyer entered negotiations to write and direct the film that December. By 2005, Goyer lost interest though distribution remained tied to Sony. Mark Protosevich agreed to write the script in April 2006 as a fan of the comic book. The project moved to Paramount Pictures after they acquired rights from Sony. That year the film was announced as a Marvel Studios production. Protosevich described his plan as an origin story about a god realizing true potential rather than a human gaining powers. In August 2007, Matthew Vaughn signed to direct the film. Vaughn rewrote the script to bring the budget down to $150 million since Protosevich's first draft would have cost $300 million. After Iron Man succeeded, Marvel set a tentative release date for the 4th of June 2010. Vaughn was released when his holding deal expired in May 2008. Guillermo del Toro entered talks but ultimately turned down the role to direct The Hobbit. Kenneth Branagh entered negotiations later that month. Daniel Craig was offered the lead but declined due to James Bond commitments. Branagh confirmed he had been hired by December 2008. He described it as a human story at the center of a big epic scenario.
Narrative Arc
In 965 AD, Odin wages war against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and their leader Laufey. The Asgardians defeat the Frost Giants and seize the Casket of Ancient Winters. In the present, Thor prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard. Loki secretly allows Frost Giants to retrieve the Casket. Against Odin's order, Thor travels to Jotunheim with Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three. A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians. Odin destroys the fragile truce between the two races. As punishment for Thor's arrogance, Odin strips him of powers before exiling him to Earth. Mjölnir is left behind protected by an enchantment allowing only the worthy to wield it. Thor lands in New Mexico where astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster finds him. Local populace discovers Mjölnir which S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson commandeers. Thor seeks to retrieve his hammer from the facility but fails to lift it. Selvig helps free Thor who resigns himself to exile on Earth. He develops a romance with Foster while Loki learns he is Laufey's biological son. Loki confronts Odin who falls into the Odinsleep to recover strength. Loki takes the throne and offers Laufey the chance to kill Odin. Sif and the Warriors Three attempt to return Thor from exile. They convince Heimdall to allow them passage to Earth. Loki sends the Destroyer automaton to pursue them. The warriors find Thor but the Destroyer overpowers them. Thor offers himself instead and proves worthy to wield Mjölnir again. The hammer returns restoring his powers enabling him to defeat the Destroyer. Thor and Jane kiss goodbye before leaving with fellow Asgardians to confront Loki. In Asgard, Loki betrays and kills Laufey. Thor arrives and fights Loki before destroying the Bifröst Bridge. Odin awakens and prevents the brothers from falling into the abyss created by the bridge's destruction. When Odin rejects Loki's pleas for approval, Loki allows himself to fall into the abyss. Thor makes amends with Odin admitting he is not ready to be king.
Casting Choices
Chris Hemsworth was chosen after a back-and-forth process where the 25-year-old actor was initially dropped then given a second chance to read for the part. Hemsworth gained weight for the role by eating non-stop. He stated that it wasn't until Thor that he started lifting weights as it was all new to him. After taking an initial costume fitting, Hemsworth returned three weeks later to find it did not fit because of the mass he had cultivated. He shifted away from eating calories and training to a kettlebell workout to maintain muscle mass. Natalie Portman signed on before there was a script. She said Kenneth Branagh doing Thor sounded super-weird so she felt compelled to do it. Portman wanted to do a big effects film emphasizing character relative to Star Wars. She read biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who discovered DNA but didn't get credit. Tom Hiddleston was cast as Loki after previously working with Branagh on Ivanov and Wallander. Initially Hiddleston auditioned to play Thor but Branagh decided his talent would be better harnessed playing Loki. Hiddleston kept a strict diet before filming began because Branagh wanted Loki to have a lean and hungry look. He looked at Peter O'Toole in The Lion in Winter and Lawrence of Arabia for inspiration regarding emotional volatility. Anthony Hopkins played Odin stating he knew nothing of the comic book version. He found personal resonance in the Odin role saying he plays the god who banishes his son from Asgard. Stellan Skarsgård joined the cast choosing Thor because of Kenneth Branagh. Ray Stevenson wore a fat suit for Volstagg describing him as Falstaff with muscles rather than Weeble-shaped. Idris Elba accepted the role of Heimdall after Branagh called him personally. Elba stated he did green screen for the first time during production.
Production Design
Principal photography took place in California and New Mexico from January to May 2010. Filming began on the 11th of January 2010 at Raleigh Studios in Manhattan Beach. Production moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March until late April. On the 15th of March 2010, production shifted to Galisteo where Cerro Pelon Ranch was modified for the shoot. A few days after filming began, Clark Gregg signed on to reprise his role as Agent Coulson. Paramount entered negotiations with Del Mar, California to use a 300-yard stretch of beach for a scene involving six horses running down terrain. The coastline had a gradual slope creating excellent reflective opportunities. By April, the prospect for filming parts of Thor in Del Mar fell through due to cost concerns. Jackson stated he would not be appearing in Thor despite claims he would with his nine-picture deal. Later in the month he said he would film a scene serving as connective tissue for The Avengers. Renner's cameo was filmed in a parking lot behind a grocery store. Filming wrapped on the 6th of May 2010. BUF Compagnie served as lead visual effects vendor working on the film. Digital Domain also provided work using Autodesk Softimage software. Peter Butterworth, VFX supervisor and co-founder of Fuel VFX, said interpreting what the Bifröst would look like was the most challenging task. Branagh sent paintings from classic studies by J.M.W. Turner to Digital Domain when creating Jotunheim. For Odin's Chamber they developed a dome and curtain of light rays hovering over Odin's bed suggesting harnessed power and energy that revitalizes him as he sleeps.
Musical Score
The film's score was written by composer Patrick Doyle who is a frequent collaborator of Branagh. Doyle described Thor as the most commercially high profile film he has done since Frankenstein. The composing process had the challenge of trying to find a tone fitting the duality of Asgard and Earth. Thus Doyle and Branagh had frequent discussions on musical direction. The director suggested a contemporary feel having a balance between music and grand images not hyperbolized. The composer implemented a strong sense of melody which Branagh responded to in his work. As Doyle declared his own Celtic background made him familiar with Norse mythology, an old Celtic folk song provided inspiration for Thor's leitmotif. A soundtrack album was released by Buena Vista Records in April 2011. The film also features a song by the Foo Fighters called Walk in both a scene where powerless Thor shares boilermakers with Selvig in a roadhouse and the closing credits. Marvel president Kevin Feige stated that Walk was a last minute addition. The crew felt it had eerie appropriate lyrics and themes upon hearing it. Branagh thought the lyrics about learning to walk again were appropriate of a movie about redemption and learning to be a hero.
Commercial Performance
Thor grossed $449.3 million worldwide earning $181 million in the United States and Canada. It was the 15th highest-grossing film of 2011. Thor earned $25.5 million on its opening day including $3.3 million from Thursday previews. The total weekend gross reached $65.7 million. Sixty percent of the gross came from 3D screenings while $6.2 million came from IMAX 3D. It became the tenth highest-grossing film of 2011 in the United States and Canada. The film opened in Australia generating $5.8 million placing second behind Fast Five. The following week Thor opened in 56 markets taking in $89.2 million through the weekend. Its highest grossing markets were the United Kingdom at $22.5 million, Australia at $20.1 million, and Mexico at $19.5 million. Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating based on reviews with an average score indicating generally positive reception. Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 indicating mixed or average reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B+ on an A+ to F scale. Richard Kuipers of Variety stated Thor delivers goods so long as butt is being kicked and family conflict plays out in celestial dimensions.
Legacy and Sequels
Three sequels have been released: Thor: The Dark World in 2013, Thor: Ragnarok in 2017, and Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022. Thor: The Dark World was directed by Alan Taylor and released on the 8th of November 2013. Hemsworth, Hiddleston, and Portman reprised their roles along with others from the first film. Zachary Levi replaced Dallas as Fandral while Christopher Eccleston joined the cast as Malekith. Thor: Ragnarok was released on the 3rd of November 2017 directed by Taika Waititi. Eric Pearson and Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost wrote the screenplay with Kevin Feige producing. Mark Ruffalo and Benedict Cumberbatch appeared as Bruce Banner / Hulk and Stephen Strange respectively. Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum and Karl Urban joined the cast as Hela, Valkyrie, Grandmaster, and Skurge. Thor: Love and Thunder was released on the 8th of July 2022. Hemsworth, Thompson, and Elba reprised their roles with Portman, Alexander, Dennings, and Skarsgård returning after not appearing in Ragnarok. Portman portrayed her character taking on the mantle of Thor similar to the comics. Christian Bale joined the cast as the villain Gorr the God Butcher. In a post-credits scene Selvig is taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility where Nick Fury opens a briefcase asking him to study a mysterious cube-shaped object which may hold untold power.
When was the Thor film first developed by Sam Raimi?
Sam Raimi first developed the concept of a film adaptation based on Thor in 1991. He met Thor co-creator Stan Lee and pitched the idea to 20th Century Fox, but they did not understand it.
Who directed the 2011 Marvel Studios film Thor?
Kenneth Branagh entered negotiations later that month and confirmed he had been hired by December 2008 to direct the film. He described it as a human story at the center of a big epic scenario.
Where did principal photography for Thor take place during 2010?
Principal photography took place in California and New Mexico from January to May 2010. Filming began on the 11th of January 2010 at Raleigh Studios in Manhattan Beach before moving to Santa Fe and Galisteo.
What is the worldwide gross total for the Thor film released in 2011?
Thor grossed $449.3 million worldwide earning $181 million in the United States and Canada. It was the 15th highest-grossing film of 2011 with an opening day total of $25.5 million including $3.3 million from Thursday previews.
When was Thor: The Dark World released after the original film?
Thor: The Dark World was directed by Alan Taylor and released on the 8th of November 2013. Hemsworth, Hiddleston, and Portman reprised their roles along with others from the first film.